This fall, the M State Fine Arts Department invites you to step into the potluckpowered kitchen of a rural Minnesota church with its musical comedy, “Church Basement Ladies.”

Inspired by the best-selling book, “Growing Up Lutheran,” by Minnesota authors Janet Letnes Martin and Suzann Nelson, the show celebrates the unsung heroines who keep the coffee brewing and the hot dishes coming.

Set in 1964, “Church Basement Ladies” follows four spirited women as they navigate the ups and downs of church life – preparing for Christmas dinners, Easter fundraisers, weddings and funerals, all while sharing recipes, stories and plenty of laughs. Midwestern audiences will recognize their own mothers, grandmothers and neighbor ladies in these characters, whose personalities blend to create the perfect recipe for comedy and touching moments.

“This show is a love letter to the women who shaped our communities from behind the scenes,” says Director and M State Theatre Faculty Stefanie Gerhardson. “It’s funny, heartfelt and deeply familiar.

Audiences will feel like they’ve just spent an evening in the church kitchen themselves.”

The cast features Jacob Berg as Pastor Gunderson, Alyse Fiedler as Vivian Snustad, Isabela Ochoa as Karin Engleson, Maezyn Haugen as Mavis Gilmerson, and Samantha Lehne as Signe Engleson. The production team includes Vocal Director Laura Quaintance, Set/Lighting Designer James Stenger, Choreographer Miranda Lape, Assistant Director/Sound Andrew Rasmusson, Stage Managers Angel Grenvik and Austin Hess, Director’s Assistant Kate Heikes, and lighting by Jenna Allen-DeRemer.

“Church Basement Ladies” was written by Jim Stowell and Jessica Zuehlke, with music and lyrics by Drew Jansen. Since its debut at the Plymouth Playhouse in 2005, the show has become a beloved staple of Midwestern theater.

Show dates and location:

• Friday and Saturday, Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, and again on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 7-8, at 7:30 p.m., plus a Sunday, Nov. 9 matinee at 2 p.m.

• Waage Theatre, M State Fergus Falls

Tickets:

• $12 in advance or $15 at the door.

• Available online at mstate.universitytickets.com or at the Fergus Falls Campus Store during open hours (Monday–Thursday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.) or by calling (218) 736-1556.

About M State

A member of the Minnesota State system of colleges and universities, M State (Minnesota State Community and Technical College) serves more than 10,000 students in credit and non-credit courses each year in over 70 career and liberal arts programs online and in-person at its four campuses in Detroit Lakes, Fergus Falls, Moorhead and Wadena. The college also partners with communities to provide workforce development services and other responsive training programs to 500 businesses and thousands of annual participants.