WABASH, Ind. – Men in the parish basement? What’s a church lady to do? Find out when “Church Basement Ladies – Rise Up O Men” takes the Honeywell Center’s Ford Theater stage on Tues., March 5, 2019, featuring two performances at 3:00 and 7:30 p.m. Corporate sponsorship is provided by Wellbrooke of Wabash.
“Church Basement Ladies – Rise Up O Men” gives the gents a chance to shine in the latest installment of the Church Basement Ladies musical comedy series. This sidesplitting, uplifting peek into the lives of the rural Norwegian Lutherans who audiences first fell in love with in 2005 is the sixth chapter of the story begun in the original Church Basement Ladies.
As the ladies busy themselves with preparations for their churches participation in the town’s 1964 Centennial Celebration, we get to see their coming and goings from the eyes of the menfolk, who have their own problems to solve. Elroy, farmer Carl and Great War vet Arlo are joined in brotherhood by series staple Pastor E.L. Gunderson. Their camaraderie unites them as they deal with furnace salesmen, looming retirement, rival Protestant denominations, and the Pastor’s bad jokes.
The series of Church Basement Ladies productions are inspired by the bestselling book Growing Up Lutheran by Janet Letnes Martin and Suzann Nelson. This latest chapter in the lives of these rural Minnesota Norwegians was developed by Greta Grosch, who wrote the scripts for the second, third, fourth, and fifth musicals in the series. Longtime Minneapolis StarTribune theatre critic Graydon Royce contributed additional material. Composer and songwriter Dennis Curley wrote the music, with lyrics by Dennis Curley and Greta Grosch.
Millions of Americans discovered a heartfelt connection to its deeply funny church matriarchs through regional and national touring productions.
Ticket prices are $25 and $18, and may be purchased online at www.honeywellcenter.org or by calling the Honeywell Foundation Box Office at 260-563-1102.
The Honeywell Foundation is a public charity in Wabash, Indiana. The organization and its venues – Honeywell Center, Honeywell House, Charley Creek Gardens, Dr. Ford Historic Home, Eagles Theatre, and 13-24 Drive In – provide artistic, social, cultural, and recreational opportunities for all. For more information about The Honeywell Foundation, please visit www.honeywellfoundation.org.