CHURCH BASEMENT LADIES Opens Tonight at Boulder's Dinner Theatre

A hilarious musical comedy is sweeping the nation and heading to Boulder! Highlighting recipes, food, and change in the church, the regional premiere of Church Basement Ladies is a celebration of the church basement kitchen and the women who run it. Based on the humorous novel Growing Up Lutheran by Janet Letnes Martin and Suzann Nelson, Church Basement Ladies is dishing up laughs at Boulder's Dinner Theatre, tonight, February 22 through May 12, 2013.

Church Basement Ladies features four distinct characters and their relationships as they organize the food and confront the problems in a rural Minnesota church. From the elderly matriarch to the young bride?to?be learning the proper order of things, the story and music give us a touching yet funny look at their lives as we see them handle a record breaking Christmas dinner, the funeral of a dear friend, a HawaiIan Easter Fundraiser, and a steaming hot July wedding.

Authors Janet Letnes Martin and SuzAnne Nelson joined forces with Twin Cities based Production Company Troupe America, Inc. and its Executive Producer Curt Wollan to transform their nationally best-selling book into a musical comedy. Wollan wanted to create a show that celebrates the women who work so hard and with such dedication in the church kitchen whether they are Lutheran, Methodist, Jewish or Catholic. "I know about these 'Steel Magnolias' of the church, because my mother was one of them while I was growing up," says Wollan. Wollan commissioned creative team Jim Stowell and Jessica Zuehlke to write the book and Drew Jansen to compose the music.

The Boulder's Dinner Theatre production features an all-star team of comedic genius! Barb Reeves, Bren.Eyestone Burron, Alicia Dunfee, Heather Doris, and Wayne Kennedy. "We've been wanting to do this show for a while now," explains BDT artistic director Michael J. Duran. "It's fun. It's funny! Church Basement Ladies isn't so much about 'The Church' - it's about the dynamics, the successes, and of course the fiascos, that happen when four ladies join forces to reign in and organize an entire congregation of people. We're really enjoying ourselves putting it together!"

Tickets for Church Basement Ladies are on sale now. Prices start at just $35, and include both the performance and dinner served by the stars of the show. All tickets for opening weekend (Friday, February 22 - Sunday, February 24, 2013) are just $35. Group rate tickets and season subscriptions are available for all performances throughout the year. Call (303) 449-6000 or log on to www.bouldersdinnertheatre.com for reservations and/or additional details about the show.

Boulder's Dinner Theatre presents four Broadway-quality musicals each season, and has been recognized locally and nationally for theatrical excellence. Boulder's Daily Camera praises BDT's "consistency in technical achievement, performance and overall production level as it sets a high standard for theatrical professionalism in the Boulder area." The theatre's 35th year continues with the regional premiere of Church Basement Ladies, playing February 22 - May 12, 2013. The Wizard of Oz rounds out a spectacular season of musicals beginning May 18, 2013. The Full Monty will open up BDT's 36th season on September 6, 2013. And don't forget BDT's Cabaret Series -- Face returns to the stage on April 16, 2013 and Branson on the Road is back by demand on August 5 and 6.