Hit Musical Comedy to Bring Nostalgic Look at Holiday Traditions to Heritage Center

DUBUQUE, Iowa - Travel to a church basement with Away in the Basement: A Church Basement Ladies Christmas at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, December 5, 2023, in John and Alice Butler Hall, Heritage Center, University of Dubuque. The performance is part of the 11th annual Live at Heritage Center Performing Arts Series.

The charming and funny ladies who run the kitchen at a Lutheran church in Minnesota are back with a musical comedy providing a sweetly nostalgic look at holiday traditions and life in rural America. Out of the basement shall come a Church Basement program of good tidings, great humor, and joy.

The ladies are serving it up again, taking audiences back to 1959 and the day of the Sunday School Christmas Program. In the midst of the holiday preparations and sprinklings of love in the air, the ladies in their witty, down-to-earth style are creating their own memories from Christmases past and present. Content to do things the way they have always been done yet pondering new ideas, the reality of everyday life hits home as they plan the Sunday School Christmas Program. As the children rehearse up in the sanctuary, several of the ladies of the kitchen are finishing up the treat bags filled with apples, peanuts, and ribbon candy while others put the final touches on the nativity pieces. As they mend old bathrobe costumes and discuss the politics of who's going to play the various roles, little do the ladies know what surprises are in store for them. Known for their hilarious antics and subtle charm, they are once again called upon to step in and save the day.

Away in the Basement: A Church Basement Ladies Christmas is the third installment in the successful production of the musical comedy Church Basement Ladies. All three installments are inspired by the books of author/humorists Janet Letnes Martin and Suzann Nelson including the bestseller Growing Up Lutheran: What Does This Mean. The performance is produced by Troupe America.

A free pre-show reception for "Narratives by Ioana Mamali: What You See Is What Might Be" will be held from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Tuesday, December 5, 2023, in the Bisignano Art Gallery. The exhibit will be open Friday, December 1, 2023, through Friday, December 29, 2023.

Tickets for Away in the Basement: A Church Basement Ladies Christmas may be purchased by visiting the Farber Box Office, Heritage Center, University of Dubuque, 2255 Bennett Street; by calling 563.585.7469; or by visiting www.dbq.edu/HeritageCenter. Patrons are encouraged to purchase tickets online for reduced ticket handling fees.

The Farber Box Office is open 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and 90 minutes prior to events.

In its second year, the Heritage Performing Arts Loyalty System (H-PALS) continues to allow patrons to earn rewards with most ticket purchases. For every $200 spent on eligible events, patrons will receive one free ticket (valued up to $50) to their choice of eligible event. Reward points are redeemable for Live at Heritage Center Performing Arts Series events only. Please visit www.dbq.edu/HeritageCenter and click on "PURCHASE TICKETS" for more details.