"Church Basement Ladies" by Rags to Rags Productions at Plymouth Playhouse

How is it that I've been a theater blogger in Minnesota for 15 years and have never seen a show from the Minnesota musical comedy institution that is Church Basement Ladies? I have no excuse, other than possibly geography (the shows have primarily performed in Plymouth and Burnsville, neither a great location for me), and that it's produced by a production company (Troupe America and/or Rags to Rags Productions) rather than one of the many theaters I frequent. Whatever the reason for this omission, it has been remedied, and I have now been indoctrinated into the basement. After eight sequels, the original Church Basement Ladies has returned to its original venue, Plymouth Playhouse underneath a Ramada Inn off 494, to celebrate its 20th anniversary. The three original ladies of the basement are still with the show, which works like a well-oiled machine at this point. This musical comedy is very broad, very corny, very Minnesotan, and whole lot of fun. This incarnation of Church Basement Ladies continues through August 24, after which they're sure to pop again somewhere, and I hope to visit the basement again!

A staged reading of "Smokey Mountain Christmas Carol" at the Ordway Center for Performing Arts

Watching a reading of a new work of theater is one of my favorite things, and there are many opportunities here in #TCTheater (the Playwrights' Center has free readings of new works all year round, and theaters such as History Theatre, Theater Latte Da, and Illusion Theater have annual new works festivals). Last night I attended one such reading at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, a brand new musical based on the Dickens' classic A Christmas Carol.* It's a beautiful, transcendent, heart-warming story that holds up to the many adaptations. This adaptation is particularly exciting because it features new music written by songwriting and performing legend Dolly Parton, and she's in St. Paul to introduce and watch the show herself! Even better, the mayor of St. Paul declared yesterday Dolly Parton Day. Friends, I wish every day could be Dolly Parton Day; she is a gem, a ray of light, a true gift to the world.