'Away in the Basement' church ladies Christmas at Lied Center Dec. 7-9

            The Lied Center for Performing Arts at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln will present "Away in the Basement: A Church Basement Ladies Christmas," in four performances Dec. 7 through 9. The Church Basement Ladies, known for their hilarious antics and subtle charm, are called on again to step in and save the annual Christmas program.

            Tickets for the two evening shows, Friday and Saturday, or two matinees, Saturday and Sunday, may be purchased at the Lied Center Ticket Office, 301 N. 12th St., by phone at 402-472-4747 or online at www.liedcenter.org.

            "Away in the Basement" takes us back to 1959 and the day of the Sunday school Christmas program. In their down-to-earth style, the ladies are creating their own memories from Christmases past and present, content to do things the way they have always been done. Little do the ladies know what surprises await. Children rehearse in the sanctuary, several of the ladies of the kitchen are finishing up the treat bags filled with apples, peanuts and ribbon candy while the others put the final touches on the nativity pieces. When disaster threatens, the Church Basement Ladies step in and save the day.

            The nationally acclaimed Church Basement Ladies musical comedy series began in 2005 with "Church Basement Ladies" and was followed by "Church Basement Ladies 2: A Second Helping" in 2008. All three installments of the inspired by the books of author/humorists Janet Letnes Martin and Suzann Nelson including the bestseller, "Growing Up Lutheran."

            Performances are at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 7, 2 and 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 8 and 2 p.m. on Dec. 9. Pre-show talks scheduled one-half hour before each performance will be led by cast members Sarah James-Borden, Melissa Lewis and Karen Wills. The talks, free to ticket holders, will be in the Lied Center's Steinhart Room.

Writer: Maureen Ose