Church Basement Ladies at North Shore Center for the Performing Arts

Chicago Tribune - Somewhat Recommended

"...The production values are cheese (whiz)y and Drew Janson's perky music is sung, mostly on but sometimes off-key, to a pre-recorded track. But there's some redeeming wit behind the enterprise—which was penned by Jim Stowell and Jessica Zuehlke and inspired by the "Growing Up Lutheran" books of Janet Letnes Martin and Suzann Nelson."

Chicago Sun Times - Somewhat Recommended

"...In between the songs, however, the repetitive jokes wear thin and eventually seem forced. There is some funny slapstick comedy (Pappas rules here) but also some bad gimmicks. Do the writers really need to resort to coconut bras and grass skirts to get laughs? And that weary women's staple -- menopause jokes -- gets a real workout here, too."

Chicago Reader - Somewhat Recommended

"...Full of standard-issue sitcom antics and dispensable numbers such as The Pale Food Polka, the show seems tailor-made for those who like their musicals happy, harmless, and hopelessly, shamelessly lame."

EpochTimes - Somewhat Recommended

"...this production is not what the press releases reported at all. It is hard to believe that this show played 130 straight weeks in Minneapolis to sold out houses. Unless this was a different production, the theater would have to have been a very small one, or someone bought the tickets and gave them away. Not that the actors in the cast were not talented, they just didn't have much to work with. There are some very cute moments and some of the songs were cute, but the whole story about a year in the kitchen run by these ladies is just a bit much..."

ChicagoCritic - Not Recommended

"...How this show ended up on a national tour defies explanation. I found nothing worthy of my attention in this entire show. On opening night almost half of the audience left at intermission. They were the lucky ones. Skip this turkey."

Chicago Stage and Screen - Not Recommended

"...I never thought I would see a show that would make me long for the depth and sophistication of "Nunsense". If mediocrity is the greatest sin, then the perpetrators (er producers) of "Church Basement Ladies" are guilty of heresy. The tepid little homespun musical comedy that limped onto the stage of the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in a regional touring production offers almost nothing in the way of plot, character or musical to keep an audience awake for two acts."