COLUMBIA – The ladies are serving it up again!

This time around it’s an all-new holiday show. Sierra Rep opens the holiday season at the Historic Fallon House Theatre in Columbia State Park with a new musical comedy: “Away in the Basement, A Church Basement Ladies Christmas.”

Away in the Basement takes us back to 1959 and the day of the Sunday School Christmas Program. In the midst of 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 the others put the final touches on the nativity pieces. As they mend old bathrobe costumes, 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! In developing an all-new holiday show, Away in the Basement: A Church Basement Ladies Christmas is the third installment in the highly successful production of the musical comedy Church Basement Ladies.

Tickets for Away In The Basement can be purchased online at www.SierraRep.org, or by phone at (209) 532-3120, or by visiting the East Sonora Theatre Box Office (Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.) at 13891 Mono Way in Sonora, or visiting the Fallon House Box Office two hours prior to curtain, 11175 Washington St., Columbia.

Performances at the Historic Fallon House Theatre in Columbia State Park begin on Nov. 2 and continue through Dec. 9. Performance times are Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays at 2 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m. Ticket prices range from $32 to $47. Discounts for seniors, children, and students (18 and over with student ID) are available for all performances. Special discounts for groups of 20 or more are also available.

This production will be directed by Becky Saunders who will also reprise her role as Mavis Gilmerson, the strong as nails farm-gal with a heart of gold. Chris Vettel (Les Misérables) returns as the caring, agreeable Pastor, a shepherd of his flock who are dealing with the changes of the time and of the church. Quinn Farley (Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Mamma Mia!) returns to the SRT stage as Beverly, the 15-year-old daughter of Karin (played by Robyn Parrish), who both work in the kitchen. Beverly is ready to shed her role as Mary in the pageant and grow up and move on while Karin is the quiet hard worker who avoids attention and just wants everyone to be happy. Karla Franko makes her Sierra Rep debut as Vivian, who still remembers the disastrous Christmas program of 1958. The show must go on and the Church Basement Ladies will see that it does.