The Authors and Composer Biographies
GRETA GROSCH (Playwright)
Since 1989 Greta has worked as a freelance writer and performer across the country and has a wealth of experience in both commercial and business theater. An original cast member of Church Basement Ladies, Greta originated the role of Mavis and wrote the script for Church Basement Ladies 2: A Second Helping, Away in the Basement: A Church Basement Ladies Christmas and The Church Basement Ladies in A Mighty Fortress Is Our Basement.
A graduate of Mankato State, she bought her first guitar in the 90s and began writing comic songs. This led to a season at Dudley Riggs Brave New Workshoip and a love of sketch comedy. She continues to write and perform original material with a variety of groups, and her company, Girl With Guitar, provides educational and entertaining programming ranging from training seminars to company parties for organizations across the country. (gretagrosch.com) Additionally, Greta is the head writer for the Medora Musical in Medora, North Dakota, is a voice over and commercial artist and is a founding member of the Looney Lutherans. (thelooneylutherans.com). She wishes to extend a huge thank you to Curt Wollan and to Janet Martin and Suzann Nelson for this opportunity, what a trip. Greta dedicates this show to her Norweigan sister-in-law. Lise, who was "Born to Farm."
DREW JANSEN (Composer, Lyricist)
A proud graduate of St. John's University in Collegeville (Class of '83), Arkansas native Jansen is in the midst of a multi-faceted career as a performer, writer and composer. In addition to penning the scores for Troupe America's How To Talk Minnesotan The Musical and Church Basement Ladies as well as the History Theatre's The Gangster Musical, he is also one of the busier voice-over actors in town. An accomplished pianist, he has had the honor of accompanying such legends as Celeste Holm and Carmel Quinn. On camera, Jansen enjoyed a two-season run as “Ernie,” the announcer on Comedy Central's Let's Bowl! He was a contributing writer for television's Mystery Science Theater 3000 and created the text for numerous greeting cards and syndicated comic strips.
JANET LETNES MARTIN (Co-author of Growing Up Lutheran)
Janet Letnes Martin grew up in Hillsboro, ND where the words Norwegian and Lutheran were synonymous. It was no surprise she graduated from Augsburg College, in Minneapolis, MN and married Neil Martin, a 100 percent Scandinavian- Lutheran man from Newfolden, MN.
Janet started writing books in 1983. She wrote three books, co- authored three books with Allen Todnem, and one with her sister, Ilene Lorenz, before she teamed up to write and perform with a college friend, Suzann Nelson. Janet and Suzann have written nine books relating to their Norwegian-Lutheran rural background. Their book "Growing Up Lutheran, What Does This Mean?"won the Minnesota Book Award for Humor, and is the inspiration for both Church Basement Ladies musical comedies. Janet and Suzann have performed as a comedy duo "Those Lutheran Ladies" from the state of Washington to Washington, DC as well as in the Medora Musical.
Recently Janet switched gears and teamed up with author/artist, David W. Cook II, to writea fabulous new humorous book " Lemonade for the Lawnboy: The Executives Wives' Cookbook Committee."
Janet lives in Hastings, MN and feels blessed that her family is all involved in their Scandinavian Lutheran heritage. She is co-owner of Scandinavian Marketplace and the online store scandinavianmarket.com with her daughter and son-in-law, Jennifer and Steve Green, her daughter, Sarah, is a national representative for the Norwegian Fjord Flatware Company and her youngest daughter Katrina Benedict is the costumer of Church Basement Ladies 2: A Second Helping! and is grateful that her husband Andy knows how to make egg coffee. Her granddaughters, Sophia, Ariana and Myana Green and Nora Benedict are the love of her life. She dedicates her contribution to this play, to her late husband, Neil, whom she misses dearly.
SUZANN NELSON (Co Author of Growing Up Lutheran) could put “ditto” under Janet’s bio. Their books and performances as the humorous duo, “Those Lutheran Ladies”, draw upon life experiences growing up as hardworking, church attending, 100 percent Norwegian-Lutheran farm girls. This is the nucleus of the heartwarming Church Basement Ladies musicals. She attended Universities in Minnesota and Oslo, directed a Norwegian language camp and wrote curricula. Changing from jeans into three-piece suits, she dabbled in government, wrote public policy reports, and struggled to put on pantyhose. In time, humidity and hot flashes prompted her to team up with Janet for her next act. By then, Suzann, husband Ron, and daughters Senja and Siri, lived in Grand Rapids, MN. After widowhood set in, she started her online bookstore -www.ruralroutebookstore.com. She spent her days looking for misplaced things and laughing with her four grandkids, and her nights were spent pondering her mortgage. Suzann quite unexpectedly passed away on March 14, 2021, and her children have since found her misplaced things and are thankful her legacy lives on in the Church Basement Ladies performances. Her online bookstore remains active, and her grandkids are still laughing at their grandma’s antics.
Since 1989 Greta has worked as a freelance writer and performer across the country and has a wealth of experience in both commercial and business theater. An original cast member of Church Basement Ladies, Greta originated the role of Mavis and wrote the script for Church Basement Ladies 2: A Second Helping, Away in the Basement: A Church Basement Ladies Christmas and The Church Basement Ladies in A Mighty Fortress Is Our Basement.
A graduate of Mankato State, she bought her first guitar in the 90s and began writing comic songs. This led to a season at Dudley Riggs Brave New Workshoip and a love of sketch comedy. She continues to write and perform original material with a variety of groups, and her company, Girl With Guitar, provides educational and entertaining programming ranging from training seminars to company parties for organizations across the country. (gretagrosch.com) Additionally, Greta is the head writer for the Medora Musical in Medora, North Dakota, is a voice over and commercial artist and is a founding member of the Looney Lutherans. (thelooneylutherans.com). She wishes to extend a huge thank you to Curt Wollan and to Janet Martin and Suzann Nelson for this opportunity, what a trip. Greta dedicates this show to her Norweigan sister-in-law. Lise, who was "Born to Farm."
DREW JANSEN (Composer, Lyricist)
A proud graduate of St. John's University in Collegeville (Class of '83), Arkansas native Jansen is in the midst of a multi-faceted career as a performer, writer and composer. In addition to penning the scores for Troupe America's How To Talk Minnesotan The Musical and Church Basement Ladies as well as the History Theatre's The Gangster Musical, he is also one of the busier voice-over actors in town. An accomplished pianist, he has had the honor of accompanying such legends as Celeste Holm and Carmel Quinn. On camera, Jansen enjoyed a two-season run as “Ernie,” the announcer on Comedy Central's Let's Bowl! He was a contributing writer for television's Mystery Science Theater 3000 and created the text for numerous greeting cards and syndicated comic strips.
JANET LETNES MARTIN (Co-author of Growing Up Lutheran)
Janet Letnes Martin grew up in Hillsboro, ND where the words Norwegian and Lutheran were synonymous. It was no surprise she graduated from Augsburg College, in Minneapolis, MN and married Neil Martin, a 100 percent Scandinavian- Lutheran man from Newfolden, MN.
Janet started writing books in 1983. She wrote three books, co- authored three books with Allen Todnem, and one with her sister, Ilene Lorenz, before she teamed up to write and perform with a college friend, Suzann Nelson. Janet and Suzann have written nine books relating to their Norwegian-Lutheran rural background. Their book "Growing Up Lutheran, What Does This Mean?"won the Minnesota Book Award for Humor, and is the inspiration for both Church Basement Ladies musical comedies. Janet and Suzann have performed as a comedy duo "Those Lutheran Ladies" from the state of Washington to Washington, DC as well as in the Medora Musical.
Recently Janet switched gears and teamed up with author/artist, David W. Cook II, to writea fabulous new humorous book " Lemonade for the Lawnboy: The Executives Wives' Cookbook Committee."
Janet lives in Hastings, MN and feels blessed that her family is all involved in their Scandinavian Lutheran heritage. She is co-owner of Scandinavian Marketplace and the online store scandinavianmarket.com with her daughter and son-in-law, Jennifer and Steve Green, her daughter, Sarah, is a national representative for the Norwegian Fjord Flatware Company and her youngest daughter Katrina Benedict is the costumer of Church Basement Ladies 2: A Second Helping! and is grateful that her husband Andy knows how to make egg coffee. Her granddaughters, Sophia, Ariana and Myana Green and Nora Benedict are the love of her life. She dedicates her contribution to this play, to her late husband, Neil, whom she misses dearly.
SUZANN NELSON (Co Author of Growing Up Lutheran) could put “ditto” under Janet’s bio. Their books and performances as the humorous duo, “Those Lutheran Ladies”, draw upon life experiences growing up as hardworking, church attending, 100 percent Norwegian-Lutheran farm girls. This is the nucleus of the heartwarming Church Basement Ladies musicals. She attended Universities in Minnesota and Oslo, directed a Norwegian language camp and wrote curricula. Changing from jeans into three-piece suits, she dabbled in government, wrote public policy reports, and struggled to put on pantyhose. In time, humidity and hot flashes prompted her to team up with Janet for her next act. By then, Suzann, husband Ron, and daughters Senja and Siri, lived in Grand Rapids, MN. After widowhood set in, she started her online bookstore -www.ruralroutebookstore.com. She spent her days looking for misplaced things and laughing with her four grandkids, and her nights were spent pondering her mortgage. Suzann quite unexpectedly passed away on March 14, 2021, and her children have since found her misplaced things and are thankful her legacy lives on in the Church Basement Ladies performances. Her online bookstore remains active, and her grandkids are still laughing at their grandma’s antics.