SIDNEY --  The Looney Lutherans will open the High Plains Arts Council’s 2025-2026 season at 7 p.m. on Saturday, August 23 when they perform their show “LIVIN’ LA VIDA LUTHERAN: Looney Lifestyle Tips for Livelier Living” at the Sidney High School Performing Arts Center.

Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for seniors, $5 for students (including WNCC), and children under five are free. Tickets and season memberships will be available at the door.

The Looney Lutherans are a trio of wacky gals who use music, comedy, and audience participation to share their age-old wisdom for living a long and lively life. Their material is comedic and family friendly, and you don’t have to be Lutheran to love it! The idea for this group was cooked up in 2006 when the founding members were appearing in the cast of the hit musical Church Basement Ladies. They were having so much fun, they did not want it to come to an end, so they formed The Looney Lutherans.

And the rest is history!

Over the years, the company has expanded to include additional “Loonies,” all professional actresses, writers, and singers who have traveled around the country appearing at hundreds of fairs, festivals and events. One of the founding members, Robbie Mancina, will appear in Sidney as Bella Anderson. Italian by birth and Lutheran by marriage, Bella is the owner, operator, CEO, personal trainer, and client at a local exercise franchise.

She will be joined onstage by Bethany McCade as Ginger Johnson, who is the Looney life coach, food expert, and mastermind of the Lutheran Food Wheel. Ginger loves food so much she married a man named Herb. Ann Whiting as Lois Jenson will round out the trio. Lois is passionate about recycling and is excited to share her Lutheran beauty tips which incorporate items every homemaker has in her kitchen. She is also the emcee of the group.

In LIVIN’ LA VIDA LUTHERAN, the “Loonies” will share tips from their (fictional) cookbook and lifestyle guide and will be introduced to the “6HHP” (the 6 “Happy Heart” petals). Segments will include the Lutheran “food wheel” (all roads lead to hotdish), the

Menopause Medley, and Lutheran Yoga. Audience members may also be invited to compete for cans of corn in the game POTLUCK.