Photo courtesy of Looney Lutherans The Looney Lutherans — a trio of ladies offering tips on living well — will be performing in Marshall on Monday. Founding member Greta Grosch said for her, getting to meet and interact with audiences is part of the fun of performing.

They’ve been traveling and performing for almost 20 years. In that time, the Looney Lutherans have gotten to know people in communities around the country, Greta Grosch said.

“It’s really fun to be able to come to people where they are,” Grosch said. “Community is such a key part of what we do.”

This week Grosch, a Twin Cities resident and founding member of the Looney Lutherans, spoke with the Independent about her experiences with the group. The Looney Lutherans will be performing “Young(ish) At Heart: Still Looney After All These Years” at First Lutheran Church in Marshall on Monday, as part of the church’s centennial celebrations.

The Looney Lutherans formed in 2006, when its founding members were appearing in the musical “Church Basement Ladies.” Grosch said she had reached out to fellow cast members about helping her with another “gig.” In addition to acting, Grosch is also a speaker and corporate entertainer.

“I was tired of doing things by myself,” she said. So she asked cast members if they’d be interested in coming up with some material for an event.

“We sort of thought it was going to be a one-and-done,” Grosch said.

But over the years, the group has grown, and developed six shows with different themes.

“We did one (show), and then people would be like, ‘Can you come back?'” she said.

The characters of the Looney Lutherans — three women sharing their advice for living well — have appeared at hundreds of events around the country.

Grosch said the Looney Lutherans’ world was one that was familiar to her. But you don’t have to be a Lutheran to enjoy the show, she said. The performances use comedy, games and audience participation to address topics that lots of people can relate to.

“We really like to use these universal themes,” she said.

The Looney Lutherans have done bits on everything from the experience of getting older, to relationships and fitness and exercise.

“Young(ish) At Heart” has some themes that fit well for First Lutheran’s centennial, Grosch said.

“It’s about being young at heart,” she said.

The Looney Lutherans have traveled to 11 or 12 states to perform, Grosch said. They’ve been in southwest Minnesota, including at a couple of performances this summer. The group performed at both the Murray County Fair and the Wood Lake Community Fair.

“We get to go into all these communities, and get to know the people,” she said.

Getting to interact with audience members is one of the fun parts of doing the Looney Lutherans.

“Audience members are so funny, and they surprise us so much,” she said.

There have been emotional moments, too. Grosch said there were times when the group was able to bring some joy to audience members who were going through grief or other hardships in their lives.

Creating a sense of community through performance also helped meet an important need for people, especially after the isolation of the COVID pandemic, Grosch said.

“I think it’s an important part of mental health for us to be in a community together and laughing together,” she said.

The performance of “Young(ish) At Heart” will be at 7 p.m. Monday in the First Lutheran Church sanctuary. The event is open to the public, and a free-will offering will be accepted.