Kathie Lee Gifford amassed devoted followers as a singer, actress and talk show host during her 15-year stint on “Live with Regis and Kathie Lee.” Predictably, she tops herself as playwright and lyricist of “Saving Aimee,” a musical based on the life of controversial evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson.

Gifford became intrigued by Aimee during college when she met the evangelist’s son, Rolf McPherson, and her daughter, Roberta Semple, later the wife of bandleader Harry Salter, creator of “Name That Tune,” Gifford’s first television show. That auspicious connection inspired her to visit Angelus Temple and research stories about the subject’s daring lifestyle and impact on society during the Depression.