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A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor

Hodgepodge
Special events and projects

2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997 | 1996 | 1995


2008

Prairie Home Reunion: Still Singing After All These Years (June 15, 2008)
Prairie Home Reunion: Still Singing After All These Years brings together most of the old crowd whose music inspired the creation of this radio show back in the summer of 1974.

Bed of Roses Sonnet Contest (April 12, 2008)
Join us for a poetic exploration into the human heart and the power of love.

People In Their Twenties Talent Show (March 15, 2008)
Nearly 1,000 entries flooded in from all over the country, and we gathered together in our basement to listen to them all, with new pens and big cups of coffee.

2007

New Year's Eve with Garrison Keillor (December 31, 2007)
An encore presentation of last year's New Year's Eve show from the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN.

State Fair (August 31, 2007)
Garrison and company make a double header appearance at the Minnesota State Fair.

Garrison Squeallor (May 9, 2007)
Meet Garrison Squeallor, the new 2007 mascot for the St. Paul Saints baseball team.

People in Their Twenties Talent Contest (April 21, 2007)
Over 740 entries flooded in from all over the country, and we gathered together in our basement to listen to them all, with new pens and big cups of coffee.

Spring Lyric Contest (March 31, 2007)
Over 2,000 poems came flooding into our e-mailbox, a tidal outpouring of spring fever, and we read every single one. From these we chose fifteen poems to be read on our show on Saturday, March 31.

Joke Show (February 3, 2007)
Producing an eighth Joke Show is a lofty goal, our interns have lost weight (and some hair) over the last few weeks, but they actually found some funny jokes we haven't used in the past, so here goes nothing.

2006

New Year's from Nashville (December 31, 2006)
Treat yourself to an evening with Garrison Keillor as he celebrates New Year's Eve at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee.

PHC on PBS' Great Performances (July 1, 2006)
The telecast finds the good people of Lake Wobegon joined by Private Eye Guy Noir, the cowboys Dusty and Lefty, and special guest star Meryl Streep. Also on hand are the Hopeful Gospel Quartet, the Wailin' Jennys, Jearlyn Steele and, of course, the Guy's All-Star Shoe Band.

Prairie Home Companion goes to Iceland (May 20, 2006)
Tune it to see if Icelanders sit in silent puzzlement or if they clap and stuff.

Prairie Home Companion Movie Premiere (May 3, 2006)
Garrison Keillor, Lindsay Lohan, Kevin Kline, Meryl Streep, Lily Tomlin, John C. Reilly and Director Robert Altman all celebrated the film in a gala premiere at the Fitzgerald Theater.

2005

New Year's Eve 2005 (December 31, 2005)
We're making a big deal about New Year's this year. In addition to our regular two-hour show from 5–7 pm (CT), we'll also ring in 2006 in style with a show at the Fitz, from 10 pm–1 am, plus the year's best 3 hours compiled for your enjoyment.

A Prairie Home Cruise (August 20–27, 2005)
Seven nights of variety entertainment, four days hiking and sightseeing ashore, two restful days at sea, and all of it in the company of public radio listeners in all their intelligent and fascinating and good-hearted variety.

Rhubarb Tours 2005 (June and August, 2005)
It's not a long tour by rock n' roll standards, but we have lawns to mow and children who weep and clutch at our ankles when we go out the door.

Talent from Twelve to Twenty (February, 2005)
Learn about the contestants and listen to the show.

2004

Garrison Keillor's Rhubarb Show (April - May, 2004)
Introducing the Rhubarb Show, a new late-night cabaret series at the Fitzgerald Theater, packed with young upstarts and old veterans—from hip-hop vagabonds to blues harmonica to twangy folk-rock—and hosted by GK!

Hopeful Gospel Quartet 2004 Summer Tour (April 2, 2004)
Garrison Keillor, Mollie O'Brien, and Robin and Linda Williams hit the West Coast, touring for the first time since 1998, to perform old favorites and new treasures.

Historic GK (March 19, 2004)
The first broadcast of A Prairie Home Companion, nearly 30 years ago, has been deemed historic. It will join the original cast recording of Oklahoma! and the Beatles' Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album, among others, in the nation's registry of historic sound.

2003

A Song for Garrison (November 18, 2003)
Overheard in the Chatterbox Cafe: a song Tom Flannery wrote in honor of Garrison. Find the post here. Mr. Flannery has given us permission to reprint the song.

Show Log (September–October 2003)
A behind-the-scenes look at how the show works. Where are the scripts? Who are these strange bearded men in the kitchen? What is that sound?

Rhubarb Tour Diary (August 2003)
Garrison Keillor describes his experience on the Rhubarb Tour and life on the road from Iowa, through California, around New Mexico, across Washington and Oregon, and over to Kentucky.

The Rhubarb Tour (August 2003)
This summer's Rhubarb Tour was a three-week transcontinental extravaganza, with stops in 16 cities from Santa Fe to Cleveland to Buffalo.

Elenas's Farewell Luncheon (July 29, 2003)
The staff of A Prairie Home Companion held a fashion lunch at La Grolla, on Selby Avenue in St. Paul. The occasion was to wish staff member Elena See a fond farewell, as she departed for graduate school in Maine.

2002

A Prairie Home Companion Show Video (July 2002)
Live video of our July 6 show at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul, Minnesota, with French Canadian group Entourloupe, singer Stephanie Davis and accordion player Dan Newton.

Wobegon Weekend (February 2002)
Three-hundred folks from around the country visit St. Paul for a weekend of winter fun with Garrison and the crew of A Prairie Home Companion.

2001

Book Reading Video (December 2001)
Watch and listen as Garrison discusses his latest novel Lake Wobegon Summer 1956 during a recent book reading at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul.

Wobegonians Like Me (November 2001)
German radio journalist Joachim Bürkert on why A Prairie Home Companion resonates with many Europeans.

Garrison Keillor on "Fresh Air" (September 2001)
Listen in as Garrison talks about his latest novel, Lake Wobegon Summer 1956, and his recent heart valve operation with WHYY's Terry Gross on "Fresh Air."

A Night Out series (2001)
Listen in as Garrison strolls down explores the musical traditions of a variety of U.S. cities (Memphis, St. Paul, New York, Honolulu).

Travel Tips (July 2001)
Some of our resident globetrotters share their best travel tips—from how to beat jet lag to where to find the best meals to how to pack your clothes wrinkle-free. You'll want to read these helpful hints before your next trip!

Keillor Inducted into the AAAL (May 2001)
Garrison Keillor was inducted into the American Academy of Arts & Letters in May. Membership in the Academy is a recognition of achievement in the arts.

European Tour 2001 (March 2001)
Read Garrison's travelogue as he and the cast and crew travel to Berlin, Germany and Dublin, Ireland.

2000

Street Dance 2000 (October 2000)
Down jackets, meatloaf, loon calls and dancing in the streets. It's our Opening Show Street Dance from beautiful downtown St. Paul.

Our Summer Vacation (October 2000)
From a waterskiing mishap to trans-Atlantic trips (and even a visit to Minnesota's own Gooseberry Falls), here's everything you wanted to know about the summer festivities of the cast and crew of A Prairie Home Companion.

A Little Bit of Prairie Home (October 2000)
For a short introduction to A Prairie Home Companion, take a look at a musical slideshow we've put together.

T-TUTT Champ 2000 (April 2000)
Leilani Clark was voted this year's winner of the Talent From Towns Under 2000 Contest and awarded the Silver Water Tower Trophy. A special thanks to all our finalists!

Parade of Jokes 2000 (April 2000)
This year's Joke Show is a wrap. A very special thanks to all those who took the time to send us a joke or two. Here are some of the over 1000 jokes we received via the Web for this year's show.

Lands' End show (April 2000)
Garrison Keillor, Tom Keith and Rich Dworsky perform with local artists at Lands’ End in Dodgeville, Wisconsin.

Sonnet Contest and Winning Sonnets (Feb. 2000)
Over 2500 sonnets poured into our offices after Garrison announced a Sonnet Contest in celebration of St. Valentine's Day.

1999

Keillor Receives 1999 National Humanities Medal (Sept. 1999)
"I am 80 percent certain that this award is a joke ... "

Live Backstage Chats from the Fitzgerald Theater
Read transcripts of these online chats featuring Tom Keith, Sue Scott, Tim Russell, and other PHC performers and staff. (Fall '99)

Keillor at the Minnesota State Fair
Garrison Keillor wowed the crowd - Listen to Garrison Keillor at the fair, featuring a special quiz show and Keillor's take on music through the decades. You can view a slide show of Garrison's live appearance. (09/99)

25 Years of Pretty Good Radio
Bits, snapshots, and clips from the last 25 years featuring excerpts from anniversary publications and recordings. (07/99)

A Prairie Home Companion 25th Anniversary
It's hard to believe, but this year marks the 25th anniversary of APHC. Take a look and listen through the years with this retrospective. (07/99)

Talent From Towns Under Two Thousand
It's that time of year again, when the small-town stars shine. Listen here to the winner, finalists, and other selections. (04/99)

1998

Celebrate the Holidays with A Prairie Home Companion
Can't get enough of the joyous winter season? Take a look at our archive of past holiday shows. (12/98)

Countdown to Showtime
From Thanksgiving to Christmas, A Prairie Home Companion came live from Manhattan. View the cast and crew preparing for a show in this behind-the-scenes slide show. (11/98)

Tour the Fox Theater
This beautiful, historic Atlanta theater was the November 21 show venue. (11/98)

Backstage Spooks
Ghoulies, ghosties, and a few weirdos hung out with the show on Halloween. (10/98)

Soundman
How does Tom Keith create such an amazing array of sounds for the show each week? The secret's out on the sound effects page. (Audio samples included!) (10/98)

Street Dance Photo Album
A rare look at St. Paul nightlife from the 1998-99 season opener. (10/98)

Year 24, and Counting
Garrison Keillor celebrates 24 years of A Prairie Home Companion with a note to the audience. (10/98)

A Glorious Fourth with Garrison Keillor
Celebrate America's independence with an essay and sing-along lyrics from Garrison Keillor. (07/98)

The Hopeful Gospel Quartet
In preparation for their 1998 summer tour, APHC compiled a brief history of this famous foursome. (7/98)

Studs Terkel Birthday Party!
The great voice of America's Everyman celebrated his birthday on a special APHC tribute show. (5/98)

Talent from Towns Under Two Thousand
The fourth annual contest was bigger than ever - listen to selected auditions and performances, and hear the winners! (04/98)

A Little Girl Was Born
Garrison Keillor reflects on the birth of his child. (01/98)

1997

Lunchtime Chats
Garrison Keillor invited people to participate in a series of chats on the first four Wednesdays in October - read these transcripts on topics ranging from Lutherans and Catholics to what has happened since Tuesday. (10/97)

Is This Minnesotan? Garrison Keillor at the State Fair
What are the qualities of a true Minnesotan? Listen to 12 Minnesotans' answers to Mr. Keillors' question. (8/97)

Camp-Song Songbook
The silly, the weird, the poignant: Camp-song lyrics as best remembered by kids and former kids. Is that a mosquito bite you have there? (7/97)

Midterm Comedy Seminar
APHC fans offer skit suggestions and unbridled opinions about what REALLY is funny. (2/97)

1997 New Year's Resolutions
If one is to believe the emails we received, there are going to be a whole lot of changes among the APHC audience in 1997. (1/97)

1995

The Best of the Emergency Call for Comedy!
Budding comedy writers from around the country came forth with script ideas, several of which were performed on A Prairie Home Companion. (12/95)

Presidential Campaign Press Conference
In the wake of Colin Powell's decision not to run for President, Garrison Keilor and Roy Blount, Jr., demonstrate the same lack of commitment. (11/95)

A Prairie Home Companion Writers' Meeting
Online with Garrison Keillor, Sandy Beach, Guy Wire, and Ernest Money. (10/95)



The Newsletter from Lake Wobegon

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LIBERTY

Liberty:A Novel of Lake Wobegon A national holiday in Lake Wobegon is always gaudy and joyful. But what is going on between Clint Bunsen and Miss Liberty?
Everyone is here—Pastor Ingqvist, the Sons of Knute, Sister Arvonne of Our Lady of Perpetual Responsibility and her ocarina band, the Norwegian bachelor farmers, Dorothy and the Chatterbox Café, Wally in the Sidetrack Tap—as crowds converge on the little town to celebrate American independence, even as the chairman of the event broods on the great question of the day: Shall we struggle on valiantly here or shall we burst the bonds and find beautiful life in the golden west?



YOU WANT FRIES WITH THAT?

English Majors CD Set Scripts and bits from A Prairie Home Companion celebrate the secret society of men and women who possess excellent spelling and punctuation skills. (You know who you are.) Selections include "The Six-Minute Hamlet," a tribute to Emily Dickinson, a Guy Noir adventure that exposes an MFA scam, a riveting "Professional Organization of English Majors" drama, and guests Billy Collins, Robert Bly, Roy Blount Jr., and Calvin Trillin.


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