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December 23, 2006
A Prairie Home Christmas
Derek surprised me with a lovely Christmas present yesterday: tickets to last night's show of A Prairie Home Companion at The Town Hall. We were only a few rows back from the stage and it was a wonderful performance. Garrison Keillor is a gifted storyteller -- he doesn't use notes and stands right at the edge of the stage, gesticulating while elaborating on Lake Wobegone stories with his calm, measured tone and serious expression.
My favorite part was a funny "commissioned work" for "out of work instruments," during which a gong, piccolo, baritone saxophone, contrabassoon, and other neglected instruments performed a medley of Christmas pieces (the gong and piccolo provided a rather exaggerated emphasis at the end of each stanza). The ragtag musical bunch was hysterical.
The whole cast generally seems to be having a good time, and I felt like Garrison might be my wise, funny, sometimes-distracted grandfather. Odetta sang several songs -- her voice is so complex and grounding and beautiful. I felt very lucky to hear her sing in person.
The whole audience sang O Holy Night in both French and English, and then Silent Night in both German and English (my two favorite Christmas songs, btw). We were exhorted to sing in Polish by Walter Bobbie, but didn't manage much. The regulars on the show were so fun to watch, too -- now I finally know what they look like (and how they simulate telephone conversation)!
Posted by csageday at December 23, 2006 11:08 PM
Comments
So, when I was long-gone from Louisiana, but looking back on it, I realized that I should have understood early that I was a changeling baby. Because what other young teenage girl in Gonzales was listening EVERY WEEK to Prairie Home Companion? I am pretty sure it was just me.
Your Prairie Home Christmas sounded lovely! Did you see the movie earlier in the year? I know it wasn't *just* like the show, and yet I loved the sense it gave, of being backstage at the show.
Posted by: Rose at December 29, 2006 09:29 PM
It's interesting to find out who knows and loves Prarie Home Companion and who goes, "huh?" I don't think I knew about it until after college, so I'm impressed that you found it early.
Re: the movie: I had a mixed reaction to it -- I agree with you about the sense it gave and I appreciate that (backstage antics, a lovely laid back, fun approach to the whole exercise, lots of music and nostalgia), but maybe the addition of a plot (destruction of theater) threw me off? I love the part where GK is going on and on with a story backstage while someone is panicking/trying to give him a cue.
Posted by: Cindy at December 29, 2006 11:53 PM