The News From Lake Wobegon - A Prairie Home Companion

Yay my first show for the summer! The 2014 Wolf Trap Season began with two performances of a Prairie Home Companion, the famous radio show created and led by Garrison Keilor. I'll begin each of these posts by saying a little about the artist/show that I'm writing about. A Prairie Home Companion has been broadcast in some way, shape, or form since 1974. The show is a variety show of sorts and features storytelling from Keilor along with music and singing from various artists. What I think really makes the show unique is that no one tells a story like Garrison Keilor and he's been able to create this fictional town complete with a mid-west atmosphere that many people (including me) have never experienced. The music is also usually top-notch and combines country, bluegrass, and blues. Finally I think performance wise, the show really connects with the audience and Garrison even walked around the Lawn before the show started.

While it was nice to enjoy the show, I did have a job to do. I had to arrive two and a half hours before showtime and I didn't end up leaving until two hours after the show ended. As a member of the lawn staff, I have to help with clearing the lawn before and after the show and have to monitor the patrons to make sure they're following all the rules. So far, I haven't had any negative encounters with a patron and I hope to keep that a minimum. The hardest part of the job, honestly, is that Im standing for more than five hours with only a twenty minute break. It also does get pretty hot because of the uniform and the fact that the lawn is completely exposed to the sun, But other than that, it's really not a difficult job and I'm looking forward to more shows!

I'll end each post with my favorite part of the show. For me, it was when Garrison Keilor walked up the stairway where my post was and I literally got two feet from him!

DC

The tie really pulls it all together 

He looks older in person