Last Thursday, in spite of snow, sleet and ice, I went to the cinecast of "A Prairie Home Companion" at the Roseville Theater. Even though I live five minutes from the Fitzgerald Theater, I had never attended the program so the evening was a new experience for me. I sat with a dear older couple from Fridley, also Prairie Home novices.
Being my father's daughter, I arrived at 6:20 for a 7:00 program but I had my library book (Another Faust by Daniel & Dena Nayeri) so I was content. At 6:45, Garrison's face (not one of the more attractive mugs in creation) came on screen for a spontaneous tour of downtown St. Paul: Rice Park, Candyland (the best caramel corn ever), Mickey's Diner and a few other star locations. It is fun to see your neighborhood through the eyes of someone else and wonder what the rest of the viewing public think of it. Garrison speaks so easily and wittily--even though I live in St. Paul I wanted to go visit right then (well, maybe after the weather cleared up).
The evening's guests included Elvis Costello (wow, is he cool or what?), Robin and Linda Williams, Heather Massey, Jevetta and Jearlyn Steel (they sang a gospel version of Beethoven's Ode to Joy that just about put me over the edge--amazing) and the usual suspects: Sue Scott, Tom Keith, Fred Newman (very handsome) the sound effects guy and Tim Russell. An amazingly talented group of people.
Being a lover of words, I have to say I stand in awe of Garrison Keillor--the other's had scripts but he spoke almost everything from memory or off the cuff. Wow, wow and wow again.
I hope they cinecast the program again--even at $20 a ticket, I'll be there. Ready to laugh, cry and sing along (I so want to be a part of the Hopeful Gospel Quartet), letting wonderful and glorious words wash over me. Perfect.
