2011 - 2012 SEASON WILL TAKE A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION FROM MINNESOTA TO THE BIG APPLE, COLORADO TO KENTUCKY
Contact:
David O'Neill
Prairie Home Productions
Phone: 651-999-1092
E-mail: davido@prairiehome.us
2011 - 2012 SEASON WILL TAKE A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION FROM
MINNESOTA TO THE BIG APPLE, COLORADO TO KENTUCKY
Season #38 kicks off on Saturday, September 17,
followed by the annual street dance and meatloaf supper.
(ST. PAUL, Minn.) — Right out of the gate, A Prairie Home Companion's 38th season promises good times and great music — a brand-new batch of entertainment from the show that's kept millions coming back week after week for almost four decades.
The fun begins on Saturday, September 17, with a live broadcast from the Fitzgerald Theater in downtown St. Paul, followed by the annual street dance and meatloaf supper on Exchange Street, right in front of the Fitz.
Actress Sue Scott, Tim Russell (the man of many voices), and sound-effects wizard Tom Keith will be on hand, along with the Guy's All-Star Shoe Band, led by pianist Richard Dworsky. Special guests include The Derailers, a hard-driving, roots-country band from Austin, Texas, and Quebecois quartet Le Vent du Nord. And Keillor gets us caught up on the news from Lake Wobegon during his signature monologue.
After the broadcast, everyone heads outside for the Prairie Home Street Dance. Enjoy the music, the food (the famous $5 meatloaf supper), and the fun, with Garrison leading the festivities. This event is open to the public and free — save a small charge for refreshments.
In the following weeks, there will be five more live APHC broadcasts at the Fitzgerald Theater: September 24, October 1, 8, 15, and 22. Tickets are on sale now through Ticketmaster outlets or online, or in person at the Fitzgerald box office.
During the fall, Prairie Home will make its way to Colorado Springs (10/29), Murray, Ky. (11/5), Northfield, Minn. (11/19), and New York City's Town Hall (11/26, 12/3, 12/10, 12/17). Upcoming guests include singer/songwriter Nick Lowe, Metropolitan Opera tenor Raúl Melo, author/actor John Lithgow, guitar ace Steve Wariner, Gillian Welch, Jearlyn and Jevetta Steele, former members of Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys in a tribute the Father of Bluegrass Music, and more. And that's just the first the first third of the season! See www.prairiehome.org for all the details.
A Prairie Home Companion is heard on close to 600 public radio stations across the U.S., with a weekly audience that tops 4.3 million listeners. The program can also be heard on the Armed Forces Network Europe, the Far East Network, and in dozens of European cities via the Astra satellite network.
A Prairie Home Companion is produced by Prairie Home Productions and presented by American Public Media. The show is sponsored nationally by Ford Motor Company. Audio clips, scripts and more information on A Prairie Home Companion can be found online at www.prairiehome.org.
WHAT: A Prairie Home Companion's 2011-12 season kicks off on September 17, followed by the annual (and free) Street Dance (on Exchange Street, in front of the theater).
WHO: Keillor, with Tom Keith, Tim Russell, Sue Scott, and the Guy's All-Star Shoe Band, the Derailers, Le Vent du Nord, and much more.
WHEN: Season-opening broadcast is Saturday, September 17, 2011, 4:45 p.m., at the Fitzgerald Theater, 10 East Exchange St. (at Wabasha), downtown St. Paul. The Prairie Home Street Dance follows from 7-10 p.m., whatever the weather.
The rest of the St. Paul fall run: September 24, October 1, 8, 15 and 22.
Then, Colorado Springs (10/29), Murray, Ky. (11/5), Northfield, Minn. (11/19), and New York City's Town Hall (11/26, 12/3, 12/10, 12/17).
TICKETS: Order tickets for the St. Paul fall run through Ticketmaster.com, call 800 982-2787, or visit a Ticketmaster outlet. The general public may purchase tickets in person at the Fitzgerald box office. Minnesota Public Radio members may order tickets by phone at 651 290-1200. A limited number of rush tickets are sold on day of show: numbers issued at 2:00 p.m.; rush ticket sales at 4:00 p.m. ($15 each, limit of two, cash only).
TUNE IN: in Saturdays to any of hundreds of public radio stations coast to coast (many rebroadcast the show on Sunday). Check local listings or go to www.prairiehome.org.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Go to www.prairiehome.org.