A Prairie Home Companion: 30th Broadcast Season Celebration
April 2005 Reviewed by: Marc Mickelson Format: DVD	(all ratings out of 5): Overall Enjoyment Picture Quality Packaged Extras Sound Quality

Few of us can say that we've discovered our life's calling, let alone followed it, but Garrison Keillor can. A talented writer, storyteller and entertainer with a knack for understated humor, Keillor began working for Minnesota Public Radio in 1969. In 1974, he hosted the first live broadcast of A Prairie Home Companion, a faux old-timey radio show that features skit comedy, live music and a monologue about the fictional town of Lake Wobegon. The show has seen its share of changes in its long run, including a two-year hiatus from broadcasting in the late '80s. Today it is heard weekly by four million listeners on over 550 public radio stations, and at its center is Keillor -- mild-mannered, self-deprecating, and seemingly never without a good-natured quip.

If you've seen A Prairie Home Companion live, either in its permanent home in the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul, Minnesota, or during one of its remote broadcasts, you know that while it is a radio show and performed as such, seeing it in person brings it to life. You can fully appreciate the unique talents of the performers, and you get a bigger helping of Keillor's soft-spoken charm. I saw a performance of the show a couple of years ago -- from the third row -- and it was a midsummer treat.

This DVD also brings A Prairie Home Companion to life, and at a meaningful point in the show's history: the season that completes its third decade and points toward its fourth. Nothing from this performance is out of the ordinary except for a few references to the anniversary, but the camera work and direction impart an intimate feeling, something that would probably be enhanced by a big-screen TV or projector. A most noteworthy guest is roots/country band BR5-49, whose tight, twangy playing steals the show. Keillor and the rest of the cast are so homey and personable that you want to invite them over for a post-show potluck.

More music (including two songs by BR5-49), a skit about a church-sponsored hot-air balloon, and a photo gallery make up the extra features. The video image is a little soft but colorful, and the sound sparkles with detail. I hope to see and hear some of these performances as demo material at next year's CES.

I don’t know if people will want to watch this DVD multiple times given that new episodes of the radio program are broadcast just about every week. The DVD does give a close-up view of a show that has become an American institution and will help those used to hearing it on radio admire its creation, week after week, year after year.

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