Over the River …

Nellie McKay
Steve Wariner
Andra Suchy
State Theater

This week on A Prairie Home Companion, we're heading over the river to broadcast live from the historic State Theatre in Minneapolis, Minnesota. We'll welcome some very special guests: country-music's beloved singer/songwriter Steve Wariner, and the ever-versatile, always vivacious Nellie McKay. Prepare to have your heart-strings tugged & your funny-bones tickled. Also with us: our good friend Andra Suchy, the Royal Academy of Radio Actors: Tim Russell, Sue Scott and sound effects man Mr. Tom Keith, The Guy's All-Star Shoe Band, plus the latest News from Lake Wobegon.

Listening Information»

Last Week's Show // November 14, 2009

Save Room for Pie
All about last week's Thanksgiving compilation show — with Meryl Streep, Leon Redbone, The Nashville Bluegrass Band, and more.

More from last week's show»

From last week's show

Let the Harvest Go to Seed
Nashville Bluegrass Band
Wild Geese
by Mary Oliver (read by Meryl Streep)
Lullaby of Leaves
Inga Swearingen
My Love, My God
Boys of the Lough
Shine on Harvest Moon
Leon Redbone
Thanksgiving Cantata
Stuff That Turkey
Pat Donohue, Guy's All-Star Shoe Band
Thanksgiving Data
Garrison Keillor
Powdermilk Biscuit Break
The News from Lake Wobegon
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Host Garrison Keillor gives advice on topics from English Major gaffes to affairs of the heart.

Intro to Storytelling

I've been listening to your show ever since I was a teenager, and I love it so much. I am a fourth grade teacher now, and I would like to help my students become storytellers. What advice do you have for them or for me?

Angela M.
Portland, ME

Have a unit on jokes: put 40 or 50 narrative jokes in a hat and pass it around and everyone has to tell that joke, impromptu. Introduce them to the classic stories — you, Angela, telling them the stories — The Little Mermaid (the original H.C. Andersen version), Ulysses, Noah and the Ark, the Prodigal Son, Romeo and Juliet, B'rer Rabbit, Snow White, and so forth — and introduce them to the idea of oral impromptu narrative....

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Russ Ringsak
Making Smithereens

The View From Mrs. Sundberg's Window
No use waiting until the last minute

The Old Scout
Life's Variety Pack

Post to the Host
Intro to Storytelling

Birds of a feather

Poetry 101

Off the Air
Harry Smith videos from The Early Show (CBS)

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Fred Newman

Francine Roche and Mark Stillman

Michael Doucet

Spend a little time at the Sidetrack Tap

Greetings
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Jokes
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Photos

(11/10) Christina, Thinking of you and hoping your heart is happier today....

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I urgently needed a few days off work but I knew the boss would not allow me to take leave. I thought that maybe if I acted 'crazy', then he would tell me to take a few days off. So, I hung upside-down on the ceiling and made funny noises.

My co-worker asked me what I was doing. I told her that I was pretending to be a light bulb, so the Boss might think I was 'crazy' and give me a few days off.

A few minutes later, the boss came into the office and asked, 'What in the name of Sam Hill are you doing?' I told him I was a light bulb. He said, 'You are clearly stressed out. Go home and recuperate for a couple of days.' I jumped down and walked out of the office...

When my co-worker followed me, the boss asked her, 'And where do you think you're going?'

To which she replied:

'I'm going home too. I can't work in the dark.'

This joke was sent in by D. B., of Lorena, TX. Thanks D.B.!