A Prairie Home Companion for December 10, 2016

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This week's classic rebroadcast: a look back toDecember 2014and a show at The Town Hall in New York City. PoetEdward Fieldreads "New York" and "Envoi,"Jeremy Denkplays a few selections from theGoldberg Variations,Karan Caseysings "Lovely Annie," andChristine DiGiallonardojoins Garrison for "Hush Little Baby." Plus:Sam BushandStuart Duncansit in withRichard Dworskyand the band, and a collection of Christmas scripts with our Royal Academy of Radio Actors. In Lake Wobegon, Betty Ingebretsen accompanies the 4th and 5th grade carolers at the Good Shepherd Home.Notes fromEdward Fieldon this week's rebroadcast:Town Hall is such a venerable New York City recital hall. I was awed to be on that stage myself, but Garrison gave me such a generous and big-hearted intro, I faced the audience floating on a billow of confidence. Of course, he had worked out the basics of the show earlier, but he also created it as it went along, and you couldn't help but fall in with his open improvisational spirit, which made being part of it so extraordinary. Sitting behind the different acts of the show, waiting my turn, I was hypnotized by the sound effects man, Fred Newman, who used every part of his body and simple sound devices to make a skit come alive, in a magical St. Vitus Dance. One of my poems had to do with a bombing run I was on during World War II, and walking out of the theater after the show, many people in the audience said "Thank you for your service," the first time I had ever heard that. And since then people have been saying it to me all over the place when my military history comes up. For the show to be rebroadcast is another gift.

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