By Daniel Johnson-Kim, Editor in Chief

Joyce Pace has listened to A Prairie Home Companion for more than a decade, and Saturday, the variety radio show came alive for the 77-year-old fan.

Like countless shows before, host Garrison Keillor and the Prairie Home cast performed various skits, sang classic songs and thrilled their audience with its radio techniques of old. This time around though, Pace and an audience of more than 3,000, saw it live, in-person in Moody Coliseum.

“It was much larger than I assumed with more people,” said Pace, who came to the show with her husband Rudy Pace, a fellow fan. “Now every time I listen to it, I’ll know what it looks like.”

Saturday’s show, which was broadcast to more than 4 million listeners on various public radio stations across the nation, incorporated Abilene, ACU and West Texas into its classic format of song and comedy. Keillor and company did not stray from controversial topics in their comedic segments, poking fun at Texas traditions, the relatively small number of Democrats in the state, religion and politics. One skit even featured equestrian flatulence.

“I can’t believe we had a horse tootin’,” said Fred Newman, who was an actor and created sound effects for the skits. “We got away with a lot tonight.”

Although the show is based in St. Paul, Minn., Keillor and the cast performed songs from the West Texas area and made sure the show was full of Abilene and ACU references. The skits were set mostly in Abilene, and in one segment titled, “Guy Noir, Private Eye,” Keillor was an investigator hired to moderate a debate about God’s existence at “Abilene Secular-Humanist University.”

“People ask me ‘why would you go to do a show in Abilene?'” Keillor said on stage. “This is one of the most conservative parts of the country, and there you are, a Minnesota Democrat.”

Keillor explained to the audience that differences were a good thing.

“I like to be with people who are different than myself,” Keillor said. “I don’t get along with people like me so I thought I’d try something else.”

Dr. Jack Reese, chair of the College of Biblical studies, joined Keillor on stage for a short question and answer segment, where the two had an unscripted back and forth about the ACU and the Church of Christ doctrine and tradition.

“We are committed to scripture,” Reese explained to Keillor.

“What are you saying about us Episcopalians?” Keillor replied.

Audience members chuckled at Keillor’s heartfelt jabs at ACU, joking that there was “no dancing on campus,” and explaining how students attended daily Chapel. He took jabs at Abilene too, citing in a skit there were no saloons in town and that every corner had a church.

“The fact that he comes from such a different area and came in here and everything was just entwined, you’d have thought he’d been living here a couple of years,” said Evelyn Mayfield, who came to the show with her 89-year-old mother Lavern Mayfield.

ACU women students from the ACU A Capella choir sang backup for Keillor and Gospel singer Jeralyn Steele for country and gospel ballads during the show. Emilly Pallostro, senior visual communication major from Austin, said she was honored to perform with Keillor and Steele, and although she did not listen to the show in the past, she will be a frequent listener in the future.

After two hours of songs, skits and stories, the cast, the ACU A Capella and a packed Moody Coliseum helped Keillor close the show with the country classic that holds this West Texas town’s name.

“Abilene, Abilene, prettiest town I’ve ever seen. Women there don’t treat you mean in Abilene, not in Abilene,” the stadium sang together.

*Keillor wrote about his visit to Abilene. You can read his reaction to ACU and Abilene here: http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/10/22/opinion/edkeillor.php