A Prairie Home Companion Plot

A Prairie Home Companion (previously known as The Last Broadcast) is a comedy film directed by Robert Altman, it was released on June 9, 2006. It is based on A Prairie Home Companion, a program broadcast on public radio stations in the United States and elsewhere. The film is a fictional representation of behind-the-scenes activities on a long-running radio show that has unexpectedly been cancelled.

It stars the show's creator, Garrison Keillor, who wrote the screenplay and plays himself. It also features:

Meryl Streep and Lily Tomlin, portraying the last two of what was once a five-sister country music act;
Lindsay Lohan, as the "Emo" daughter of Streep's character;
Woody Harrelson and John C. Reilly, as singing cowboys Lefty and Dusty, respectively;
Tommy Lee Jones as the Axeman;
Kevin Kline as Keillor's radio character Guy Noir, repurposed as the program's security guard;
Virginia Madsen as the Dangerous Woman, who may or may not be the Angel of Death;
Tim Russell and Maya Rudolph, as the stage manager and his assistant;
Singing duo Robin & Linda Williams as themselves;
Sue Scott, as the make-up artist.

Principal photography for the film began on June 29, 2005 at the Fitzgerald Theater in Saint Paul, Minnesota (the usual venue for the radio show). Filming ended on July 28, 2005.

Because the Fitzgerald is a rather small building, other stage theaters in the Minneapolis-St. Paul region had been considered as stand-ins. With some effort, the necessary film equipment was crammed into the structure. The basement is also being used for sets due to lack of space. Set design also had to make the show more visually interesting, and fake dressing rooms are being used in the film (the movie's production designer noted that Keillor's actual dressing room is "about the size of a very, very small bathroom"). Mickey's Diner, a landmark of downtown St. Paul, will also be featured.

Film critic Michael Medved gave the film one and a half stars (out of four) saying, "The entertainment value stands somewhere between thin and non-existent.." and, "..[it may be] the worst movie ever made that pooled the talents of four (count ‘em - four!) Oscar winners.."