A Prairie Home Companion
A look at what goes on backstage during the last broadcast of America's most celebrated radio show, where singing cowboys Dusty and Lefty, a country music siren, and a host of others hold court.
Despite its small-scale budget of $10.0M, A Prairie Home Companion became a box office success, earning $26.0M worldwide—a 160% return.
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
A Prairie Home Companion (2006) exhibits carefully calibrated dramatic framework, characteristic of Robert Altman's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 13-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 45 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 6.6, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Yolanda Johnson
Rhonda Johnson
Dusty
Lefty
Garrison Keillor (GK)
Guy Noir
Lola Johnson
The Dangerous Woman
Main Cast & Characters
Yolanda Johnson
Played by Meryl Streep
Singing partner in the Johnson Sisters duo, witty and world-weary performer on the final night of the radio show.
Rhonda Johnson
Played by Lily Tomlin
Yolanda's younger sister and singing partner, more optimistic and emotionally open than her sibling.
Dusty
Played by Woody Harrelson
One half of the cowboy duo, sings risqué songs and carries deep nostalgia for the old days of radio.
Lefty
Played by John C. Reilly
Dusty's singing partner, equally bawdy and devoted to preserving their comedy-western act.
Garrison Keillor (GK)
Played by Garrison Keillor
Host and creator of A Prairie Home Companion, calm storyteller who guides the show through its final broadcast.
Guy Noir
Played by Kevin Kline
Private eye character and stage manager, grounded problem-solver who keeps the show running backstage.
Lola Johnson
Played by Lindsay Lohan
Rhonda's rebellious daughter, aspiring poet who performs dark spoken-word pieces about suicide.
The Dangerous Woman
Played by Virginia Madsen
Mysterious woman in a white trench coat who appears throughout the show, seemingly an angel of death.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Backstage at the Fitzgerald Theater, the radio show cast and crew prepare for another live broadcast of "A Prairie Home Companion," maintaining their long-running tradition of variety entertainment with practiced ease and comfortable camaraderie.. Significantly, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 13 minutes when The Axeman, a representative of the Texas corporation that has bought the Fitzgerald Theater, arrives to oversee the final broadcast. The show will end tonight, and the theater will be demolished—an external force bringing an end to their world.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 27 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 26% of the runtime. This demonstrates the protagonist's commitment to GK and the cast collectively choose to make this final show matter by performing with full commitment, honoring their craft and audience rather than dwelling on the ending. They cross into accepting this is the last performance and deciding to make it count., moving from reaction to action.
At 54 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 51% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Notably, this crucial beat The Axeman makes clear there will be no reprieve—the theater's fate is sealed, and sentiment won't change corporate decisions. The false hope that perhaps the show could be saved dies. The stakes crystallize: this truly is the end., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 77 minutes (73% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Chuck Akers, an elderly regular performer, dies quietly backstage during the broadcast. The literal "whiff of death" arrives—mortality is not abstract but present. The angel woman appears at his side, confirming the supernatural presence has come for someone., reveals the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Synthesis at 84 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. The final segments air with warmth and professionalism. GK delivers his closing monologue, the cast takes their last bows, and the audience is thanked. Backstage, goodbyes are exchanged. The angel watches. The theater empties. The show ends as it lived—with dignity and heart., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
A Prairie Home Companion's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 13 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs proven narrative structure principles that track dramatic progression. By mapping A Prairie Home Companion against these established plot points, we can identify how Robert Altman utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish A Prairie Home Companion within the drama genre.
Robert Altman's Structural Approach
Among the 10 Robert Altman films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 6.9, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. A Prairie Home Companion takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Robert Altman filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional drama films include Eye for an Eye, South Pacific and Kiss of the Spider Woman. For more Robert Altman analyses, see Dr. T & the Women, Popeye and M*A*S*H.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Backstage at the Fitzgerald Theater, the radio show cast and crew prepare for another live broadcast of "A Prairie Home Companion," maintaining their long-running tradition of variety entertainment with practiced ease and comfortable camaraderie.
Theme
GK mentions that every show might be somebody's last, establishing the theme of mortality, endings, and the ephemeral nature of performance and life itself.
Worldbuilding
We meet the ensemble: GK as the show's host, the singing Johnson Sisters (Yolanda and Rhonda), cowboy duo Dusty and Lefty, stage manager Molly, sound effects maestro Tom Keith, and various crew members. The rhythms of backstage life, running gags, nostalgia, and gentle humor define this theatrical family.
Disruption
The Axeman, a representative of the Texas corporation that has bought the Fitzgerald Theater, arrives to oversee the final broadcast. The show will end tonight, and the theater will be demolished—an external force bringing an end to their world.
Resistance
The cast continues the show despite knowing it's their last, debating how to handle the inevitable end. GK refuses to acknowledge the finality publicly. They wrestle with acceptance—do they go out with dignity, protest, or simply perform as always? Each character processes the loss differently.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
GK and the cast collectively choose to make this final show matter by performing with full commitment, honoring their craft and audience rather than dwelling on the ending. They cross into accepting this is the last performance and deciding to make it count.
Mirror World
Lola Johnson (Meryl Streep) and her daughter Yolanda share moments of connection, representing the generational passage of art and memory. Lola embodies the thematic truth: all things end, but what we create and share persists in those who witnessed it.
Premise
The promise of the premise: we experience the final broadcast in full—songs, commercials, corny jokes, backstage chaos, and the warm community of performers. A mysterious woman in white (an angel figure) wanders the theater. The joy and melancholy of last times intermingle.
Midpoint
The Axeman makes clear there will be no reprieve—the theater's fate is sealed, and sentiment won't change corporate decisions. The false hope that perhaps the show could be saved dies. The stakes crystallize: this truly is the end.
Opposition
Time pressure mounts as the show continues. Technical difficulties, personal conflicts, and the weight of finality bear down. The performers struggle to maintain composure. Yolanda's daughter writes a morbid song about suicide. The Axeman's presence reminds them their world is being erased.
Collapse
Chuck Akers, an elderly regular performer, dies quietly backstage during the broadcast. The literal "whiff of death" arrives—mortality is not abstract but present. The angel woman appears at his side, confirming the supernatural presence has come for someone.
Crisis
The cast absorbs Chuck's death privately while continuing the show publicly. They grapple with grief, the cruelty of endings, and the question of whether any of this mattered. GK nearly breaks his stoic facade. The darkness of impermanence settles over everyone.
Act III
ResolutionSynthesis
The final segments air with warmth and professionalism. GK delivers his closing monologue, the cast takes their last bows, and the audience is thanked. Backstage, goodbyes are exchanged. The angel watches. The theater empties. The show ends as it lived—with dignity and heart.