Madison Comedy Week, through Aug. 10, various venues: With more than 25 events, Madison Comedy Week offers the opportunity to really dive in to the regional stand-up scene, and also enjoy some talented visitors as well. Intriguing showcases include an evening featuring nine local stand-ups who are producing/hosting shows during the fest: Nate Chappell, Peggy Hurley, Matt Jordan, Allie Lindsay, Ben O’Connell, Andrew Wegleitner, Glenn Widdicombe, Rebecca Wilson and Eli Wilz (7 p.m., Aug. 5, Bur Oak) and “Tight Fives on State,” a curated incarnation of Comedy on State’s weekly open mic featuring comedians from all around the U.S. (9 p.m., Aug. 7). Find the full schedule and tickets at madisoncomedyweek.com.
Sharon Kilfoy + TetraPAKMAN, through Aug. 9, Social Justice Center; reception Aug. 9, 5:30-8 p.m.: The Jackie Macaulay Gallery hosts paired exhibits considering the effects of climate change on our planet’s living creatures. TetraPAKMAN’s sculpture and other large-format works often focus on raising awareness of climate change, and this exhibit includes “The Climate Sheets,” wrapping around the gallery space and including records of the ever-raising level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Rising global temperatures contribute to a higher danger of wildfires; Sharon Kilfoy shows some concrete examples of what fire does with a collection of objects recovered following a 2016 fire at Williamson Street Art Center. The exhibit closes on Aug. 9, with a reception from 5:30-8 p.m.
Charity Eleson, Tuesday, Aug. 6, Mystery to Me, 6 p.m.: Charity Eleson’s second novel, Wayward Home, is a delicate but also fearless coming-of-age story set in the Midwest in 1961. When 7-year-old Claire Johnson’s preacher father loses his job, her family hits the road looking for new opportunities. Eleson, who lives in the country outside of Madison, will be in conversation with Matt Rothschild, former executive director of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign. Free, but ticket required (livestream also available); RSVP at mysterytomebooks.com.
Madison Sings! Tuesdays, Aug. 6-20, First Unitarian Society, 7 p.m.: Madison Symphony Chorus and First Unitarian Society are collaborating once again on a choral singing series, open to all singers. Each week includes a bit of vocal warmup, rehearsal, and a “performance” with no audience; the repertoire includes the Lord Nelson Mass by Haydn on Aug. 6, Requiem by Duruflé on Aug. 13, and excerpts from the Messiah by Handel on Aug. 20. Scores available, or bring your own. For more info: fusmadison.org/madisonsings.
Jazz at Five, Wednesdays, Aug. 7-Sept. 4, Capitol Square, 4 p.m.: As it turns out, the return of Jazz at Five to its traditional home at the top of State Street was short-lived. However, this time the summer concert series is moving just a couple blocks counterclockwise on the Square, to the South Hamilton Street corner. Concerts begin with a youth band at 4 p.m., followed by Panchromatic Steel with Andy Narell, Aug. 7; John Christensen Quartet and Heirloom, Aug. 14; Jazz Flux and the Kal Bergendahl Project, Aug. 21; UW Faculty Jazz Band and Jazz All Stars, Aug. 28; and the DB Orchestra and All That Jazz Big Band, Sept. 4. Find more info at jazzatfive.org.
Celebrating Madison’s Sister Cities, through Aug. 11, Overture Center-Rotunda Gallery: Making this crazy world a little smaller and friendlier place are Madison’s many sister city programs. This robust program pairs Madison with not one but 10 sister cities across the globe. This exhibit features 40 images from Madisonians visiting these cities, with a few taken by residents of the cities themselves. So if you can’t hop a plane to Vilnius, Lithuania, at least make tracks to the Overture Center to view this collection of photographs.
Augie Dougherty album release, Wednesday, Aug. 7, Up North Pub, 6 p.m.: The banjo man and singer for Armchair Boogie celebrates the release of his new solo album, West Wisconsin Waltz. It’s an instantly likable collection of songs, from the jovial future Wisconsin classic “Country & Midwestern” to the anthemic storytelling of “Colorado” to the eco-contemplative folk of “Prairie Bird.” Dougherty is mostly playing guitar on the album, but his fleet-fingered banjo picking does pop up here and there, particularly on the speedy newgrass number “Truck.”
South for Winter, Wednesday, Aug. 7, North Street Cabaret, 7 p.m.: South for Winter is a comforting, harmonic folk trio with both New Zealand and Nashville roots. Guitarists Nick Stone and Dani Cichon are grounded by the cello lines of Alex Stradal. Vocals sometimes soar, are sometimes hushed, and sometimes manage both at once. They’re touring their second album, Of Sea and Sky. Tickets at eventbrite.com.
Janice Arnold, through Jan. 5, UW Nancy Nicholas Hall lobby: “Woolen Clouds” is a two-story immersive felt installation with video elements that is likely to change your perception of felt. It ushers in a larger companion exhibit at the School of Human Ecology, “Feel the Beat,” focused on felt, which opens Sept. 4. It took fiber artist Janice Arnold a year to make the diaphanous felt in “Woolen Clouds.” The folds may evoke various emotions and associations in the viewer, and bring to mind the dynamic between strength and fragility.
Sessions at McPike, Aug. 8-11, McPike Park: This year’s August Sessions at McPike are happening on consecutive nights, making a mini-fest of sorts of these fundraiser concerts for local nonprofits. As usual the four nights feature a wide-ranging lineup of music from around the world. Zimbabwe’s Mokoomba headlines on Aug. 8 (and also plays pre-Sessions shows at 7 p.m. on Aug. 6 at Olbrich Gardens and with VO5 at 8 p.m. Aug. 7 at the Crystal), joined by Panchromatic Steel with Andy Narell. Kiki’s Righteous Session on Aug. 9 features folk rockers Great Lake Swimmers and chameleonic Texas singer-guitarist Rosie Flores. Aug. 10 is anchored by blues heavyweights John Primer and Bernard Allison, and Aug. 11 features musical revolutionaries Sidi Wacho and Los Tangueros del Oeste (who also play post-fest at 7 p.m. on Aug. 12 at North Street Cabaret). And that’s just the touring artists; a panoply of local favorites are also on the schedule, which can be found at sessionsatmcpike.org.
Ben Levin Blues Band with Bob Stroger, Thursday, Aug. 8, North Street Cabaret, 7 p.m.: Ben Levin has earned quite a bit of acclaim in recent years, including Blues Music Award nominations in 2023 and 2024 as Pinetop Perkins Piano Player of the Year. The Ohio-based performer may be young, but he has a strong background in the playing styles of earlier piano legends. Levin has also built bridges to past generations by collaborating on recordings and for concerts with such artists as Chicago guitarist/bassist Bob Stroger, who played with Otis Rush, Sunnyland Slim and many others. Stroger joins Levin and Band for this Madison date. Tickets at eventbrite.com.
Our Home States, through Aug. 17, Broom Street Theater, 8 p.m.: Broom Street Theater is sending it back to the states with its ongoing short play festival Our Home States, now in its second year. Last year BST covered 12 Midwestern states. This year BST’s piling in the car and heading east to the New England and Atlantic states. The nine short plays cover the eastern seaboard from Maine (On the Beach by Arthur Boatin) to Pennsylvania (Hellbender: Live by Valerie Work). They also visit New York (Über by Ron G. Rosenfeld), New Jersey (The Jersey Who? by Andrew R. Heinze), New Hampshire (Swimming to Tuftonboro by Mitchell P. Ganem), Rhode Island (Same Jokes by Mark Sawtelle), Massachusetts (The Other Side of the Street by Laura Neill), Vermont (Like a Kite by Ron Fromstein), and Connecticut (Feeder by Julie Linden). Shows are at 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday.
Chicken for Linda! Thursday, Aug. 8, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, 8 p.m.: When a mother wants to make up for an unfair punishment, her daughter asks for a chicken dinner. But a strike means all the stores are closed; the search for a bird turns into an adventure that may also bring them closer together following a tragedy. Chicken for Linda! is a hand-painted animated film, appropriate for all ages, and makes its Madison premiere at this Rooftop Cinema screening.
Find the individual Picks collected here, and as part of the full calendar of events.
