Petah Coyne, through Dec. 23, Chazen Museum of Art; reception Sept. 19, 5-8 p.m.: “How Much a Heart Can Hold” showcases sculptor-photographer Petah Coyne’s work, some never before exhibited, focusing on the lives of women. Her large sculptures, made from such materials as cloth, human hair, scrap metal, wax, silk flowers and other found materials, sometimes hang from the ceiling. “Coyne looks at the woman as a heroine, cultural leader, dissident and activist,” says Amy Gilman, director of the Chazen Museum of Art and exhibition curator, “and as a fellow creative who seeks to transform the deep aspects of consciousness and societal awareness.” Coyne will be in conversation with Gilman at an opening celebration Sept. 19.
Community Change-Maker Awards, Thursday, Sept. 19, Union South, 5 p.m.: The nonprofit Community Shares of Wisconsin hosts this annual event honoring “those who have demonstrated outstanding commitment and dedication to creating positive change.” This year’s honorees: Mary Berryman Agard (Bayview Foundation president), Michele Erikson (former Wisconsin Literacy executive director), Brandi Grayson (Urban Triage founder), Maria I. Rodriguez (ACLU of Wisconsin board member), and the organizations Tenant Resource Center and Legal Action of Wisconsin. Donations for a ticket are a fundraiser for nonprofits; find more info at communityshares.com.
Friday the Furbteenth: Back to School! through Sept. 22, Common Wealth Gallery: If you know what a Furby is, you perhaps just had a feeling of nostalgia…or maybe a shiver down your spine. If you don’t know, a Furby is a responsive robot toy depicting a nebulous animal which was a must-have gift item before 2000 (and which has been reintroduced a few times since). The exhibition “Friday the Furbteenth: Back to School!” examines the crossover point of nostalgic and creeped out feelings with works created by more than 25 artists — paintings, sculpture, performance art, etc. The exhibit’s final days are 10 a.m.-6 p.m on Thursday and 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday-Sunday.
Katrina Monroe, Thursday, Sept. 19, A Room of One’s Own, 6 p.m.: Minnesota author (and private investigator) Katrina Monroe is celebrating the release of her third book, the haunted-house tale Through the Midnight Door. With her gutsy and visceral prose, Monroe is the perfect narrator for this supernatural family-trauma thriller about three sisters who as children explored an abandoned haunted house in their neighborhood. The darkness within followed them out and chased them across the decades — claiming one of them and ensnaring the other two. It’s creepy as hell, but we wouldn’t expect anything less from a writer whose previous books are titled Graveyard of Lost Children and They Drown Our Daughters.
Marquis Hill Quintet, Thursday, Sept. 19, Cafe Coda, 7 and 9 p.m.: The music of trumpet player, composer and bandleader Marquis Hill is in constant motion, searching for new sounds and textures to bring to jazz. Hill’s latest album, Composers Collective: Beyond the JukeBox, features songs written by musical colleagues at Hill’s invitation, as well as six of his own new compositions. The single released ahead of the album, “The COOL (Constantly Operating on Love),” washes over the listener like gentle ocean waves, with Hill’s contemplative trumpet runs and frequent collaborator Joel Ross’ bright vibraphone and marimba. Hill, joined by Mike King on keys, Kyle Miles on bass, Corey Fonville on drums, and Ross on vibes, will play two shows focusing on the new album, at 7 and 9 p.m.; tickets at cafecoda.club.
Idea Fest, through Sept. 21, various venues: This annual series of presentations coordinated by The Cap Times always features an intriguing array of political figures, writers and some wild cards, and this year is no different. The marquee names include longtime House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, former Colorado Rep. Liz Cheney (scheduled to speak Friday evening), historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, and musician and activist Judy Collins (Saturday evening), to name a few. But there are also many intriguing sessions with a local focus; still to come is a strategy discussion featuring state Democratic Party chair Ben Wikler and Republican Party chair Brian Schimming. Full fest tickets sold out well ahead of time, but virtual tickets are still available for some programs; find the schedule and info at captimesideafest.com.
Hoodoo Gurus, Thursday, Sept. 19, Barrymore, 7:30 p.m.: Forming in Australia’s fertile rock scene of the 1980s, Hoodoo Gurus also built an international following at the time, including U.S. tours and success on modern rock and college radio. They are on an extended stateside run again this month, focusing on the 40th anniversary of their debut album, Stoneage Romeos, which introduced their ‘60s-influenced sound to the world. Here’s hoping for a song or two from their strong 2022 album, Chariot of the Gods. Tickets at barrymorelive.com.
King James, through Sept. 29, Overture Center-Playhouse: Playwright Rajiv Joseph’s King James was originally produced at Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theater in 2022; Forward Theater presents its Wisconsin premiere. Two Cleveland Cavaliers fans meet in a classic sport transaction: one has tickets he wants to sell, the other needs tickets for the team’s first season with LeBron James. It’s a comedy about fandom, friendship and loyalty. The play stars Marques Causey as Shawn and Greg Pregel as Matt. Shows at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday, plus 2 p.m. on Sept. 21 and 28. Tickets at overture.org.
PhotoMidwest Biennial Juried Exhibition, through Sept. Nov. 9, Arts + Literature Lab; reception Sept. 27, 6-8 p.m.: This celebration of modern photography features work by artists from 13 Midwest states, chosen by New York artist and publisher Kris Graves, who on “Festival Weekend,” Sept. 27-28, will give a welcome and talk during the opening reception (6-8 p.m., Sept. 27), lead a workshop (9 a.m., Sept. 28) and give the keynote talk (3:30 p.m., Sept. 28). Read Graham Brown’s preview here. Related exhibits at ALL include Rashod Taylor’s collection “Little Black Boy” and the “Flat File Project” including 10 Midwest artists; PhotoMidwest member exhibits include “In Search of Awe,” juried by board member Tim Mulcahy, through Nov. 17 at Overture Center’s Playhouse Gallery (reception is 5:30-8:30 p.m. on Oct. 3); and “For the Love of Light,” Oct. 1-31 at the Pyle Center. Find more info on other area photography exhibits, and virtual galleries, at photomidwest.org.
esperanza spalding, Thursday, Sept. 19, UW Memorial Union-Shannon Hall, 7:30 p.m.: Composer, bassist and singer esperanza spalding is an artist who defies categorization beyond the descriptor brilliant. Her recordings consistently provide a different approach from past works; the most recent is Milton + esperanza, a sparkling collaboration with the Brazilian legend Milton Nascimento. For this tour stop kicking off the Wisconsin Union Theater Jazz Series, spalding and her band will play music from across her discography. Tickets at artsticketing.wisc.edu.
Green County Cheese Days, Sept. 20-22, Courthouse Square, Monroe: Of course Wisconsin has a festival devoted to cheese, and this one’s in the heart of cheesemaking country. Cheese is always the star, but this year it’s competing with polka — as Cheese Days attempts to break the Guinness world record for largest polka dance. FYI, that’s 804 dancers in Germany in 2013 (which, frankly, seems breakable). DJ Shotski will spin the records as the stepping commences at 2 p.m. Saturday in Monroe’s Courthouse Square. Be a part of history — dancers just need to sign in Saturday near the dining tent (8:45 a.m.-1:59 p.m.). There’s also live music including plenty of yodeling, a parade (12:30 p.m. Sunday), a beer stand and fair food, including raclette, grilled cheese on a stick, cheesecake on a stick, cheese fries and of course cheese curds. Full schedule at cheesedays.com.
Cary Segall, Friday, Sept. 20, Lakeview Library, 6:30 p.m.: Former Wisconsin State Journal reporter and outdoor rec enthusiast Cary Segall finally completed an informal bucket-list item: hiking the Appalachian Trail. And while many hikers pen memoirs of their own experiences on the trail, Segall felt that old journalistic pull of wanting to tell other people’s stories. So he interviewed many of his fellow hikers; the result is the recently published A Talk in the Woods: Voices Along the Appalachian Trail. Segall will read excerpts and discuss the book with the Wisconsin State Journal’s Samara Kalk Derby. Read Linda Falkenstein’s interview with Segall about the book here.
Leprous, Friday, Sept. 20, Majestic Theatre, 7 p.m.: A rare North American tour is bringing Norway’s Leprous to Madison. This show will offer the perfect opportunity to hear how contemporary bands blur genre boundaries to create a new generation of dark, progressive music. Leprous borrows elements from King Crimson, Porcupine Tree, Opeth, The Mars Volta, Tool and more, yet its sound is distinct. The band’s challenging yet rewarding eighth studio album, Melodies of Atonement, dropped in late August. Connecticut’s cinematic rockers Earthside and Norwegian headbangers Fight the Fight open. Tickets at ticketmaster.com.
Madison Symphony Orchestra, Sept. 20-22, Overture Hall: The Madison Symphony Orchestra opens its 99th season with a program titled “Reunion,” built around the symphony’s first performance of Valerie Coleman’s Umoja: Anthem of Unity. The concert also features MSO principal organist Greg Zelek for Joseph Jongen’s Symphonie concertante; guest cellist Tommy Mesa as soloist on Tchaikovsky’s Variations on a Rococo Theme; and a performance of a suite from Manuel de Falla’s The Three-Cornered Hat. Read Sandy Tabachnick’s season preview here. Note: This year’s concerts follow a new schedule, 7:30 p.m. on Friday-Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, with prelude discussions one hour prior. Tickets at overture.org.
POSTPONED: Found Money: The Musical, Sept. 20-28, Mary Dupont Wahlers Theatre: Madison’s Kelsy Schoenhaar wrote the book and music to this “new adaptation of an Encore Studio favorite.” In Found Money: The Musical, Ryan, a person with a disability, mistakenly receives more money than usual in his benefits check. He might lose the much needed funds — and get into more trouble — when he tells the wrong person about this windfall. Encore is a professional company for people with disabilities, one of the few in the U.S. Shows are Fridays at 8 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets at encorestudio.org. Note: New dates are Nov. 15-24.
The Chicago Immigrant Orchestra, Friday, Sept. 20, Bur Oak, 8 p.m.: The Chicago Immigrant Orchestra was originally conceived as a one-time event for the first Chicago World Music Festival in 1999; the original ensemble, led by Willy Schwarz, regrouped for a few other concerts before disbanding in 2004. The concept was brought back in 2019, this time helmed by guitarist Fareed Haque and oudist Wanees Zarour, who have assembled a 20-piece group of Chicagoans representing musical traditions from around the world. This BlueStem Jazz concert is a rare chance to hear the Chicago Immigrant Orchestra outside the Chicagoland area; tickets at theburoakmadison.com.
Hugel, Friday, Sept. 20, Liquid, 9 p.m.: Producer and DJ Hugel broke out in a big way with the 2021 single “Morenita,” a collaboration with Cumbiafrica that showcases his style of mixing house and Latin music into an irresistible combination — it’s piled up more than 143 million Spotify plays in the last few years. In between trotting around the globe for gigs the rest of the year (Australia, Ibiza, Chile, Morocco…). Hugel has a short run of U.S. dates, including what will certainly be an epic dance party at Liquid. Tickets at liquidmadison.com.
Mental Health and Wellness Fall Festival, Saturday, Sept. 21, Tyrol Basin, Mount Horeb, 11 a.m.–7 p.m.: This free event, organized by a grassroots group of parents, business owners, teachers and student leaders in the Mount Horeb area, is intended to reduce the stigma around mental health while offering attendees opportunities to learn about resources and experience a wide variety of therapeutic and healing modalities — as well as perhaps even begin relationships with providers and organizations who offer them. Organizers say the event coincides with the beginning of the school year to reassure kids and families throughout Dane, Green and Iowa counties that access is available to mental health and wellness services. Plans also call for interactive demonstrations, free family art and nature activities, live music and food trucks. Find more info at cedarcenter.org.
Nirmal Raja, through Oct. 23, Overture Center-James Watrous Gallery: Milwaukee-based mixed media artist Nirmal Raja broke out during the pandemic with her exhibit “Feeble Barriers,” which featured 101 hand-sewn masks hand-embroidered with slogans as “a record of our times as seen through the eyes of health care workers”; but that’s just the tip of Raja’s thoughtful works. “Asking Questions of a Thread” pulls together works from Raja’s career. Guest curator Ann Sinfield will talk about the exhibit at 2 p.m. on Sept. 21; register at wisconsinacademy.org.
A Breath of Fresh Art, Sept. 21-22, Primrose Retreat, Mount Horeb: Katherine Kramer rose to prominence as a tap dancer, but her Primrose Retreat is a space for all kinds of artists at a charming country home in the hills outside of Verona. The theme of this two-day event is fittingly “Democracy in Life and Art.” Performances and art installations will take place around the historic farmstead with dancers KLJ Movement, Erica Pinigis & Maritess Escueta, Katherine Kramer & Friends, Heidi Krause, and Breakthrough Dance Company; musicians Cris Plata, Tani Diakite, Sally de Broux and Joe Mirenna; spoken word artists James Botsford, Sandy Kruse, Matt Geiger, Alex Bledsoe and the TNW Ensemble Theater; and visual artists Beth Racette, Lisa Frank, Judy Robb and Levi Sherman already signed up to participate. Shows are 12:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Saturday, each concluding with an audience participation “talk circle.” On Sunday, teams of artists will lead workshops on the interplay of democracy and the arts. It’s a joint project of the Mount Horeb Area Arts Association and Katherine Kramer Projects; more info at katherinekramerprojects.com.
Willy Street Fair, Sept. 21-22, 800-1000 blocks Williamson Street: Are you faired out yet? Or have you failed to fair yet this summer? Either way, this is one not to miss as it takes over the 800, 900 and 1000 blocks of Williamson Street and the 300 block of Brearly Street. There are four music stages each day with highlights including the Prince tribute band Purple Veins (6:15 p.m. Saturday), ace songwriter Josh Harty with Chris Wagoner and Mary Gaines (3:15 p.m. Sunday), and catchy rockers Combat Naps (3 p.m. Sunday). And don’t forget the Willy Street Beats stage on Saturday, with visiting DJs Livwutang (NYC) and Shaun J Wright (Chicago); Wright also plays a ticketed afterparty with another visitor, Mike Servito (NYC), on Saturday at the High Noon. See full schedule at willystreetfair.org.
Dan Seavey: Confessions of a Great Lakes Pirate, Saturday, Sept. 21, Muso Madison, 7 p.m.: Pirates were not only active on the seas and oceans of the world; they also plied their trade on the Great Lakes. One well-known name working in the Wisconsin-Michigan area in the 19th and 20th centuries was Dan Seavey, who was actually both a pirate and a lawman at different points in his lifetime. Who better to create a one man-show based on Seavey’s life than Madison-based musician, actor and sailing ship captain Tom Kastle? He will present a preview/workshop performance of the work in progress.
Black on State, Sunday, Sept. 22, 400-600 blocks of State Street, noon-6 p.m.: The inaugural Black on State block party will feature plenty of free activities and entertainment, including music (J. Clark, K.I.L.O aka SkitL’z, DJ 4000 and others), live painting by Lashay the Artist and B.Denae Artistry, vendor booths, and more. The event is hosted by Alkeme Brand, which says in a media release it will be “a platform for diverse voices and talents to enjoy, connect, create, and contribute to a thriving downtown ecosystem.” For updates on the block party and info on pre-party events, visit facebook.com/creativeconnectionsevents.
Un Cafecito with Chicana Poetry, Sunday, Sept. 22, A Room of One’s Own, 4 p.m.: Four area poets — Angie Trudell Vasquez, Araceli Esparza, Melanie Hernandez and Dana Maya — will read from their works celebrating Chicana voices. The event is made possible by a grant from the Library of America, which has just released a major new poetry anthology, Latino Poetry. Vasquez was most recently the city of Madison poet laureate (2020-2024); Esparza is a poet and anthology editor; Hernandez is the author of a poetry series titled “A Chicana’s Lens” and comes to Madison from Oconomowoc; and Maya is a poet and essayist involved with the Spontaneous Writing Booth Collective. The reading is followed by an open mic.
Mourning [A] BLKstar, Sunday, Sept. 22, Gamma Ray, 8 p.m.: The brief bio on the website of Mourning [A] BLKstar says the band is “dedicated to sharing stories and songs of America’s unfolding apocalypse.” The Cleveland artists do so on their most recent album, Ancient//Future, with a bracing attack channeling socially aware vintage soul and guitar rock infused by the sound of hip-hop; it packs a lot of punch in its 25-minute running time. Looped musical soundscape creator Def Sonic and cinematic Americana trio Free Dirt are perfect openers. Tickets at etix.com.
Find the individual Picks collected here, and as part of the full calendar of events.
