Spring has unmistakably arrived in Madison. The calendar includes: Odyssey Con XI and Line Breaks; productions of Kanopy Dance Company's Tanztheatre, The Little Prince, The Secret Garden, The Seafarer, and Dance Wisconsin's Peter Rabbit Ballet; Kingstock V; a talk by Natalie Goldberg; performances by the WCO, Redefined, and Madison Bach Musicians; and, more live music from Bassnectar, Carolina Chocolate Drops, Dianne Reeves, Sharon Van Etten, All Tiny Creatures, Matt White, Adrian Legg, Over the Rhine, Milagres, Eddie Spaghetti & Metal Marty Chandler.
Friday 4.8
NOTEWORTHY: First issue of Isthmus hits the streets, 1976.
BIRTHDAY: Princess Bride-turned-Sean bride Robin Wright Penn, 1966.
Odyssey Con XI
Radisson, through April 10
The general-interest science-fiction and fantasy convention features music, panel discussions, gaming and a masquerade where you can channel your inner Frodo. The guests of honor are game designer Robin D. Laws and authors J.V. Jones and Sarah Monette.
Natalie Goldberg
A Room of One's Own, 6:30 pm
The writing teacher and creativity guru has sold zillions of her books, which include Old Friend from Far Away: The Practice of Writing Memoir. Her mantra: "Shut up and write." Yes ma'am!
Bassnectar
Alliant Energy Center's Exhibition Hall, 7 pm
With wobbly, dubstep-inspired bass and a dizzying blend of electronica influences, Bassnectar gets audiences into dancing and trancing like a master magician. With ESKMO.
Line Breaks
Overture Center's Rotunda Studio, 7 pm, and through April 16
The UW's Office of Multicultural Arts Initiatives stages its annual confab of spoken-word and hip-hop performance, with presentations of music, theater, poetry and dance.
The Little Prince
Overture Center's Playhouse, 7 pm. Also Saturday (2:30 & 7 pm) & Sunday (2:30 pm), April 9 & 10
Children's Theater of Madison stages Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's famous book about a stranded aviator who meets a little boy from outer space.
Kanopy Dance Company: Tanztheatre
Overture Center's Promenade Hall, 7:30 pm. Also Saturday, April 9, 2:30, 7 & 9 pm
Overture resident company Kanopy presents works including the dance-theater-performance amalgam "Monkey See, Monkey Do," by Amit Lahav of the U.K.'s Gecko Physical Theatre. Also: Kanopy co-director Robert E. Cleary's political "Fear Is the Enemy," and more.
The Secret Garden
First United Methodist Church, 7:30 pm. Also Saturday (7:30 pm) & Sunday (2 pm), April 9 & 10
Music Theatre of Madison partners with First United to present the Tony-winning 1991 musical based on Frances Hodgson Burnett's novel. A girl revives a green plot, amid singing and dancing.
Carolina Chocolate Drops
Barrymore Theatre, 8 pm
After winning a Grammy for 2010's Genuine Negro Jig, this old-time string band added two new faces to their lineup: human beatboxer Adam Matta and multi-instrumentalist Hubby Jenkins. Check out their expanded roster and tunes from a cool new EP they released with gypsy punk band Luminescent Orchestrii. With Josh Harty, Chris Wagoner and Mary Gaines
Dianne Reeves
Wisconsin Union Theater, 8 pm
The gifted improviser and multiple Grammy winner engages in jazz singing of the highest order. Expect a set of standards, Reeves' original tunes and songs by women composers at this Isthmus Jazz Series event.
Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra
Overture Center's Capitol Theater, 8 pm
Music director Andrew Sewell's ensemble concludes its Masterworks season with pianist Shai Wosner, who performs Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4. Also on the program is LVB's seventh symphony, as well as Polish composer Wojciech Kilar's "Orawa."
The Seafarer
Bartell Theatre, 8 pm. Also Thursday (7:30 pm) & Saturday (4 & 8 pm), April 7 & 9
Strollers Theatre presents Conor McPherson's black 2006 comedy about a quartet of boozy Irishmen who are joined by a mysterious stranger.
Sharon Van Etten Redefined Madison Bach Musicians Over the Rhine Kingstock V Milagres Sunday 4.10 Eddie Spaghetti & Metal Marty Chandler
UW Memorial Union Rathskeller, 9:30 pm
The Brooklyn, N.Y. singer-songwriter makes fans of Bon Iver and the National drool, including members of those bands themselves, who have covered selections from her 2010 release, Epic, at their own concerts (see
Overture Center's Captiol Theater, 7:30 pm
Would it be college without a cappella singing? No. The UW's all-voice ensemble presents its spring concert. With Mike Droho & the Compass Rose.
Trinity Lutheran Church, 8 pm. Also Sunday, April 10, 3 pm
Oberlin baroque violinist Marilyn McDonald joins director Trevor Stephenson's group for this performance of Giuseppe Tartini's Violin Concerto in E Minor. Also on the program is Bach's Harpsichord Concerto in F Minor, with Stephenson on the keys, plus Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G Major.
Majestic Theatre, 8 pm
Enamored of modernist icons Dylan Thomas and T.S. Eliot, Over the Rhine bring a poetic sensibility to their folk-flavored pop songs. Help them celebrate 20 years of their craft at this show, which will focus on a brand-new album, Long Surrender. With Lucy Wainwright Roche.
Barrymore Theatre, 9 pm
This year's drag-king extravaganza will feature two and a half hours of mustache-twirling, gender-bending entertainment from Madison's MadKings, Milwaukee's Miltown Kings, Atlanta's Jackson and more.
UW Memorial Union Rathskeller, 9:30 pm
College DJs and blogger-podcaster types have been touting this synthy NYC five-piece in anticipation of their debut LP, Glowing Mouth, which is slated to drop in September. See what you think of their sound at this free show. With Zoo Animal.
NOTEWORTHY: Paul McCartney formally leaves the Beatles, 1970.
High Noon Saloon, 8 pm
One-half of Sub-Pop sensation the Supersuckers will demonstrate how marrying country music with punk-laced rock can create some strange yet wonderful offspring. With Nellie Wilson & the Hellbound Honeys.
