Seasonal shifts shade this weekend in Madison, as the Dane County Farmers' Market wraps up its outdoor season, the Winter Arts Fair highlight the holidays, and the Wisconsin Book Festival reminds readers about the pleasures of curling up with a good book. The calendar also includes: productions of Medea, Soul Food, Five Women Wearing the Same Dress, and Jersey Boys; performances by Dominykas Vysniauskas and the UW Symphony Orchestra; the Madison Hip-Hop Awards Show; and, more live music from David Ramirez with Noah Gundersen, Craig Owens, Zac Brown Band, Stephen Kellogg & the Sixers, Into Arcadia, 3LAU, The Be Good Tanyas, Mux Mool with Clicks & Whistles, K. Serra, Savoy, and State Radio.
Friday 11.9
NOTEWORTHY: First issue of Rolling Stone published, 1967.
Through Nov. 11, various venues
The free literary happening continues with an abundance of readings and other events. It's hard to choose highlights from the packed schedule, but here goes: Passing the Mic: 8th Annual Intergenerational Hip-Hop Arts Festival (Thursday-Saturday, Overture's Rotunda Studio); the Friday Night Festival of Fiction, featuring Ian Fraser and others (Overture Center's Capitol Theater, 6:30 pm); Edwidge Danticat (Saturday, Overture Center's Promenade Hall, 5:15 pm); Dean and Natalie Bakopoulos (Saturday, A Room of One's Own, 6:30 pm) and David Maraniss (Sunday, Overture Center's Promenade Hall, 5:15 pm). (See Books.)
Bright Red Studios, 6 pm
Two indie-folk troubadours, Austin's David Ramirez and Seattle's Noah Gundersen, will share the spotlight at the upstart gallery and performance space. With Small Houses.
Loft, Goodman Community Center, 6:30 pm
The former lead singer of post-hardcore band Chiodos will show off his mighty pipes and numerous tats at an all-ages solo show. With Bearcat.
Coliseum, Alliant Energy Center, 7 pm
The winner of two Grammys -- Best New Artist in 2010 and Best Country Song in 2011 -- this radio-friendly yet jam-tastic band will perform selections from their new album, Uncaged.
UW Music Hall, 7:30 pm. Also Sunday (3 pm) & Tuesday (7:30 pm), Nov. 11 & 13
University Opera presents the rarely performed 18th-century work by Luigi Cherubini, based on Euripides' tale of wifely revenge. The production uses Bollywood as a touchstone, with dazzling costumes and lights.
Overture Center Playhouse, 7:30 pm. Also Saturday (2 & 7:30 pm) & Sunday (2 pm), Nov. 10 & 11
Forward Theatre Company solicited works about food for its three-day monologue festival -- a lavish buffet of moods and themes. The 12 chosen from 100-plus submissions will each be interpreted by an actor-director team.
Five Women Wearing the Same Dress
Mitby Theater at MATC-Truax, 7:30 pm. Also Saturday (7:30 pm) & Sunday (2 pm), Nov. 10 & 11
Madison College Performing Arts offers this female-driven comedy by Alan Ball (American Beauty, Six Feet Under), in which five reluctant bridesmaids take refuge from a wedding reception. Hilarity, hysteria and tear-streaked mascara ensue.
Stoughton Opera House, 7:30 pm
This New England folk musician is known for her finely crafted songs, which have been covered by Garth Brooks, Kenny Loggins and Bette Midler.
Overture Hall, 8 pm. Also Saturday (2 & 8 pm), Sunday (1 & 6:30 pm), Tuesday-Thursday (7:30 pm), Nov. 10-15; through Nov. 25
A touring version of the Tony-winner for Best Musical finally comes to Madison, chock-full of irresistible songs, drama and comedy. Jersey Boys recounts the unlikely rise of the 1960s pop group the Four Seasons.
High Noon Saloon, 9 pm
These Massachusetts folk-rockers return to Madison less than three months after their last appearance, this time for a toasty indoor show. With the Miggs.
UW Union South Sett, 9 pm
Singer Otto Ohlsson delivers his vocals with detached emotion, much like Morrissey or the Cure's Robert Smith, as the rest of this Milwaukee quartet creates a pop-rock base that's fit for an arena. With the Sharrows.
Majestic Theatre, 10 pm
A Washington University finance major by day and a house DJ-producer by night, 3LAU seems to run on Red Bull or the high that follows a particularly riveting econ lecture. Watch him mix songs from opposite ends of the musical spectrum, such as a cappella singing and instrumental club bangers. With Topher Jones, Mad Major Melvin and Kevin Kingsbury.
Saturday 11.10
Capitol Square, 6 am-2 pm
Time to pick up a final gourd or two at the last outdoor market on the Square until April.
Monona Terrace, 9 am-5 pm. Also Sunday, Nov. 11, 10 am-4 pm
The Wisconsin Alliance of Artists and Craftspeople offers an exhibition hall's worth of handmade goods in all media, from painting to photography to pottery. The event also includes a Young Collectors' Corner, with reduced-rate art for kids.
Capitol Rotunda, noon
Lithuania's premier jazz trumpeter (yes, there is such a thing) will stop in Madison for two downtown concerts: this one at the Capitol and another one at 7 pm at Capitol Lakes' Grand Hall.
Barrymore Theatre, 7 pm
Watch the evening's performers -- including C.M.E., Golden Age, J. Diamondzz, Tefman and the Dane County Dance Crew -- strut across the red carpet at 7 pm, then root for your favorite nominees at 8 pm.
Stoughton Opera House, 7:30 pm
Though they're from Canada, this all-girl trio play Appalachian-style Americana with the best of 'em, landing tunes on popular TV shows such as Breaking Bad and Weeds.
UW Humanities Building, Mills Hall, 8 pm
"Classical rock star" cellist Joshua Roman has performed duos with Yo-Yo Ma and covered Radiohead's "Everything in Its Right Place" with DJ Spooky. He joins the UW Symphony Orchestra for Dvorak's "Concerto for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 4."
High Noon Saloon, 9 pm
Mux Mool fuses electro and hip-hop for snazzy labels such as Ghostly International, while Clicks & Whistles combines southern rap, drum and bass, and ghetto-house music in ways that bear little resemblance to dolphin communication. With MrHorror, Wangzoom, Radish and Small Doses.
UW Memorial Union Rathskeller, 9 pm
Though she's trained as an opera singer, this artist found her musical identity through jazz, electronic music and percussive experiments involving household objects. With Griswald.
Segredo, 9 pm
Savoy's dubstep tracks achieve something peanut-butter makers have been attempting for years: being smooth and crunchy at the same time. With Run DMT.
Majestic Theatre, 9 pm
This Boston band shed their Phish-flavored past by exchanging extended jams for a combination of punk-spiked rock melodies, roots-reggae rhythms and lyrics about human rights. Their new Rabbit Inn Rebellion has earned high marks from Paste. With Sarah Jaffe.
Sunday 11.11
NOTEWORTHY: Route 66 established, 1926.
