Madison stages continue to be filled with the fruit of the spring arts season. The calendar includes: talks by Eboo Patel and Dan Chaon, and a panel discussion about tribal sovereignty in Wisconsin; standup by Bo Burnham and Aziz Ansari; a production of The Addams Family; performances by Jeffrey Siegel and Lee Lessack; and, more live music from Gauntlet Hair, Face to Face, Storyhill, Tortoise, Portland Cello Project with Emily Wells, and Strange Arrangement.
Monday 4.30
NOTEWORTHY: Saigon falls as last helicopter leaves U.S. Embassy, 1975.
UW Memorial Union's Tripp Commons, 7:30 pm
The advisor to President Obama on faith-based neighborhood partnerships gives a talk. He earned plaudits for his memoir Acts of Faith: The Story of an American Muslim, the Struggle for the Soul of a Generation.
Barrymore Theatre, 8 pm
Young comic and songwriter Burnham has been picketed for songs like "My Whole Family (Thinks I'm Gay)" and "Klan Cookout." And then there's the Holocaust humor (see interview).
High Noon Saloon, 8 pm
This lo-fi duo riveted attendees of the South by Southwest after-party MTyMx with a set of soulful tunes soaked in smooth R&B and fuzzy, reverberating guitars. With A Lull and Icarus Himself.
Tuesday 5.1
NOTEWORTHY: Citizen Kane premieres in New York, 1941.
Overture Hall, 7:30 pm. Also Wednesday & Thursday, May 2 & 3, 7:30 pm
This touring Broadway musical features the creepy, kooky family originated by cartoonist Charles Addams in The New Yorker. The characters made the great leap out of the middlebrow courtesy of the 1960s sitcom.
Majestic Theatre, 8 pm
Bask in the sizzle of classic SoCal pop punk as Face to Face perform an acoustic show of songs from their 1999 release, Ignorance Is Bliss.
Wednesday 5.2
NOTEWORTHY: Jack Benny's radio show premieres, 1932.
Brink Lounge, 7 pm
Known for lively outdoor performances at festivals west of the Mississippi, this duo will swathe the crowd in sparkling folk harmonies. With Beth Wood.
UW Humanities Building's Mills Hall, 7:30 pm
The touring pianist and lecturer presents another evening of music and droll, interesting commentary. This program, called "A Musical Love Triangle," features works by Robert and Clara Schumann, and Brahms.
Majestic Theatre, 8:30 pm
Tortoise redefined indie rock in the mid-1990s by focusing on key elements of cool jazz such as group interplay and instrumental skills. With Miracle Condition.
Thursday 5.3
Barrymore Theatre, 7 & 10 pm
Ansari's a familiar figure, thanks to his work as Tom Haverford on TV's Parks and Recreation, plus numerous film roles. His roots are in standup, though, and he stays true to them tonight with two big shows.
Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, 7 pm
Cartoonist Lynda Barry, who's doing a UW residency this semester, presents a talk by writer Chaon. He reads from his new book of short stories, Stay Awake, and speaks with Barry about ghosts and their role in the world of images.
Capitol Theater at Overture Center, 7 pm
This towering vocalist's cabaret performances are splendidly understated, which enhance his crystal-clear tenor rather than cloaking it in embellishments.
Whose Land? The Fight for Tribal Sovereignty and Stewardship in Wisconsin
UW Hillel, 7 pm
The UW Center for the Humanities hosts this panel discussion of recent challenges facing Wisconsin's native people.
Portland Cello Project, Emily Wells
Majestic Theatre, 8:30 pm
The thundering cello ensemble shares selections from Homage, which covers tunes by hip-hop stars. Wells, a vocalist and violinist, both flouts and flaunts her classical training while performing tunes like the Notorious B.I.G.'s "Juicy."
High Noon Saloon, 9 pm
This jam band draws inspiration from traditional sources such as Phish and Umphrey's McGee, as well as jazzmen such as Herbie Hancock and the indie-rock innovators of Wilco. With the Giving Tree Band.
