Young Frankenstein
Now winter may be waning, but discontent will make for another week of glorious spectacle in Madison. The calendar also includes: a production of Young Frankenstein; Parsons Dance with the East Village Opera Company; talks by Sarah Blake, Aliko Songolo, and Jennifer Chiaverini; and, live music from Say Hi, Bitch, The Forms, Cowboy Mouth, and The Hussy.
Monday 2.21
PRESIDENTS DAY
NOTEWORTHY: Malcolm X assassinated, 1965.
BIRTHDAYS: Talking Heads keyboardist Jerry Harrison, 1949; Juno star Ellen Page, 1987.
Tuesday 2.22
NOTEWORTHY: Courtney Love marries Kurt Cobain, 1992.
BIRTHDAYS: Child-star-turned-fun-loving actress Drew Barrymore, 1975.
Barnes & Noble-West, 7 pm
The up-and-coming novelist reads from The Postmistress, which follows three women during World War II -- two in small-town Massachusetts, the other a reporter delivering reports from Europe.
Parsons Dance with the East Village Opera Company
Overture Center's Capitol Theater, 7:30 pm
David Parsons' renowned, 25-year-old dance company joins forces with the pop-rock singers of East Village Opera Company for Remember Me, a full-length presentation about a tortured love triangle. The music melds opera and rock.
Overture Hall, 7:30 pm. Also Wednesday & Thursday, Feb. 23 & 24, 7:30 pm, and through Feb. 27
Overture's Broadway series rolls on with Mel Brooks' splashy adaptation of his deadpan 1974 comedy about a monster, the descendant of a certain mad scientist, and various freaks.
Wednesday 2.23
NOTEWORTHY: Marines raise U.S. flag at Iwo Jima, 1945.
BIRTHDAYS: Japanese Crown Prince Naruhito, 1960; actress Dakota Fanning, 1994.
Chazen Museum of Art, 5:30 pm
Songolo, UW professor of French and African languages and literature, discusses "Francophone Africa and the Myth of National Cinema" in this UW Center for the Humanities talk.
Barnes & Noble-West Towne, 7 pm
The local author discusses The Union Quilters, the latest in her successful series of quilting-themed novels. This one has a U.S. Civil War setting.
High Noon Saloon, 8:30 pm
Um, Uh Oh, the brand-new release by Seattle indie rocker Eric Elbogen, is an ode to failed relationships that's winning the hearts of many critics. Those at Under the Radar have called it "a tasteful, understated collection" and even "his finest, most unified album." With Blair.
Frequency, 9:30 pm
The violin-playing protege of Andrew Bird grabbed the spotlight when she fused her fiddling with a heavy dose of sass, ranging from wild wordplay and theatrical stunts to politically charged rants. Get to know her newest self-produced album, Blasted!, at this show. With Venus in Furs.
Thursday 2.24
NOTEWORTHY: Elton John knighted, 1998.
BIRTHDAYS: Apple Computer visionary Steve Jobs, 1955; singer-songwriter Michelle Shocked, 1962.
Project Lodge, 7:30 pm
Old-school emo, dream pop and math rock are the base of this NYC indie-rock band's heady sonic stew. Check out this show with razor-sharp local electronica project Chants to make your brain tingle, and pick up a copy of the new EP Derealization while you're at it. With I'm Not a Pilot.
High Noon Saloon, 8 pm
Expect a run on red plastic spoons at the DQ this Thursday: Fans of this Big Easy rock band will be collecting them to fling at the stage during the cult-classic tune "Everybody Loves Jill." With Dash Rip Rock.
The Hussy, Trent Fox & the Tenants, The Honey Slides
Mickey's Tavern, 10 pm
Mickey's doesn't usually do Thursday-night shows, but the tavern is bending its rules for a garage-rock blowout featuring local noisemakers the Hussy; Trent Fox & the Tenants, a topnotch new group from Brew City; and psychedelic Midwest Beat side project the Honey Slides. Stay tuned for a MadTracks review for a preview. With Orange Iguanas.
