What to do in Madison this weekend: April 23-26, 2026

Madison Opera, Cork 'n Bottle String Band and more Isthmus Picks

by

Arts

  • Earth Fest, through April 23, UW campus: Earth Day was founded by a Wisconsinite — U.S. Sen. Gaylord Nelson — and it makes sense that the UW’s Nelson Institute would know how to do this most essential of holidays up right. It’s a full week of events across the spectrum, from hikes and birding outings to live music to craft sessions — all, of course, with nature in mind. Highlighting the final day is "Climate Change Theatre Action," at 5:30 p.m. April 23 at Science Hall, in which UW-Madison theater and dance students perform five short plays, followed by a panel discussion. Find the full schedule of remaining events at earthfest.wisc.edu.
  • David R. Harper, April 22-Aug. 30, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art: “Good Morning Sweetheart,” a new exhibition by artist David R. Harper, is described by MMoCA as a look at “how memory takes shape in objects.” In Harper’s creative world, that includes a couch and related objects suspended in the Icon staircase, and the State Street Gallery filled with familiar materials remixed in unexpected ways. The exhibition will likely reward lingering, sinking into the mood, and deciding on your own interpretation of its meaning. Harper will discuss his practice in the 2026 Stephen Fleischman Lecture, at 6 p.m. on April 23; register at mmoca.org.
  • Cork 'n Bottle String Band, Thursday, April 23, Harmony Bar, 6:30 p.m.: CBSB started out as a weekly Sunday afternoon bluegrass jam in the basement of the Cork ‘n Bottle Liquor store on East Johnson Street. Only one of the founding members had ever been in a band before. Those Sunday afternoons led to seven years of weekly, infamous, Wednesday night shows at (now defunct) Ken’s Bar on Butler Street. The band has never let music get in the way of a good time but, whoops, 30 years later they’ve become great musicians and are the grand champions of the Madison bluegrass scene; they’re celebrating the milestone at this show.
  • Lady Disdain, through April 26, Overture-Playhouse: Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing gets a contemporary remix by playwright Lauren Gunderson in Lady Disdain. The comedy drops two exes into a recording booth to voice the latest audiobook in a popular romance series — a setup providing plenty of room to echo Beatrice and Benedick’s famously prickly chemistry. Forward Theater Company’s production features a cast of familiar regional favorites under the direction of Jen Uphoff Gray, and is another entry in the World Premiere Wisconsin schedule. Read Rebecca Jamieson's review here. The final performances take place at 7:30 p.m. April 23-24, 2 and 7:30 p.m. April 25, and 2 p.m. April 26. Check for any remaining tickets at overture.org.
  • Chesapeake, through April 26, Slowpoke Lounge & Cabaret, Spring Green: Two Crows Theatre Company is a younger but mighty sibling to American Players Theatre. Its third and final show of this season, Chesapeake, is quite timely. A performance artist whose funding gets cut by the NEA decides to take revenge by kidnapping a conservative senator’s prized Chesapeake Bay retriever. It’s written by Lee Blessing and stars Elizabeth Ledo. Shows are at 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Friday, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets at twocrowstheatrecompany.org.
  • Committed, through April May 3, Broom Street Theater: Relevance has always been Broom Street’s middle name, and they check in with the zeitgeist here with a drama about political resistance — albeit with an historical look back to the Vietnam and civil rights eras. In Committed, when a young boy’s mother who has been an activist is institutionalized, he fights back. The play is written by Coleman (Doed Koecks) and directed by Matthew Korda, and is part of World Premiere Wisconsin, a statewide festival celebrating new plays and musicals running throughout this year. Performances at 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday; tickets at bstonline.org.
  • Much Ado About Nothing, through April 26, UW Vilas Hall-Mitchell Theatre: Forward Theater’s current production, Lady Disdain, is a Lauren Gunderson reinvention of Much Ado About Nothing. University Theatre offers audiences a unique chance to compare-and-contrast with a staging of the Shakespeare original, directed by Baron Kelly. Performances at 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Friday (no show on April 24), 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday; tickets at artsticketing.wisc.edu.
  • Line Breaks, through April 24, various venues: UW-Madison’s Line Breaks festival, coordinated by the Office of Multicultural Arts Initiatives, features a variety of happenings showing hip-hop’s expansive cultural reach. A closing gathering takes place at 5 p.m. on April 24, surrounded by the exhibition "Da Hoodzeum: In Direct Action" in the School of Education Building gallery. Find more info at omai.wisc.edu.
  • RSVP for Lunch for Libraries, Tuesday, May 5, Monona Terrace, noon: When Jesmyn Ward shows up, it’s not just a reading — it’s an event. The two-time National Book Award winner and MacArthur Fellow headlines the Madison Public Library Foundation’s annual Lunch for Libraries fundraiser, bringing one of the most vital voices in American literature to a room full of readers. Ward’s new collection, On Witness and Respair, tells stories of grief, Black motherhood, and hard-won resilience with the same unflinching clarity that defined Salvage the Bones and Sing, Unburied, Sing. The deadline to buy tickets is April 24 but don’t wait until the last minute; this event always sells out: mplfoundation.org.
  • Così fan tutte, April 24 + 26, Overture Hall: Mozart’s Così fan tutte turns a simple bet into romantic chaos. Two young officers decide to test the fidelity of their fiancees by disguising themselves and trying to seduce each other’s partner — a scheme that quickly results in mistaken identities, shifting loyalties, and some of Mozart’s most dazzling ensembles. The result is equal parts romantic comedy and social experiment, where flirtation and reality collide. Madison Opera brings it to the stage at 7:30 p.m. April 24 and 2:30 p.m. April 26. Tickets at overture.org.
  • Measure for Measure, April 24-May 2, Bartell Theatre: What could possibly go wrong when political power lands in the wrong hands? Madison Shakespeare Company examines that eternal question with Measure for Measure. A ruler steps aside, a deputy enforces the law with sudden zeal, and justice starts to look a lot like control. It’s known as one of Shakespeare’s so-called “problem plays” for a reason: the ending ties things up, but not in a way that feels entirely settled. Performances at 7:30 p.m. April 24-25, 2 p.m. April 26, 7:30 p.m. April 30-May 1 and 5 p.m. May 2; tickets at bartelltheatre.org
  • The Terminated, through April 26, TNW Ensemble Theater: TNW Ensemble Theater’s entry into the World Premiere Wisconsin celebration is The Terminated, a timely play about federal workers who’ve been fired. The workers don’t accept things quietly in this satire as they plot a revenge heist with some recognizable tropes from heist-caper films. Perhaps there’s nothing fired federal workers do better than revenge. Shows at 7:30 p.m. Friday, 4 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, and 4 p.m. Sunday; tickets at tnwensembletheater.org.
  • The Threepenny Opera, April 24-May 9, Bartell Theatre: Most everyone knows about the character “Mack the Knife” thanks to the still-ubiquitous 1959 Bobby Darin hit, which puts a smooth and swinging gloss on the danger. The Threepenny Opera, where the song has its origins, is a different animal. It’s a show that’s always had an edge, but this Mercury Players Theatre production may sharpen it. Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill’s story of crime, power, and a world that doesn’t pretend to be fair returns via a new translation by Sean Langenecker and Megan McGlone. It’s part of the statewide World Premiere Wisconsin festival. Performances at 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday (except 2 p.m. on May 9) and 2 p.m. May 2; tickets at bartelltheatre.org.
  • Church of Cash, Friday, April 24, High Noon Saloon, 8 p.m.: Church of Cash is a Minneapolis-by-way-of-Honolulu Johnny Cash tribute act, and it’s among the most authentic and seasoned you’ll find. Frontman Jay Ernest’s booming baritone is spot-on, delivering both well-known Cash cuts and some not-so-obvious ones with a trio of backing musicians who fill the role of The Tennessee Three. Church of Cash expanded its repertoire two years ago with a nifty cover of Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down,” a highlight of Cash’s third American Recordings-era album. Tickets at ticketmaster.com.
  • Jules & the Jems, Friday, April 24, Harmony Bar, 9 p.m.: Alt folk fans will love the girl-forward attitude of Jules & the Jems. The band describes their sound as Carole King meets Brandi Carlile, but it’d be accurate to throw in a large dose of Dolores O’Riordan as well. Versatile pop and R&B singer-songwriter Raquel Aleman supports. One can hope she’ll pop back and sing with the Jems before the end of the night.
  • Madison College Powwow, Saturday, April 25, Madison College-Truax Redsten Gym, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.: In appreciation of the Madison area’s Indigenous peoples, past and present, Madison College hosts a spring powwow, with presenters from across the state; this year the theme is “Celebrating Woodland Song & Dance.” Medicine Rock, Bad River, Little Priest, Little Soldier, Red Nation Boyz and Twin Tails will all send drummers. Grand entries are at 1 and 6:30 p.m. and dance competitions will include all men’s, all women’s, appliqué special, singer championship, and bells only. There will also be more than 20 vendors; food is available for purchase beginning at 11 a.m. with a fundraiser benefiting the Native American Student Association. Dinner (4:30-6:30 p.m.) will be catered by Wild Bearies, Madison College alum Elena Terry’s native foods outreach nonprofit. (Terry is to be the executive chef at Tall Grass, the new restaurant in the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art.)
  • Wisconsin Bail Out the People Movement 15th Anniversary Celebration, Saturday, April 25, James Reeb Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 6 p.m.: Organizing meets performance to mark the 15th anniversary of the Wisconsin Bail Out the People Movement. The group formed during the 2011 protests around Act 10, the law that sharply curtailed collective bargaining rights for most public-sector workers in Wisconsin, and has since focused on labor rights, housing and community organizing. The April 25 celebration features speakers including a keynote by Brooklyn-based organizer Melinda Butterfield (who grew up in Wisconsin and helped lead the 2023 National March to Protect Trans Youth) followed by a drag show hosted by Madison favorite Cass Marie Domino.
  • Andrew Packer, Saturday, April 25, Yahara Bay Distillers, Fitchburg, 7 p.m.: Comedy that lights up the internet doesn’t always translate IRL. Andrew Packer, however, knows how to work a room. Known for the satirical viral sensation Man News, Packer brings that same quick, observational style to the stage, where it can stretch, pivot, and pull the audience in without losing momentum. Expect a fast-moving set that’s not throwaway, with small moments that build into something more sustained. Chicago comic Mike Atcherson opens this Cheshire Cat Comedy showcase. Tickets at eventbrite.com.
  • Sunspot, Saturday, April 25, East Side Club, 7 p.m.: In 2026 Sunspot celebrates 30 years as Madison’s premier power-pop trio that also embraces the weird, especially the paranormal. What’s definitely not weird, though, is the fact that this is a benefit show for Madison Street Medicine, which develops programming and services to fill gaps in access to health care and housing. Hopefully, Sunspot will play some new music, too — including the glorious anthem “Possess Me.”
  • Take 6, Saturday, April 25, Overture-Capitol Theater, 7:30 p.m.: Six voices, no instruments — and somehow it still sounds bigger than a band. Formed in the 1980s at Oakwood College in Alabama, the group built its reputation on precise harmonies and the ability to shift from smooth ballads to quick, syncopated runs without breaking stride. With its tightly woven mix of gospel, jazz, pop and R&B, Take 6 has long been a benchmark for vocal groups — though the real draw is hearing that blend live. Tickets at overture.org.
  • The Wailers, Saturday, April 25, Atwood Music Hall, 8 p.m.: The legacy of Bob Marley continues to live on and light up stages around the globe. Bringing their message of resistance and revolution to Madison in this 50th anniversary tour of Marley & The Wailers' Rastaman Vibration album, the band will highlight and celebrate select tracks from that record as well as other timeless classics from their catalog featuring some of the most influential reggae tracks ever written. Expect to hear songs like "Positive Vibration," "Roots, Rock, Reggae" and "War" as well as some of the group's newer and Grammy-nominated albums One World and Evolution. Opening is Madison-Milwaukee band Roots Renegades featuring lead vocalist Urban Empress. Tickets at theatwoodmusichall.com.
  • Isabella Lippi Trio, Sunday, April 26, Token Creek Concert Barn, DeForest, 2:30 p.m.: A piano trio program that travels a fair distance stylistically lands at Token Creek. Violinist Isabella Lippi, cellist Nazar Dzhuryn, and Madison-based pianist Thomas Kasdorf open with the youthful sweep of Johannes Brahms’ Piano Trio No. 1, move through the shifting colors of Jennifer Higdon’s Piano Trio, and finish with the lively, jazz-tinged rhythms of Paul Schoenfield’s Café Music, a chamber piece that slips easily between the concert hall and the nightclub with its jazzy touches. Tickets at tokencreekchambermusic.org.
  • Kathy Griffin, Sunday, April 26, Barrymore, 7 p.m.: Comedian Kathy Griffin has emerged intact from a time of personal and professional turmoil with the sharp, no-filter storytelling that made her a cult favorite. The Emmy- and Grammy-winning comic, known for her Bravo reality series Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List and decades of stand-up, brings her latest tour to Madison. Expect satirical political jabs and Griffin’s trademark willingness to say the quiet part out loud. Tickets at ticketmaster.com.
  • Buckethead, Sunday, April 26, Majestic, 8 p.m.: Guitar savant Brian Patrick Carroll aka Buckethead aka Death Cube K has released almost as many recordings as he has aliases. Check that. He’s released many more: 31 studio albums, over 600 EPs, and nearly 300 live recordings. But seeing him live is believing. Other than knowing that he wears — always — a KFC bucket on his head in live shows, here are other facts that should inform your decision to go: Guitar World ranks his 1992 debut album “the 45th greatest moment in electric guitar history” as well as naming him “among the 25 all time weirdest guitarists” and among the “50 fastest guitarists of all time.” Tickets at ticketmaster.com.

Find the individual Picks collected here, and as part of the full calendar of events.