What to do in Madison this week: April 6-9, 2026

Nnedi Okorafor, Chameleons and more Isthmus Picks

by

Arts

  • Nnedi Okorafor, Tuesday, April 7, Central Library, 7 p.m.: Award-winning Nigerian American sci-fi and fantasy author Nnedi Okorafor’s bestselling novel Death of the Author (now out in paperback) is a book within a book. An almost unbearable mix of grief, rage and hopelessness inspires disabled writer Zelu to pen a sci-fi epic about androids and AI that becomes a massive global success. As reality and fiction blur, though, Zelu eventually loses control of her own narrative in what The New York Times Book Review calls a “genre-defying metafictional experiment.” This event is part of the “Great World Texts” initiative by the Center for the Humanities at UW-Madison.
  • On Cinema Live, Tuesday, April 7, Barrymore, 8 p.m.: Tim Heidecker and Gregg Turkington’s On Cinema at the Cinema began as a straight-faced parody of TV movie review shows. Since those beginnings it’s evolved into a comedy universe with its own streaming network, running gags and lore. The live show brings that strange world to the stage: supposed film criticism, dubious expertise, and arguments that drift far off topic. Any films discussed are just an excuse to watch the two wildly overconfident hosts derail the train. Tickets at ticketmaster.com.
  • Marna Brauner + Hai Chi Jihn, Lillian Luft, through April 12, James Watrous Gallery: Paired exhibitions at the Wisconsin Academy’s James Watrous Gallery will consider the curatorial instinct and the clashing human drives of ecological conservation and plunder. “Curio” is a collaboration by Marna Brauner and Hai Chi Jihn, who assembled a “cabinet of curiosities” consisting of found objects in conversation with small, detail-oriented pieces created by the artists. “Deliberate Acts” by Lillian Luft was inspired by the history of native mussel overharvesting in the 19th century, and “poignantly evokes mussels’ bodies and the spaces they inhabited.” Luft and biologist Lisie Kitchel will discuss "Mussels and Metals" during a talk at 6 p.m. on April 8; register at wisconsinacademy.org. Gallery hours are noon-5 p.m. Thursday-Sunday.
  • Wilder Deitz’s American Canon, Wednesdays, April 1-May 20, Muso, 7 p.m.: Madison musician and educator Wilder Deitz has been playing a variety of instruments and composing in a variety of genres from an early age. For “American Canon,” Deitz will pull together seemingly disparate musical threads and examine their connections in a series of performances-lectures. Deitz will be joined by bassist John Minnich, saxophonist Nathan France, and guests.
  • Ruby Bridges, Wednesday, April 8, UW Memorial Union-Shannon Hall, 7 p.m.: Ruby Bridges made history when, at age 6, she became the first Black student at a previously segregated school in New Orleans. Her courage on that day in 1960 and in the subsequent years at the school remains an inspiration for everyone seeking to further the cause of civil rights. Bridges will participate in a moderated Q&A and take audience questions during this Wisconsin Union Directorate Distinguished Lecture Series event; it’s free, but tickets are required: artsticketing.wisc.edu.
  • Chameleons, Wednesday, April 8, Majestic, 8 p.m.: Chameleons were among the bands in the early '80s pioneering a new sound for the post-punk era, blending guitar jangle, a mopey aesthetic and a widescreen sonic approach adaptable for clubs or arenas. After initially dissolving in 1987, the band has reemerged a couple times, most recently in the 2020s with a lineup featuring founding singer/bassist Mark Burgess and guitarist Reg Smithies. They are touring for much of 2026 behind the excellent new album Arctic Moon. With The Veldt. Tickets at ticketmaster.com.
  • Arts Fishing Club, Wednesday, April 8, High Noon Saloon, 8 p.m.: Arts Fishing Club can rock it like Pearl Jam or mellow out like Nick Drake. Indie can have a soulful groove, and these guys prove it. With the melodic indie pop of Madison’s Varsity Mac opening. Tickets at ticketmaster.com.
  • Wisconsin Film Festival, April 9-16, UW campus + other venues: Since its debut in 1999, the annual Wisconsin Film Festival has only grown in importance for local filmgoers, with traditional movie theaters gradually disappearing and the variety of new films on the big screen also shrinking. The fest’s focus on Wisconsin-related films is a double bonus; the opening weekend includes the three Golden Badger Award winners (Jia and Shaggy’s Big Break on April 11; And Then I Knew ‘Twas Wind on April 12; read about more Wisconsin's Own films here.). The fest's initial days also includes the coming-of-age drama Last Shot (April 11), which just picked up a Best Actress Award for Jaime Pressly at the LA Film Awards; and a screening of a restored 35mm print of George Romero’s classic Night of the Living Dead (April 12), accompanied by a talk by author Daniel Krause about his new book, Partially Devoured: How Night of the Living Dead Saved My Life and Changed the World. Find the full schedule and check advance ticket availability at wifilmfest.eventive.org.
  • Doors of Perception, Thursday, April 9, Harmony Bar, 6:30 p.m.: You’re not likely to find another local band that includes a Vic Chesnutt cover in their set list. Doors of Perception’s sound is as eccentric as their song selection: rock and blues with a drip bag of jazz improv stabbed in. The players have been around the scene forever. Add up the experience of the members and you’d be talking north of 120 years, primarily with bands like Last Gaspe, Beat Road and Bonobo Secret Handshake. This evening concert is a fundraiser for Voces de la Frontera and 350 Wisconsin.
  • The Science of Hope, Thursday, April 9, Central Library, 7 p.m.: Hope isn’t always easy. In Ancient Light, a 2026 National Book Foundation Science + Literature selection, poet Kimberly Blaeser considers the long shadow of colonial violence that still affects Indigenous communities today. Grounded in Anishinaabe knowledge and place, the poems hold grief and connection at the same time. During this Wisconsin Book Festival and Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts & Letters event, Blaeser will read from the collection and discuss the poems with prize-winning poet and University of Montana professor Sean Hill. Register at eventbrite.com.
  • Aesthetic Perfection, Thursday, April 9, The Annex, 7 p.m.: Aesthetic Perfection has been playing their own eclectically minded interpretation of industrial music for about a quarter century; for a couple good samples, check out recent singles “We Bring the Beat” and “Summer Goth.” The band is crossing the U.S. on the “Suckers for Punishment” tour in April, joined by Julien-K; the Madison date also features sets by Priest and Lockjaw. Tickets at eventbrite.com.
  • Justin Willman, Thursday, April 9, Overture-Capitol Theater, 7 p.m.: Justin Willman has made a career out of combining two things that don’t always share the stage gracefully: stand-up comedy and magic. A seen on Netflix’s Magic for Humans and his own recent special, Magic Lover, Willman’s style leans less on grand illusion and more on quick sleight-of-hand, audience participation, and a running stream of disarming humor that keep the room a step behind him. The “One for the Ages” tour features all new material appropriate for all ages. Tickets at overture.org.
  • Monét X Change, April 9-11, Comedy on State: Monét X Change has already done the big-stage thing — two RuPaul’s Drag Race crowns, global tours, podcast stardom — so her “High Heels, Bad Knees” tour will feel intimate by comparison. This is drag meeting stand-up: sharp jokes, messy life stories, and off-the-cuff crowd work. The glamour is still very much present, but the real pleasure is watching Monét take apart everyday absurdity from the vantage point of someone who has worn a lot of wigs and even more opinions. Shows at 7 p.m. April 9 and 7 and 9:30 p.m. April 10-11. Tickets at madisoncomedy.com.
  • Lady Disdain, April 9-26, 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. Performances at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday, plus 2 p.m. April 16, 18 and 25 and 7:30 p.m. April 21. Tickets at overture.org.
  • Pat Metheny, Thursday, April 9, UW Memorial Union-Shannon Hall, 7:30 p.m.: Few guitarists move as freely across musical worlds as Pat Metheny. Over a career that ranges from experimental work by Steve Reich and Ornette Coleman to rock legend David Bowie, Metheny has treated genre as a suggestion rather than a boundary. His music can shift from luminous melody to dense improvisation without much warning, but the guitar sound remains unmistakably his. Tickets at artsticketing.wisc.edu.

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