What to do in Madison this week: BEEFUS, A John Waters Christmas and more Isthmus Picks

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Holiday Tunes in the Terminal, Dec. 15-20, Dane County Regional Airport: Travel, and the places it happens, often implies a certain level of frenetic energy — long lines, delayed flights, and jittery nerves. But for one week, the Dane County Regional Airport offers a melodic diversion, turning the south end of the terminal into a stage for musicians of all ages from around south central Wisconsin. Holiday Tunes in the Terminal is a chance to see the airport not just as a transit point, but as a venue. Catch the daily performances if you’re passing through, or head over specifically for the Community Sing-Along (the week's final event, at 11 a.m. on Dec. 20) to properly ring in the season. Schedule at msnairport.com. (Pro tip: There's also a new exhibition of paper fashion works from Madison Reading Project's annual Read(y) to Wear event on display in the Art Court.)

A John Waters Christmas, Monday, Dec. 15, Atwood Music Hall, 7:30 p.m.: Writer, film director and genially outrageous raconteur John Waters clearly needs little introduction for Madison audiences, if the quick sellout of his Christmas tour stop is any indication. Waters' oeuvre over the decades retains its ability to shock (despite the overall tone of culture in American catching up in many ways) and remains funny because there’s a lot of heart behind the filth. And hearing Waters speak in person is an unforgettable experience.

Derrick Adams, through Dec. 19, Tandem Press: Multidisciplinary artist Derrick Adams has been working with Tandem Press since 2019. “Silver Lining” will collect the work created during that time, prints full of vibrant color and the joy of living. It's well worth seeing the prints in person, as much of the subtle detail in Adams' work is hard to capture on a screen. Regular gallery hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday.

Madison Cello Ensemble Solstice Benefit, Tuesday, Dec. 16, Atwood Music Hall, 6 p.m.: Madison Cello Ensemble is a nonprofit offering instruction, rehearsal and performance opportunities for cellists of all ages and experience levels; funds raised with this evening concert and dinner will go toward the MCE’s scholarship fund, as well as WayForward Resources (assisting unhoused families). Student performers will be joined by Annie & the Oakies, Gold Dust Women, Addi Faerber and Aaron Fried (premiering original music for cello and handpan), and Zachary Preucil. Donations for tickets can be made here.

Andy Moore & the Misfit Toys, Tuesday, Dec. 16, Bur Oak, 7 p.m.: Andy Moore is well known in Madison music circles, in recent times playing banjo with Winn Dixie/Harmony Landing and as an original member of the Cork ’n Bottle String Band. He’s also pretty well known as a writer (contributing to Isthmus among other outlets), WORT-FM host, and longtime producer and host for PBS Wisconsin. These two loves come together in this show featuring 12 original holiday-themed songs penned by Moore. The Misfit Toys are “a fun cross section of local talent including members of The Kissers, Phat Phunktion, German Art Students, Yid Vicious, and the Cajun Strangers,” reports Moore. Wide-ranging Wisconsin guitarist Chip Cruz, who thrives on percussive arrangements whatever the genre, opens.

Good Morning Sports, Thursday, Dec. 18, Madison Curling Club, McFarland, 8:30 a.m.: This recurring event from the Madison Area Sports Commission focuses on the Winter Olympics for its December program. Speakers include Estella Hassrick, a Middleton High School graduate and member of the U.S. Ski Team competing to participate in the 2026 Olympics in Italy; former UW hockey and Team USA member Barry Richter; and speedskater Casey FitzRandolph, a 2002 gold medal winner and Dane County native. Register at visitmadison.com.

Madison Jazz Orchestra, Thursday, Dec. 18, Cafe Coda, 7 p.m.: The Madison Jazz Orchestra has a decades-long history of keeping the sounds of large ensembles alive on local stages, currently with a regular third Thursday gig at Cafe Coda. December’s edition will include some holiday arrangements from the creative orbits of 20th century titans Stan Kenton and Duke Ellington, as well composers-arrangers Frank Ferriano (longtime jazz professor at UW-Whitewater), and Gordon Goodwin (leader of the acclaimed Big Phat Band, who died Dec. 8). Music director Don Deal also reports the program includes a recent composition by MJO pianist Johannes Wallmann, an arrangement from Fletcher Henderson’s big band (on the anniversary of his birth), and more.

The First Rule, Thursday, Dec. 18, The Rigby, 7 p.m.: Kenosha quintet The First Rule uses punk-pop in support of social justice and to fight the right, but rather than screeds they usually wield a humorous edge to make their point. (And with songs like “Time for Ham” it’s not all about serious topics, though.) They are part of a five-band bill of Midwest bands rarely spotted on Madison stages, also including Rockford punk vets Fish-Head & the Bones; Eau Claire metal band Silver Reign; and two bands from Sauk County, Thornbush (alt-rock) and Laona (metal), that both feature the same trio of musicians. An ugly Christmas sweater contest follows the show.

The Hello Girls, Dec. 11-21, Overture Center-Playhouse: This musical based on the novel Switchboard Soldiers by Madison’s own Jennifer Chiaverini is back after a popular run in 2024. Its heroes are women who entered the U.S. Army Signal Corps during World War I to work as telephone operators, putting through calls, translating and speaking French and English, and keeping highly classified information secret — during a bloody war and a pandemic. The Hello Girls follows them home, where they needed to battle for the right to vote. It debuted Off Broadway in 2018; the score is reminiscent of the stirring notes of Les Miz, upbeat World War I morale tunes like “Over There,” and even a bit anachronistically of the harmonies of the Andrews Sisters during World War II. Four Seasons Theatre performances at 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday-Sunday; tickets at overture.org.

MAMMA MAGI! through Dec. 28, Bartell Theatre: Move over, Guys On Ice. With MAMMA MAGI!, Madison playwright Doug Reed has scripted a nativity parody with ABBA energy and Packers magic — or at least Packers namedropping, with Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Love as possible parents to a Green Bay kid who just wants to know who his dad is. Performances of this Mercury Players Theatre production at 7 p.m. Thursday-Saturday (no show on Dec. 25) and 2 p.m. Sunday; tickets at bartelltheatre.org.

BEEFUS, Thursday, Dec. 18, Bur Oak, 8 p.m.: Those looking for a truly different seasonal show each December have hopefully by now discovered the annual “Holiday Pageant Spectacular” by BEEFUS. If not, don’t miss the 2025 edition, which was announced as the last. Hinky the Chicken Heap tells the story of some lab-grown tissue that wakes up and travels through Madison looking for the spirit of Xmas. What could go wrong? It’s simulcast on WORT-FM’s Psychoacoustics, and the Rev. Velveteen and Bad Sister Heidi will be spinning tunes; Xposed Heads opens. Tickets at theburoakmadison.com.

Steel Panther, Thursday, Dec. 18, The Sylvee, 8 p.m.: Mixing music and comedy and managing to transcend one-hit-wonder territory is uncommon; making it a long-term career is rare indeed. The glam metal parodists Steel Panther have turned the trick by nailing the scuzz-adjacent partyboy vibe of 1980s hair warriors, delivering catchy musical gloryholes and appropriately over the top lyrical flights of fancy. (Sure, you could be offended by many songs in their scatalog, but that’s missing the point…at least, somewhat.) With The Violent Hour. Tickets at ticketmaster.com.

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

Editor's note: This post has been updated to correct a typo in the Tunes in the Terminal information.