What to do in Madison this weekend: A Queer Variety Show, Overture Galleries reception and more Isthmus Picks

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Jamie Pacton, Thursday, Jan. 19, Mystery To Me, 6 p.m.: Verona-based author Jamie Pacton's YA fantasy debut, The Vermilion Emporium, was published in November. And while the story about two misfits who discover the deadly secret to weaving lace from starlight inside a magical curiosity shop takes place in the fictional city of Severon, it has very real roots in south-central Wisconsin. In 2018, Pacton found herself inside a now-closed women’s clothing and consignment store in Fort Atkinson called The Vermilion Emporium. “It was such a delightful and incongruous name for a shop in this little rural town that it stuck with me,” she says. "I started daydreaming about a magical curiosity shop with the same name, and that magical shop became the heart of my story and the title of my book.” The talk at Mystery to Me requires registration, and a livestream is available; find info at mysterytomebooks.com.

Joseph Mougel + Richard Moninski, through Jan. 22, Overture Center-James Watrous Gallery: This winter, explore the great outdoors inside the James Watrous Gallery of the Wisconsin Academy as it unveils a pair of new exhibits. The “Herbarium” series by photographer Joseph Mougel explores plants and colonization, and plays with nature’s tension between the scientific and whimsical in his collection. In “Clash/Meld,” painter and digital artist Richard Moninski contrasts the natural with the man-made to explore nature, history and culture. The exhibit is up through Jan. 22; regular hours are noon-6 p.m. Thursday-Friday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, and noon-5 p.m. Sunday.

Jazz is Dead, Thursday, Jan. 19, Barrymore Theatre, 8 p.m.: It's not a statement on the genre — it's a reimagination of music by the Grateful Dead as jazz fusion. The ensemble is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a tour focusing on the Dead album Wake of the Flood (celebrating a 50th anniversary). Also of note: Jazz is Dead 2023 features a reunion of two former Other Ones, bassist Alphonso Johnson and guitarist Steve Kimock. They're joined by drummer Pete Lavezzoli (a past member of many Dead-adjacent projects) and Codetalkers guitarist Bobby Lee Rodgers.

Overture Galleries exhibits, through March 5, Overture Center; reception Friday, Jan. 20, 5:30-8:30 p.m.: Consistently some of the most stimulating Madison art shows are found in Galleries I, II and III of the Overture Center. The winter exhibits feature 32 local and regional artists. Gallery I pairs an artist known as The Artist with painter Christopher Sweet for a show called “Healing Journeys: Heritage and Resistance.” Gallery II pairs artist book-maker Barbara Justice and photographer Chris Chanson for “Fictive Artifacts and Intimate Kinship” and Gallery III pairs photographer Jim Barnard and watercolorist Chele Ramos for a show focused on portraiture called “See Me: Expressions of Identity.” The Playhouse Gallery features Madison Contemporary Fiber Artists in “Roots, Our Foundation,” through Feb. 26.

Hir, Jan. 20-Feb. 4, Bartell Theatre: It's a dysfunctional family drama for the 21st century when soldier Isaac finds many changes at home upon his return from Afghanistan. His father has had a stroke, his mom is finding herself, and his little sister now identifies as non-binary. Strollers Theatre presents Hir, a funny, revelatory drama from up-and-coming playwright and 2017 “Genius Grant” recipient Taylor Mac. Shows at 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday (2 p.m. on Feb. 4) and 2 p.m., Jan. 29.

Kofi Baker's Cream Faith, Friday, Jan. 20, Bur Oak, 8 p.m.: The son of Cream and Blind Faith drummer Ginger Baker, Kofi Baker recreates and embellishes the hard rock sounds of his father’s projects. Kofi first performed live with Ginger at age 6 and since has proven to be as much of an explorer as the old man. Throughout the 1980s the father/son duo toured together, showcasing their obsession with — and mastery of — complex, African-style polyrhythms. Kofi’s also performed and recorded with, among others, Humble Pie and Jack Bruce.

The Abortionist: A Woman Against the Law, Jan. 20-Feb. 11, Broom Street Theater: Anyone missing the days when Joel Gersmann was artistic director of Broom Street Theater, or anyone who missed those exuberant years altogether, take note. The company is bringing back one of Gersmann's trenchant plays, The Abortionist: A Woman Against The Law, in a new adaptation directed by Scott Feiner. Sadly, the 1995 play is even more timely now, in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's Dobbs decision, than it was when it was written. The play is about a real woman, Ruth Barnett, who ran an illegal abortion clinic in Portland, Oregon. Performances will be held at 1119 Williamson St. at 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, Jan. 20-Feb. 11, plus a special matinee at 2 p.m., Jan. 22, to commemorate the 50th anniversary date of the Roe v. Wade decision. Walk-up tickets are available; advance tickets here.

Star Country Class of 2023, Friday, Jan. 20, Barrymore, 8 p.m.: Radio station 96.3 (WMAD-FM) hosts an annual concert featuring up-and-comers of country radio, and there's nearly always someone on the bill destined to be playing arenas rather than theaters in the near future. An obvious star in the making is Conner Smith, who at age 21 has already been a professional songwriter for years and whose family has a Nashville country music industry background; Smith's song “I Hate Alabama” was a viral sensation in 2022. Also on the bill: Ashley Cooke, Hannah Ellis, Shane Profitt and Nate Smith.

Wisconsin Grown-Up Book Fair, Saturday, Jan. 21, The Sylvee, 9 a.m., noon or 3 p.m.: Maybe think of it as less of a book fair and more of a book party. Come to find your next great read from a selection of books to buy from independent book sellers including A Room of One’s Own, The Book Deal, Itty Bitty Bookstore, Kismet Books, Leopold’s Books Bar Caffe and Mystery to Me. Other fun includes a retro photo booth, trivia sessions, bake sale, vintage toys, an arts and crafts station and “literary style cocktails” — like a Tequila Mockingbird? Admission includes a custom tote bag and a portion of proceeds benefit the Madison Public Library Foundation. Entry is timed as part of three two-and-a-half-hour-long sessions.

Karben4 10th Anniversary Party, Saturday, Jan. 21, 3698 Kinsman Blvd., noon-10 p.m.: It's been ten years since Karben4 took over the original Ale Asylum site at 3698 Kinsman Blvd. when it moved to bigger digs. Small must be beautiful, because Ale Asylum's huge brewery now sits empty, while Karben4 will be whooping it up with free cake, the Paddy’s Patties food truck, brewmaster-led tours, and special release beers.

Beer & Cheese Fest, Saturday, Jan. 21, Alliant Energy Center, 2-6 p.m. (VIP noon entry): Just as cabin fever sets in, two Wisco superheroes to the rescue — beer and its sidekick, cheese! It's the 13th year for this supertasting event that features small craft breweries largely from the Midwest, but some larger players (Lagunitas) and some other types of drink like kombucha and hard cider. Samples of beer can be paired with cheese from Wisconsin vendors. Advance tickets at beerandcheesefest.com recommended. (Note, this festival is no longer affiliated with Isthmus.)

Watershed Reading Series, Saturday, Jan. 21, Arts + Literature Laboratory, 7 p.m.: The excellent Watershed series continues with a bill of Madison-based poets. Adam Fell, who has been called “poet of the strip mall and lakeshore, bard of Pabst and gas stations,” is a professor of English at Edgewood College. T.S. Banks is founder of Loud ‘N UnChained Theater Co. and author of poetry collections Call Me Ill and Left. Mandy Moe Pwint Tu, originally from Myanmar, is in the MFA writing program at UW-Madison.

A Queer Variety Show, Saturday, Jan. 21, Majestic, 8:30 p.m.: Synth pop stars Kat and the Hurricane have assembled one heck of a lineup for the latest in their variety show series. Music will be provided by KatH, K.I.L.O aka SkitL'z and DJ Sarah Akawa; drag performers include Dee Dee Purr, Anya K. Thunderkat and Woody Reed; Samara Suomi will bring the laughs with a stand-up comedy set; and the night is co-hosted by Mercury Stardust and Amethyst Von Trollenberg. Get there early (doors open at 7 p.m.) to check out a vendor market featuring art, food and more.

The Nile Club album release, Saturday, Jan. 21, The Rigby, 8 p.m.: After releasing an accomplished, self-recorded debut album, Motions, in late 2019, The Nile Club moved from the Madison area to Milwaukee...just in time for the pandemic to land. They put that lockdown time to good use, though, writing new music that, judging by the singles released so far, adds eclectic influences and a harder edge to their catchy rock base. A busy regional performance schedule recently (and the addition of former Dystopian Echo guitarist Jack Lusk) has The Nile Club in top form and ready to unveil their second album, Wake Up with a Sense of Pride. They're playing a series of shows with Shoobie to celebrate its release, and also joined on the Madison bill by Flying Fuzz and Lunar Moth.

Audifax, through March 9, Garver Feed Mill: Audifax, the current artist-in-residence for the Madison Public Library's Bubbler program, is a self-taught artist who creates murals/street art and other paintings as well as sculpture. View a sampling of Audifax's work in the exhibit “Centre” at Garver Canvas through March 9. New works on canvas and prints will be added during the exhibit's run, and Audifax will be working on a sculpture in the space as well (with an unveiling planned as part of the next Femmestival on Feb. 19). An artist talk takes place at 1 pm. on Jan. 22, and a closing reception from 7-10 p.m. on March 4.

Winter Festival of Poetry, Sundays, Jan. 22-March 12, Arts + Literature Lab, 2 p.m.: What kind of lure do you need to get Wisconsinites out of the house in the dead of winter to hear a poetry reading? Cheese, apparently. This year the Winter Festival of Poetry series, Sundays at 2 p.m. at the Arts + Literature Lab , has adopted “The Big Cheese” as its theme, with each session of the eight-week series featuring a different cheese. Still, it's all about the poets. The inaugural reading on Jan. 22 features among others current Madison poet laureate Angela Trudell-Vasquez and longtime spoken word advocate Rusty Russell. In upcoming weeks look for Isthmus contributors Guy Thorvaldsen (Feb. 12) and Charles Payne (Feb. 19).

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