What to do in Madison this weekend: Danny Brown, 'Twilight Bowl' and more Isthmus Picks

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The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical, through March 21, Madison Youth Arts-Starlight Theater: Children’s Theater of Madison takes young audiences on a colorful, exuberant journey that involves Greek myth, monsters and a few lessons about power — and the powerlessness kids often feel — in this adventurous script scored with original rock tunes. The final show is at 7 p.m., March 21. Tickets at overture.org.

Remaking the Renaissance, through May 19, UW Nancy Nicholas Hall-Mecklenburg Textile Gallery: The exuberance of Renaissance textiles has come down to us from paintings of Queen Elizabeth I and her court — and we’re most familiar with the styles from contemporary productions of Shakespeare. But what was the cloth and clothing of the era really like? “Remaking the Renaissance” reexamines the time through historic fiber fragments and new recreations.

Wild & Scenic Film Festival, Thursday, March 21, Barrymore Theatre, 7 p.m.: It’s a festival that focuses on films that celebrate our natural world — and calls on audiences to take action to preserve it. This year’s special focus is the relationships among water, art and advocacy. Among the films on the Madison slate are INWARD, Finding the Line and Study Aboard, featuring UW-Stevens Point students. The fest is sponsored by the River Alliance of Wisconsin. Tickets at barrymorelive.com.

Endurance Improv Fest, March 21-23, Atlas Improv Co.: Atlas Improv Company is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. That’s a lotta without-a-net creativity. The company’s annual Endurance Improv Fest will add to the history of laughs, starting with an open short-form improv tournament at 7:30 p.m., March 21. Three shows featuring company alumni take place on March 22, followed by the main event on March 23, with shows beginning hourly from noon until 1 a.m. There’s also a “Deconstruction” workshop by Chris George at 9:30 a.m. on March 23. Admission is free all weekend. Find more info at enduranceimprov.com.

Mamma Mia! through March 24, Overture Hall: Imagine the elevator pitch for this musical: there’s this young bride, see, and she wants her father to walk her down the aisle, but not even her mother knows which of three guys with whom she was sleeping years ago is the biological parent. It’s set on a Greek island. And they sing ABBA songs! Whoever greenlighted Mamma Mia! knew show biz, because the musical has spawned two films and is still going gangbusters on tour — tickets for Overture's dates were already in limited supply in February — in no small part because of its soundtrack of hits like “Knowing Me, Knowing You” and “Dancing Queen.” Shows at 7:30 p.m. on March 21-22, 2 and 7:30 p.m. on March 23, and 1 and 6:30 p.m. on March 24. Tickets at overture.org.

The Sweetest Swing in Baseball, through March 23, Bartell Theatre: Rebecca Gilman’s 2004 dramedy The Sweetest Swing in Baseball concerns an artist, Dana Fielding, who’s experiencing depression and other mental health issues after a series of career setbacks. The hospital ward becomes the backdrop of the play as Dana pretends to be baseball star Darryl Strawberry to extend her insurance benefits. Madison Theatre Guild’s production shows at 7:30 p.m. on March 21-22 and 2 p.m. on March 23. Tickets at bartelltheatre.org.

Danny Brown, Thursday, March 21, The Sylvee, 8 p.m.: The half-in-shadow cover image of Quaranta, the most recent album by Danny Brown, matches the introspective and sometimes melancholic music inside. Brown’s bars are as incisive as ever (check out the gentrification-themed single “Jenn’s Terrific Vacation”) and his varied styles of rapping and singing make a perfect match with the inventive musical beds. With Hook, Bruiser Wolf. Tickets at ticketmaster.com.

Duwayne Burnside, Thursday, March 21, Red Rooster, 8 p.m.: Duwayne Burnside is one of the sons of legendary Mississippi musician R.L. Burnside; as a young man he played in the bands of his father and Junior Kimbrough (one heck of an apprenticeship in the blues), and also with the Dickinson brothers in the North Mississippi Allstars. His most recent album is 2022’s straight-ahead Acoustic Burnside, but for this Madison stop, Burnside will play with a full band. Opening is The Usual Suspects, one of the Red Rooster’s Blues Jam host bands. Tickets at clover.com.

Overture Galleries receptions, March 22 and 29, Overture Center, 5:30-8:30 p.m.: The five exhibits debuting in March at Overture’s gallery spaces aim to see everyday objects in a new light, and make the world more magical. Galleries I, II and III (March 19-June 9) feature paintings by Mary Gill, Lauren Harlowe and Tony Riel, mixed media works by J Myszka Lewis, mosaics by Jessica Laub, and prints and illustrations by Lainey Singer. The Playhouse Gallery (March 12-June 2) features “Realismo Magico: Realidades Soñadas” (“Magical Realism: Dreamed Realities”) by seven artists of the Macondo Project Collective. And the Rotunda Gallery (March 26-June 16) features paintings by Audifax and Joe Landis. A reception for the Playhouse Gallery artists takes place on March 22, and for the other artists on March 29.

Lakeside Dance Lab, Friday, March 22, Monona Terrace, 6 p.m.: Get your body in motion at this new dance series hosted by Monona Terrace, open to all community members ages 18 and up. If you are unfamiliar with any dance other than the free-form bopping of the Peanuts characters in A Charlie Brown Christmas, worry not; an instructor is on hand. This week is the final session, with lessons in salsa dance by Luis Armacanqui. It’s free, but tickets are required at eventbrite.com or by calling 608-261-4062.

Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, Friday, March 22, Overture Center-Capitol Theater, 7:30 p.m.: The fourth concert in its Masterworks season is a milestone for the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra: a world premiere by acclaimed classical and jazz composer William Banfield, the WCO composer in residence. Revelation is Banfield’s 14th Symphony; joining the WCO are the Edgewood College Chamber Singers, Festival Choir of Madison, Madison Youth Choirs, and soloists Angela Brown, Ben Johnson and William Volmar. Also: A pre-concert discussion by Banfield, Festival Choir artistic director Sergei Pavlov, and WCO music director Andrew Sewell takes place at 6:30 p.m., and a reception follows the concert. Tickets at overture.org.

Twilight Bowl, March 22-April 6, Bartell Theatre: Mercury Players' latest production is Twilight Bowl, a 2019 play from lauded Chicago- and Green County-based playwright Rebecca Gilman. A group of young women from a small Wisconsin town face challenges in professional and personal growth but find support and a sense of community at the local bowling alley. Shows at 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday (except 2 p.m. on April 6), and 2 p.m. on March 31. Tickets at bartelltheatre.org.

Sleater-Kinney, Friday, March 22, The Sylvee, 8 p.m.: Three decades on since their debut, the sound created by Sleater-Kinney remains incredibly distinctive and immediately recognizable. The duo of Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein are also resilient, persevering through tragedy while working on their new album, Little Rope, a set of songs meditating on personal grief and American culture. Read Joe Tarr’s concert preview here. With Black Belt Eagle Scout. Tickets at ticketmaster.com.

301’s Spring Showcase, Saturday, March 23, Crucible, 5 p.m.: If you’re looking to crush every last cent out of your concert cash, it’s hard to go wrong with this showcase put together by 301 Productionz, featuring nine bands for 12 bucks. Expect most everyone to play heavy music, but it’s not all metal thanks to the presence of Chicago prog-jazz outfit Sons of Ra. The lineup also includes regional bands Aberrate, Corrupt the Masses, Exosphere, Ghidora, Inverted Vision, Knifeback, Oblivion Zero and The Unnecessary Gunpoint Lecture.

Villain of the Story, Saturday, March 23, The Annex, 6:30 p.m.: Minneapolis metal/modern rock quartet Villain of the Story is celebrating their 10th anniversary as a band with a handful of Midwest tour dates. They also have a clutch of new singles out this year, including the appropriately-titled “Decade” and the inspirational “Better,” which show they haven’t lost their knack for glossily crushing grooves. With another MPLS band, Divide the Fall, and Wisconsin hard rockers Un-Broken and Apex Aura (nominated for a pile of 2024 WAMIs). Tickets for this Midwest Mix-Up concert at eventbrite.com.

Polish Spring Festival, Sunday, March 24, St. Peter Catholic Church, 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.: Time to usher in the new season with this fest sponsored by the Polish Heritage Club. It’s tempting to say it’s all about the food for sale, including Polish classics like pączki (filled pastries), poppy seed rolls, kołaczki (filled cookies), chruściki (crispy sweets pronounced hroosh-cheeky), babkas, Polish breads, kiełbasa, and pierogi. But there are also Easter and other home decorations, toys, and more. Lunch on-site (also available to-go) is pierogi, kiełbasa, sauerkraut and rye bread. St. Peter is at 5001 N. Sherman Ave., just south of the entrance to Cherokee Marsh Conservation Park, where you could walk off that kielbasa afterwards — or ski, if the weather forecast holds.

After August album release party, Sunday, March 24, The Harmony, 4 p.m.: Classic rockers After August are out with a new album, First Sign of Trouble, after a year of collaborative songwriting and engineering. The quintet are all veterans of the Madison music scene: Bob Manor (vocals, piano, rhythm guitar), Greg Thornburg (lead guitar), Sheila Shigley (vocals), Dan Kennedy (vocals, bass), and Pete Schmeling (drums and percussion). Sean Michael Dargan, who needs no introduction, opens.

Blue County Pistol, Sunday, March 24, High Noon Saloon, 8 p.m.: Mixing country, rock and soulful vocals, Blue County Pistol has in a short time grown into one of Madison’s most compelling new bands. The September debut EP Under Cold Country provides a sample of their style, from the easy lope of “Like You Always Do” to the slow-burning fire of “Honey, I Know.” They are perfectly paired on this bill with world-beating Appleton country rockers Dusk, along with folkier sounds from TS Foss and Tommy Goodroad. Tickets at ticketmaster.com.

True Moon, Sunday, March 24, Mickey’s, 10 p.m.: Sweden-based quartet True Moon whips up a particularly high-energy incarnation of dark post-punk on their most recent album, II, from 2019. Vocalist Karolina Engdahl and guitarist Tommy Tift are now focusing on True Moon full time after departing from the critically acclaimed group Vånna Inget, so hopefully new music is on the way. With a pair of Madison artists: Insula Iscariot, whose September EP, Separation Anxiety, features three old-school industrial tracks; and horror-synth dealers Red Museum.

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