What to do in Madison this week: Ego Likeness, Rickey Fayne and more Isthmus Picks

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Jane Hirshfield, Monday, May 12, Central Library, 6 p.m.: Renowned poet Jane Hirshfield — a former chancellor of the Academy of American Poets who was elected to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences in 2019 — is stopping in Madison to discuss and read from The Asking, her hefty collection of new and selected poems dating back to 1971. Her work ranges from considering the life of a small ant at the start of the COVID-19 shutdown to the utter vastness of time, and she’s a leading advocate for the biosphere and the alliance of science and imagination. This event is presented in partnership with the UW-Madison Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, and it is free but registration is required at nelson.wisc.edu.

Ego Likeness, Monday, May 12, Crucible, 8 p.m.: Heavy, dark-hued and danceable industrial rock is the order of the day with Ego Likeness, a long-running project featuring songs by Steven Archer and Donna Lynch. It’s been a while since the last Ego Likeness album but the members are always creating something, as Archer is also an acclaimed visual artist and writer and Lynch a prolific writer of dark fiction and poetry. With retro-styled electronic experts Klack (aka the Madison duo of Eric Oehler and Matt Fanale). Tickets at brownpapertickets.com.

Judy Karofsky, Tuesday, May 13, Lake City Books, 5 p.m.: Anyone who has accompanied an elderly person on the end of life journey knows how hard it is, not just emotionally but practically. There are challenges and roadblocks at pretty much every turn. Former mayor of Middleton Judy Karofsky has written a compelling story of her own experiences with her mom — it’s called DisElderly Conduct and the subtitle is telling: The Flawed Business of Assisted Living and Hospice. Karfsky will discuss the book at this launch event. Sadly, the growing need to reform senior care is unlikely to be addressed by the current federal administration.

Allison Epstein, Tuesday, May 13, Mystery to Me, 6 p.m.: Chicago-based author Allison Epstein transports readers to Victorian London in her immersive new novel, Fagin the Thief. She boldly reimagines the world of Charles Dickens by placing gifted pickpocket, liar and rogue Jacob Fagin, a secondary character in Oliver Twist, at the center of her story. Epstein chronicles Fagin’s rise, culminating when he is forced to decide what he truly stands for. She will sit down for a chat with Madison-area author Amy Pease. This is a free event, but seating is limited and registration encouraged; a Crowdcast livestream is also available.

Rickey Fayne, Tuesday, May 13, Central Library, 7 p.m.: Rickey Fayne is an important new voice in American fiction. Originally from west Tennessee, Fayne, with a master of fine arts in fiction from the Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas, has burst on the scene with his first novel, The Devil Three Times. It recounts the story of Yetunde, a young woman on a slave ship headed for America, and her deal with the devil. Fayne draws on oral and spiritual traditions in the Black diaspora for this tale. He’ll be in conversation with Ainehi Ejieme Edoro of the UW-Madison English department in this Wisconsin Book Festival event.

Wisconsin Triennial, through Sept. 14, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art: After trying out a guest-curated show in 2022, the museum returns to its usual juried process “to reflect current directions in Wisconsin’s visual arts scene.” The 2025 Triennial features 24 artists from around the state, although predominantly from Madison (15 artists!), with Milwaukee a distant runner-up (with four). One of the Madison artists is Christina Ruhaak, whose studio space Isthmus spotlighted in our July 2024 issue. Find a full list of artists at mmoca.org.

Bruce Molsky & Ale Möller, Wednesday, May 14, North Street Cabaret, 7:30 p.m.: Just released on May 1, Bruce’s Hailing is a collaboration by master musicians Bruce Molsky & Ale Möller. Both multi-instrumentalists, Bruce’s Hailing mostly features Molsky on fiddle and Möller on a custom-built “drone mandola”; the music takes surprising turns in blending traditions from Appalachia and Sweden. The duo recorded the album following a 2024 tour of Sweden, and now they are bringing the music on the road in the U.S. for a series of May tour dates, including this Sugar Maple Concert Series stop. Tickets at eventbrite.com.

RSVP for Hmong Diaspora Banquet, Saturday, May 31, Monona Terrace, 4:30 p.m.: Wisconsin has been home to many Hmong persons since the 1970s, when many were forced to flee Laos and South Vietnam following the end of the Vietnam War. The Hmong Institute is commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Hmong diaspora with a series of events this spring, including the Hmong Diaspora Banquet on May 31. Along with a Hmong dinner and silent auction supporting the work of The Hmong Institute, the banquet will honor the work of Hmong musicians and artists, with guests including writer Dia Cha, singer Lee Pheng, and musicians Xa Lee, Lis Pos and Chong Moua Thao. Buy tickets by May 15, and find more information on other events at thehmonginstitute.org.

The Lonesome Organist, Thursday, May 15, Arts + Literature Laboratory, 7 p.m.: In what will undoubtedly be Madison’s quirkiest free show of the spring, multi-instrumentalist The Lonesome Organist (aka Jeremy Jacobsen) will astound with his punked-out attack on harmonica, drums, keys, guitar, and percussion while applying all four limbs in the process. The result is a dizzying stew of Caribbean, rock, blues and Appalachian styles.

Jam for Jam, May 15-17, Barrel Inn, Deansville: This annual spring music and camping festival is headquartered at the Barrel Inn, which has a Marshall address but is actually located in the hamlet of Deansville. Rootsy and funky sounds are provided all weekend by bands such as Undercover Organism, Paul Cebar Tomorrow Sound, Dan Walkner Band, Little Marsh Overflow and many others, and proceeds each year are used for building projects in Jamaica (via the nonprofit Jam for Jamaica). Find the full lineup and tickets at jamforjam.org.

Words with Nerds, Thursday, May 15, Crucible, 7 p.m.: Cheshire Cat Comedy’s Words with Nerds concept blends talks on various subjects by experts and sets by stand-ups. Sometimes both of these aspects can be provided by one person, which will be the case with this edition, subtitled “The Science of Laughter.” Presenting a lecture on the topic will be Robert Mac, whose dry humor often sneaks in some educational facts (along with tweaking those who twist facts to their own ends). Host Sasha Rosser will discuss the neuroscience of humor, and the night also includes stand up by Kevin Schwartz. Tickets at eventbrite.com (and note, you can also catch a stand-up set by Mac on May 16 as part of CCC’s Comic Entanglement bill).

A House Not Meant to Stand, through May 24, Bartell Theatre: This lesser-known Tennessee Williams play is still very, very Tennessee Williamsy. This was the last play he wrote before his death in 1983. It’s been referred to as a Gothic comedy; Williams himself called it a "Southern Gothic spook sonata,” and it is full of mental illness, family disintegration, and sexual shenanigans. Madison Public Theatre takes it all on with aplomb in this production of A House Not Meant To Stand, directed by Julia Houck. Shows are at 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday (except 2 p.m. on May 24) and 2 p.m. Sunday; tickets at bartelltheatre.org.  

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