What to do in Madison this weekend: Wisconsin Dog Fair, The Kissers album release and more Isthmus Picks

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Nikkya Hargrove, Thursday, Nov. 7, Crowdcast, 6 p.m.: Just after graduating from college, Nikkya Hargrove was faced with a family tragedy: her mother, recently out of prison and struggling with substance abuse, died not long after giving birth to a son. Hargrove decided to petition for custody of her half-brother, a fight complicated by societal and family court misconceptions about her ability to be responsible for an infant as a young Black queer woman. The story is recounted in Mama: A Queer Black Woman’s Story of a Family Lost and Found, and Hargrove will discuss her new memoir with Women’s Medical Fund Wisconsin Executive Director Ali Muldrow in a webinar hosted by A Room of One’s Own; register at crowdcast.io.

Nat Turner in Jerusalem, through Nov. 10, American Players Theatre-Touchstone, Spring Green: Nat Turner famously led an uprising of the enslaved that was one of the sparks for the Civil War. In Nat Turner in Jerusalem, playwright Nathan Alan Davis draws from a document written by lawyer Thomas R. Gray from a conversation with Turner in his jail cell the night before he is to be executed in Jerusalem, Virginia. This serious, tense, still work should be in good hands with James DeVita and Gavin Lawrence. Read Jonathan Shipley's review here. Through Nov. 10; the final performances are at 7 p.m. on Nov. 7, 1 p.m. on Nov. 8 and 10, and 1 and 6 p.m., Nov. 9; tickets at americanplayers.org.

Angry F*gs, through Nov. 16, Bartell Theatre: StageQ weighs in with a play smartly timed to election season. Topher Payne’s Angry F*gs, written in 2013, deals with violence and attitudes that have not changed in the 11 years since. When a friend is beaten up outside a gay bar, political speechwriter Bennett is outraged that it isn’t classified as a hate crime. This dark revenge comedy won the Gene-Gabriel Moore playwriting award. Shows at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday (except 2 p.m. on Nov. 16) and 2 p.m. on Nov. 10. Tickets at bartelltheatre.org.

Pride and Prejudice, Nov. 7-17, UW Vilas Hall-Mitchell Theatre: It’s one of the most beloved novels in English for a reason. Our heroine, Elizabeth Bennet, is ahead of her time. When she decides that the eligible Mr. Darcy is an insufferable snob, she must learn much before everything comes to right. While Pride and Prejudice is in many ways an intricate dance in which the major characters figure out who should marry whom, it is much more than that, assaying class and gender roles with wit and perception. Performances of this University Theatre production are at 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 7-17. Tickets at artsticketing.wisc.edu.

Driftless Film Festival, through Nov. 9, Mineral Point Opera House: The 28 selections in the 2024 Driftless Film Festival bring independent films to Mineral Point, with some focusing on the Driftless, the unglaciated area with quadrants in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa and Minnesota. Look for Adrianne & The Castle by filmmaker Shannon Walsh, about an Illinois artist’s passion project; Ride More Drift Less by Nicholas Kapanke, about cyclists riding the gravel roads of Minnesota’s Driftless area; and The Blacksmith’s Curse from Sam Sorenson, filmed right in Mineral Point. See the complete roster of films at driftlessfilmfestival.com.

The Blue Comet, through Nov. 9, Bartell Theatre: This forgotten comedy by Eden Phillpotts was performed in England in the 1920s, but never produced in the United States. A sci-fi comedy of manners, The Blue Comet centers on an English country family who is grappling with two potential catastrophes: the arrival of the comet — and a relative from Australia. Final performances of this Madison Shakespeare Company production are at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 7-8 and 5 p.m. on Nov. 9. Tickets at bartelltheatre.org.

Murder Girl, Nov. 7-24, Overture-Playhouse: This is the world premiere of a new play by Milwaukee actor/playwright Heidi Armbruster, who often draws from classic murder mysteries and has previously adapted Agatha Christie’s The Murder of Roger Ackroyd for the stage as well as crafting Mrs. Christie, a play about the novelist. In this comedy, Armbruster draws on the fact that Wisconsin is populated with both supper clubs and famous serial killers. The plot: Siblings who have inherited a supper club in the northwoods find things turning dark. American Players Theatre favorite Sarah Day is in the cast of this Forward Theater production. Performances at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday, plus 2 p.m., Nov. 16 and 23. Tickets at overture.org.

Are We Dell'arte? Nov. 7-9 and 14-16, Broom Street Theater, 8 p.m.: Are We Delicious?, the ensemble that puts together its shows in just two weeks from script to production, tackles the age-old form of commedia dell’arte, one of the earliest forms of professional theater. Expect surprises. Tickets at eventbrite.com.

Nordic Utopia? African Americans in the 20th Century, through Nov. 10, Chazen Museum of Art: Forget Paris. “Nordic Utopia? African Americans in the 20th Century” focuses on Black artists who turned to Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden, where they found opportunities not available to them in the United States. More than 60 drawings, paintings, photographs, textiles, film, music and dance are featured, with subjects including Josephine Baker and Dexter Gordon. A curator conversation with Ethelene Whitmire takes place at 10 a.m. on Nov. 8; register at chazen.wisc.edu.

LunART Chamber Music Collective, Nov. 8, Arts + Lit Lab, 7 p.m.; Nov. 10, Taliesin-Hillside Theater, Spring Green, 2 p.m.: This woman-centric, eclectic, forward-looking chamber music collective opens its season with guest bassoonist Eleni Katz, joined by flutist Iva Ugrcic and pianist Alyona Waldo. The program starts with the whimsical and surprising Trio Op. 45 by Louise Farrenc; the stirring, spiritual-influenced Afro-American Suite by Undine Smith Moore; and the meditative Sonatina for Flute and Piano by Grace Williams. It then sweeps into the 21st century with the experimental Sea Glass Partita for voice and bassoon by Lila Meretzky and the Middle-Eastern-influenced Nadiya by Reena Esmail. Tickets at lunartfestival.org.

Kiera Faber, Friday, Nov. 8, UW Cinematheque, 7 p.m.: This special evening is devoted to the work of experimental filmmaker Kiera Faber, who will be on hand for the world premiere of her latest, an experimental stop-motion animation called The Garden Sees Fire. Faber is an auteur who creates the entire world depicted in her films including script, design and sound. Also screening will be man-i-fest (2005, 3 min.), Children of God (2006, 4 min.), Evils (2006, 6 min.), T is for Turnip (2015, 3 min.), and stop-motion animations Living Organics (2009, 10 min.) and Obscurer (2018, 19 min.).

Affinity Trio, Friday, Nov. 8, North Street Cabaret, 8 p.m.: The Affinity Trio has held down a weekly residency (currently Saturdays) at the Mason Street Grill in Milwaukee for a few years now, and it’s easy to see why when listening to their debut album, Hindsight. The album’s songs feature driving, uncluttered arrangements giving room for all three players — trumpeter Eric Jacobson, bassist Clay Schaub, and pianist Pamela York — to shine. This BlueStem Jazz concert should be a winner in the cozy confines of the North Street Cabaret. Tickets at eventbrite.com.

Cribshitter, Friday, Nov. 8, Gamma Ray, 9 p.m.: Cribshitter has long been les enfants terribles of the Madison music scene…for two decades, to put a number on it, which the band is doing at this anniversary show. If you haven’t checked in for a while, their most recent album, Goin' Soft, channels smooth ‘70s country rock (though, with songs like “Assplay,” the humor remains adults-only even if the music is more adult contemporary). The Flavor That Kills splits the night and also will be playing music from a top-notch recent album, Book of Secrits.

Lower 5th + Electric Spanking, Friday, Nov. 8, Harmony Bar, 9 p.m.: The Lower 5th has continued to make powerful Midwestern soul and Americana music since the tragic passing of the band’s founder, singer-songwriter Luke Jorgensen, in 2018. The band has a knack for infusing heavy themes into upright and hopeful melodies. They play it with joy. Electric Spanking is the funky offspring of Madison band Baghdad Scuba Review.

Homiefest, Saturday, Nov. 9, Rigby Pub, 1 p.m.-midnight: This homegrown music festival coordinated by Wisconsin bands Excuse Me, Who Are You? and Tiny Voices returns to the Rigby after a year in Milwaukee. With a focus on emo and emo-adjacent sounds, the day features an embarrassment of riches with 18 bands on two stages. Be sure to catch the founders along with other regional favorites such as Bug Moment and Endswell, plus touring guests such as Riley!, on the road with their catchy/cranky 2024 album Keep Your Cool. Tickets at homiefest.bpt.me.

The Kissers album release, Saturday, Nov. 9, Bur Oak, 5 and 8 p.m.: It’s been some years since the last album by long-running Madison Celtic-infused rockers The Kissers, but the long wait is over. The Foe and the Fallen features the band’s songs from the 2019 multimedia concert The Greatest War: World War I, Wisconsin, and Why It Still Matters. Read Andy Moore’s preview here. Shows at 5 and 8 p.m.; find tickets at theburoakmadison.com.

Fall Gospel Fest, Saturday, Nov. 9, Heartland Church, Sun Prairie, 7 p.m.: Fall Gospel Fest celebrates its 20th anniversary this year with one of its most stellar lineups. It’s led by Hezekiah Walker, founder and pastor of Love Fellowship Tabernacle in Brooklyn, New York, and a two-time Grammy winner who picked up his 11th nomination in 2024 as a performer and songwriter on the song “God is Good.” The lineup also includes Jermaine Dolly, a repeat Billboard Gospel Airplay Chart topper; Amber Bullock, a former winner of the Sunday Best gospel singing competition on BET; comedian and ventriloquist Willie Brown; and DJ Ace (aka Vanessa McDowell, who recently left Madison for Charlotte, North Carolina). Find tickets at fallgospelfest.com.

Ryan Meisel Quartet v.jarred, Saturday, Nov. 9, Harmony Bar, 9 p.m.: Wisconsin saxophonist and educator Ryan Meisel has followed an eclectic path through the jazz world, and his latest project is another intriguing sonic exploration. In the v.jarred incarnation of his quartet (named after a June album release), Meisel plays soprano, tenor and baritone saxes through electronic effects. It results in an array of unexpected sounds, sometimes doing battle with guitar-shredding heroics by Cody Steinmann; it’s jazz with a healthy dose of hard rock and funk, and v.jarred is a fun listen. It should be a treat hearing the band take off live at this release party for an LP version.

Wisconsin Dog Fair, Sunday, Nov. 10, Alliant Energy Center, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.: After a five-year hiatus, the Badger Kennel Club is bringing back the Wisconsin Dog Fair — an event filled with live demonstrations and educational talks covering everything from agility to obedience to breed standards. Rescue groups will be available to discuss placement opportunities, more than 150 different breeds are expected to be represented, and vendors selling dog swag also will set up shop. Note that attendees are asked to keep their own dogs at home and instead enjoy watching and meeting the dogs participating at the fair. Find more info at wi-dog-fair.com.

Madison Polish Film Festival, Nov. 10 and 17, UW Union South-The Marquee, 3 p.m.: This annual UW-Madison film fest sponsored by the Polish Student Association offers different perspectives from standard Hollywood fare. This first weekend of the fest includes two films from 2023. The Secret Life of Little Rose (3 p.m.) is a thriller about a family mystery and a terrorist attack. Scarborn (5:15 p.m.) is set in 1794 and concerns General Kosciuszko's rebellion against the Russians. On Sunday, Nov. 17, the fest will showcase two more films, Doppelgänger. Double and Feast of Fire. Find more on the films at gns.wisc.edu.

A Concert for Palestinian Relief, Sunday, Nov. 10, Gamma Ray, 4:30 p.m.: Madison musicians are gathering to present a concert in solidarity with and to raise funds for Palestinian citizens suffering during Israel’s continued military assault. Along with performances by BrighterDaze, Meggie Shays, Alex White & the Friends, Wild Violets and Kevin Willmott II, the evening will include a talk by a Madison-Rafah Sister City Project representative and a raffle. Proceeds will be donated to the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund.

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