What to do in Madison this weekend: Grupo Candela 20th anniversary, Wisconsin Science Festival and more Isthmus Picks

by

Winnie the Pooh (and His Pals, Too!), through Oct. 19, Madison Youth Arts: This “theater for the very young” production from Children’s Theater of Madison takes us to the 100-Acre Wood with action geared to kids ages 2-5. Winnie the Pooh (and His Pals, Too!) incorporates movement, music, and multi-sensory storytelling, and Pooh, Piglet and Tigger are great friends to introduce the very young to theater. In the immortal words of Pooh himself, “Any day spent with you is my favorite day.” Performances at 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Oct. 16-17 and 10:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Oct. 18-19; hopefully you didn't sleep on this one, as it's now completely sold out. . Tickets at overture.org.

Wisconsin Science Festival, Oct 16-26, various locations: For its 15th anniversary celebration, the Wisconsin Science Festival is bigger than ever, with more than 700 events happening statewide over 11 days including demos, nature walks, formal and informal talks, and even comedy. There’s a lot to parse, but the event guide at wisconsinsciencefest.org offers various ways to filter the info, and also some featured events including the yearly favorite Science on the Square, taking place in conjunction with Madison Night Market on Oct. 16; Amalgam Improv’s Sci-prov showcase on Oct. 17; and a variety of author events in conjunction with Wisconsin Book Festival, Oct. 23-26.

Nghi Vo, Thursday, Sept. 16, A Room of One’s Own, 6 p.m.: Nghi Vo’s 2020 novella The Empress of Salt and Fortune earned a Hugo Award for Best Novella, and launched what has become known as the “Singing Hills Cycle.” The sixth installment in the series, A Mouthful of Dust, finds Cleric Chih searching for answers about a famine and is another exploration of the power of stories. The author will discuss the new novella and her other work.

Michael Johnson, Thursday, Oct. 16, Spare Time, 6-9 p.m.: In the new book The Audacity to Lead: From the Projects to the C-Suite, Michael Johnson shares his story and offers some life lessons learned along the way, from growing up in Chicago through his steadfast community leadership as the longtime president and CEO of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Dane County. At this book launch party (and 50th birthday celebration), Johnson will read an excerpt from the book, along with participating in a Q&A and book signing. It’s free, but reservations are recommended.

Dracula, A Feminist Revenge Fantasy. Really. Oct. 16-Nov. 1, Bartell Theatre: Kate Hamill’s 2020 feminist recasting of Bram Stoker’s 19th century vampire classic is here just in time for Halloween, courtesy of Madison Public Theatre. Hamill doesn’t parody Stoker’s convoluted tale of Victorian repression so much as she wrests it out of the hands of the men and gifts it to the women. Still, there’s humor and thrills amid the payback. Performances at 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday (except 1:30 p.m. on Nov. 1) and 1:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets at bartelltheatre.org.

Matthew Morrison, Thursday, Oct. 16, Overture-Capitol Theater, 7:30 p.m.: For a lot of people, Matthew Morrison will forever be Mr. Schue from Glee — the earnest teacher trying to wrangle a roomful of high school divas. But Morrison’s career goes way deeper: he’s a Broadway leading man with serious pipes (Hairspray, The Light in the Piazza), a dancer, and a performer who knows how to hold a stage. His one-man show, Rhythms & Revelations, isn’t a greatest-hits set; it’s Morrison using song, dance, and storytelling to show more of himself than any scripted role ever could. Think of it as Broadway polish meets cabaret intimacy. Tickets at overture.org.

Head on a Silver Platter: In Defense of Salome, through Oct. 26, Broom Street Theater: This modern retelling of the story of Salome features a teenager who is drawn into the orbit of a right-wing podcaster — which never bodes well. Head on a Silver Platter: In Defense of Salome is written and directed by Jan Levine Thal, longtime WORT-FM radio host and writer. Performances at 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday; tickets at bstonline.org.

Sabina Ott: all this and not ordinary, through Feb. 15, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art: Sabina Ott passed away too early at age 62 in 2018. “all this and not ordinary” includes 33 late works from a career that encompassed painting, sculpture and other assemblages using such materials as polystyrene and spray foam. The result is often a “space of transformation” that incorporates “play and wonder,” as the MMoCA explains in its gallery notes. And we can all use some more of that. The exhibit was co-curated by Jefferson Godard and museum director Paul Baker Prindle.

Madison Symphony Orchestra, Oct. 17-19, Overture Hall: This program, titled “Primal Light,” begins with Resurrexit, a cinematic approach to the biblical story by modern composer (and EDM DJ!) Mason Bates. The centerpiece is César Franck’s Symphonic Variations, a lyrical showcase for piano and orchestra featuring UW-Madison professor of piano Christopher Taylor, hailed by The New York Times as “dazzlingly virtuosic.” The program culminates with Gustav Mahler’s monumental Symphony No. 2 (Resurrection). Madison-connected soloists Jeni Houser (soprano) — praised by Opera News as “commanding and duplicitous, yet also vulnerable” — and Grammy-nominated mezzo Emily Fons join the Madison Symphony Chorus under the direction of Beverly Taylor. With John DeMain conducting, it’s a lineup of extraordinary musicians deeply tied to Madison, performing some of the most profound music ever written. Performances at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 17-18 and 2:30 p.m. Oct. 19; tickets at overture.org.

Manual Cinema, Friday, Oct. 17, UW Memorial Union-Shannon Hall, 7:30 p.m.: You’ve never seen Macbeth like this. Chicago’s Manual Cinema — part theater troupe, part film studio, part fever dream — returns with The 4th Witch, a reimagining of Shakespeare told through live puppetry, projection, and music. The story follows a girl taken in by the witch trio; expect haunting visuals, and that rare feeling of watching something unfold that’s equal parts handmade and otherworldly. Tickets at artsticketing.wisc.edu.

POSTPONED: From the Top: Encore at 25, Oct. 17-Nov. 2, Martin Street Theatre: It’s the 25th year for Encore, a professional company for people with disabilities — one of the few in the U.S. This is a retrospective revue of that quarter-century of work, including many plays which were created for Encore. Included are excerpts from To Love or Not to Love, a 2001 play by troupe executive director KelsyAnne Schoenhaar that deals with sexual assault and power dynamics in relationships; Lost Track, a 2009 work by Wendy Prosise and Schoenhaar about a young woman living with bipolar disorder; and The Last Weekend of December, another Schoenhaar original from 2016 dealing with the depression that sets in around the holidays. Shows are Fridays at 8 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. (no show Oct. 31); note, the opening date has moved from Oct. 17 to Oct. 24 due to illness. Tickets at encorestudio.org.

Government Zero + Bashford album releases, Friday, Oct. 17, Gamma Ray, 8 p.m.: Government Zero just got back together for a show this summer, but their return to active duty was planned as a limited run — not completed before they unleashed a new album, About Time, which will be available at this show on CD (and LP, if the records make it in time). Bashford is also celebrating the forthcoming release of Wannabe, their second album for the Big Neck label. It’s another step forward in the evolution of the trio; the expected ragers are pared to their essential elements and the collection is leavened by songs experimenting with tempo and dynamics. A packed lineup also features The Faith Hills Have Eyes, The Brash Menagerie and Lunar Moth. Tickets at etix.com.

Sasha Colby, Friday, Oct. 17, Barrymore, 8 p.m.: Sasha Colby isn’t just a drag queen — she’s the drag queen your favorite drag queens call their favorite. The first native Hawaiian trans performer to win RuPaul’s Drag Race, in Season 15, Colby brings her fierce presence and fearless storytelling to Madison in a show dubbed “Stripped II.” A dancer, actress, activist, and member of the legendary House of Colby, she’s been crowned Miss Continental and has inspired a generation of performers with her artistry and authenticity. Tickets at ticketmaster.com.

Pink: A Dance Party & Benefit for Sarah Akawa, Friday, Oct. 17, Atwood Music Hall, 8 p.m.: One of Madison’s favorite DJs, Sarah Akawa has been a musical architect of queer dance spaces for years — including series such as Hot Summer Gays, Dyke Dive and Queer Pressure — always giving the town a place to sparkle and belong. Now it’s our turn to show up for her. Pink is a benefit for Akawa as she battles cancer, with DJs Femme Noir, Fuzzy Duck, Huck Sin and B P Lar keeping the bass heavy all night. Ilana Bar-av will be snapping glam portraits for a community photo book for Akawa, and the dress code is “pink riot chic.” Every dollar goes straight to Akawa’s care. Can’t make it? Contribute to Akawa's GoFundMe. Tickets at theatwoodmusichall.com.

Grupo Candela, Friday, Oct. 17, Cafe Coda, 8:30 p.m.: Since its founding by Que Flavor percussionists Manuel Vellón and Roberto Rengel, Grupo Candela has remained at the forefront of Madison’s Latin music community. With this concert, the group celebrates its 20th anniversary of providing top-flight salsa, cumbia and more for dancers and listeners. The evening kicks off with a salsa dance lesson followed by two sets of Grupo Candela classics. Tickets at cafecoda.club.

Matilda the Musical, through Oct. 19, Overture Center-Playhouse: The beloved book by Roald Dahl is transformed into a musical — song, dance and a spunky young heroine who has telekinesis, the ability to move objects with her mind. Matilda the Musical, intended for ages 9 and up, is directed and choreographed by Children’s Theater of Madison artistic director Brian Cowing. Shows at 2 and 7 p.m. Saturdays and 1 and 6 p.m. Sundays (no evening show Oct. 19), and an additional 7 p.m. show on Oct. 17. Tickets at overture.org.

A Celebration of Celia Cruz, Saturday, Oct. 18, High Noon Saloon, 8 p.m.: The legacy of Cuban singer Celia Cruz — who will forever be the “Queen of Salsa” — will be celebrated by an all-star collection of Madison musicians, just a few days before what would have been her 100th birthday. Betty Guerrero (of La Combi) and Yanzel Rivera (Rebulú) will provide Cruz’s fire for a band directed by percussionist José Madera (MadiSalsa) and trombonist Darren Sterud (New Orleans Tribute). Dance lessons will be provided by Isthmus Salsa, DJ Rumba spins between sets, and the evening will be emceed by former Cardinal Bar owner Ricardo Gonzalez. Tickets at ticketmaster.com.

OsamaSon, Saturday, Oct. 18, The Sylvee, 8 p.m.: Underground hip-hop artist OsamaSon had to jump the gun on releasing his newest album, Jump Out, after hackers kept leaking music ahead of its planned Valentine’s Day release. It’s easy to hear why some listeners got a bit overexcited because the album is a dizzying experience: a flurry of brief EDM-influenced tracks, occasionally blown out or chopped, topped by OsamaSon’s furious raps, also often digitized and obscured in novel ways. It sounds like the future. Tickets at ticketmaster.com.

Elvis Costello & the Imposters with Charlie Sexton, Sunday, Oct. 19, Orpheum, 8 p.m.: With a deep and diverse songbook to draw from, Elvis Costello concerts tend to be wide-ranging affairs. His current tour with the Imposters, “Radio Soul: The Early Songs of Elvis Costello” focuses on his albums up to Blood and Chocolate…a period before collaborations with classical ensembles or Burt Bacharach, but still stylistically diverse. The Imposters are joined by guitarist Charlie Sexton for some extra rock. And be warned: EC has indicated this may be the last go-round in a live setting for some of this material. 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 include information on the postponement of this weekend's Encore Studio performances.