What to do in Madison this weekend: Worry Club, 'Rock the Ballet' and more Isthmus Picks

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Derrick Adams, through Dec. 19, Tandem Press: Multidisciplinary artist Derrick Adams has been working with Tandem Press since 2019. “Silver Lining” will collect the work created during that time, prints full of vibrant color and the joy of living. The exhibition’s opening will be celebrated with a pair of events on Oct. 9: a ticketed art party featuring a talk by Adams and UW-Madison professor Faisal Abdu’Allah, plus DJing by both, takes place from 4-7 p.m. at Lola’s Hi/Lo Lounge; a reception follows from 7-9 p.m. at Tandem. Regular gallery hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday.

QUEER: A Proud & Loud Art Show, through Oct. 24, Madison College-Gallery at Truax; reception Oct. 9, 5:30-8:30 p.m.: Madison College opens its gallery doors to a wave of color and defiance with “Queer: A Proud & Loud Art Show.” More than 20 LGBTQIA+ artists present work spanning painting, photography, sculpture, and everything in between. Midway through the run, an Oct. 9 reception adds drag performances and other entertainment to the mix, turning the gallery into a full-on gathering space where queer art isn’t just seen, it’s celebrated.

GLEAM, Wednesday-Saturday, through Oct. 25 Olbrich Gardens: At GLEAM, the outdoor wonderland of Olbrich Gardens receives a nighttime makeover featuring fanciful light-based art installations. The 10th anniversary event is themed on reflection. Upcoming special evenings include an adults-only night Oct. 9. Timed entry on Wednesdays-Saturdays begins at 6:30 p.m. in October (through Oct. 25, with one final viewing on Oct. 31), and tickets are sold only in advance at olbrichgleam.org.

Taylor Tomlinson, Oct. 9-10, Overture Hall, 7 p.m.: Whatever it is you need to thrive as a standup comedian, Taylor Tomlinson has it. She tears through personal material and spontaneous crowd work with guts and confidence and it's hard to take your eyes off her. In her last standup tour, 2024’s “Have It All,” Tomlinson came out as bisexual; this year’s “The Save Me Tour” should be potent. Tickets at overture.org.

Worry Club, Thursday, Oct. 9, UW Memorial Union Terrace, 7 p.m.: The blend of empathetic emo, bedroom pop and punk created by singer-songwriter Chase Walsh for Worry Club struck a chord with listeners during the pandemic, and the project quickly built a following via weekly Instagram Live streams and a steady flow of singles and EPs. For most of the rest of 2025 they’re going to be on tour around the world, but before that they’re heading north from their Chicago home base for a set by the water on the Terrace. With Capital Soiree.

Liz Bachhuber + Jill Sebastian, through Oct. 12, Overture Center-James Watrous Gallery: “Eat My Words,” a late summer pairing at the Watrous Gallery, features two friends who met at art school at UW-Milwaukee and who now collaborate online: Liz Bachhuber (who now teaches in Germany) and Jill Sebastian (still in Milwaukee). The exhibit centers on questions of sustainability; both artists use scavenged materials to create. The installation should be inventive and thought-provoking. Regular gallery hours are noon-5 p.m.Thursday-Sunday

An Ideal Husband, through Oct. 11, Bartell Theatre: Oscar Wilde’s trademark wit is front and center in this satire that tackles political corruption and dishonesty in relationships. So modern! The reception upon the debut of An Ideal Husband in 1895 was lukewarm, but perhaps times have caught up with this four-act drama, which is of a piece with Wilde’s other works. This Madison Theatre Guild production is directed by Kendra Thompson. Shows at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday (except 2 p.m. on Oct. 11) and 2 p.m. Sunday, plus 7:30 p.m. Oct. 9. Tickets at bartelltheatre.org.

Michael W. Smith, Thursday, Oct. 9, Orpheum, 8 p.m.: Michael W. Smith was among the first contemporary Christian artists (along with Amy Grant) to cross into mainstream pop in a big way, with early-'90s hits “Place in This World” and “I Will Be Here for You.” His commercial success faded, but he never stopped releasing music — including orchestral, worship, duet and Christmas albums. Throughout his five-decade career, Smith has won multiple Grammy, Dove and American Music Awards, and was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2008. Regardless of your beliefs, he’s remained a musical force to be reckoned with. Tickets at ticketmaster.com.

Violet Chachki vs. Gottmik, Thursday, Oct. 9, The Sylvee, 8 p.m.: Two drag heavyweights, one stage. RuPaul’s Drag Race alums Violet Chachki and Gottmik (the first trans man to compete on the show) bring their first co-headline tour to Madison — and they’re not pulling punches. Expect a campy boxing-themed spectacle featuring burlesque, aerial performances, drag, songs from their new albums, and more glitter than a Vegas prizefight. With The Voyer Sisters, Yufie, Wynter Dabratt Sodi, Loretta Love Lee, Blythe. Tickets at ticketmaster.com.

Urban Cabaret, Friday, Oct. 10, Monona Terrace, 6 p.m.: This annual fundraiser for the Urban League of Greater Madison always packs a lot of information and entertainment into one evening, and this year’s event also celebrates a significant milestone for the organization: the 10th anniversary of Ruben Anthony’s time as president and CEO. Along with the presentation of the 2025 Whitney M. Young Award, the program includes music, dance, magic and spoken word performances, food and drink, and more. Tickets at ulgm.ticketspice.com.

Eraserhead, Friday, Oct. 10, UW Cinematheque, 7 p.m.: As the culmination of its consideration of the work of filmmaker David Lynch following his death in January, Cinematheque will screen a 35mm print of the sublimely gothic Eraserhead. The 1977 film became a cult classic back when there were art houses and midnight movies, and was Lynch’s ticket to directing more mainstream (but only for him) films The Elephant Man and Dune. Eraserhead is 100% Lynch, and tells the story of Henry, a young man wandering the wastelands of Philadelphia while attempting to care for a deformed “baby” his girlfriend has left with him. If you loved this when you were an undergrad, it’s time to look at the film with new eyes. How, in our own time, can it not be relevant?

Madison Ballet, October 10-12, Madison Youth Arts: Forget everything you thought you knew about ballet. The theme for Madison Ballet’s new season is “RE:IMAGINE,” and the opening concert, titled “Rock The Ballet,” will combine choreography with styles of music one may not expect. Along with the return of Ja’ Malik’s choreography for Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue — now set to a score reimagined and performed by Mr. Chair — the concert features world premieres of work by choreographers Meredith Rainey and Yury Yanowsky. Read more about the production in Lauren Hafeman's preview here. Performances at 7 p.m. on Oct. 10 (followed by a discussion with the artists), 2 and 7 p.m. on Oct. 11, and 2 p.m. on Oct. 12. Tickets at overture.org.

Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, Friday, Oct. 10, Overture Center-Capitol Theater, 7:30 p.m.: The Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra continues its exploration into the innovative works of composers of color with this concert, “Endeavor,” the third installment of its Musical Landscapes in Color project. Featured composers include up-and-comers Autumn Maria Reed and Xavier Foley, alongside mid-career names Regina Harris Baiocchi, Eric Gould, and Omar Thomas. Bonus: This concert will be recorded live for a 2026 album release. Tickets at overture.org.

Head on a Silver Platter: In Defense of Salome, Oct. 10-26, 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.

Winnie the Pooh (and His Pals, Too!), Oct. 11-19, 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 10:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, plus 10 a.m. on Oct. 14 and 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Oct. 16-17. Tickets at overture.org.

UW-Milwaukee baseball, Saturday, Oct. 11, Warner Park Duck Pond, 12:05 p.m.: For the first time in more than 34 years, Madison will host an NCAA Division I baseball game, when UW-Milwaukee and Illinois State University meet for a scrimmage at the Duck Pond. The rosters at both schools have included Madison Mallards players in recent years, and Milwaukee head coach Shaun Wegner was a Mallard in 2008. The last NCAA-sanctioned D-I baseball game in Madison was played on May 10, 1991. Shortly after that, UW-Madison disbanded its varsity baseball program, citing budget constraints, and it has yet to return. Tickets at mallardsbaseball.com.

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.

Old-Time Barn Dance, Saturday, Oct. 11, O’Brien Barn, Brooklyn, 5:30-10 p.m.: This all-ages event has become an annual tradition at the O’Brien Barn event venue, located at 552 Glenway Road north of Brooklyn. Bring a dish to pass for the potluck at 5:30 p.m. (and nonperishable food donations for Oregon-Brooklyn Food Pantry). The dance kicks off at 7 p.m., with instruction on the steps and caller Mike Mossman; music will be provided by Cobs, Clover & Twang and The Stop & Listen.

’Round Midnight: The Life and Music of Thelonious Monk, Oct. 11-12, Muso: Thelonious Monk was an innovator on piano, eccentric and impossible to copy — there for the birth of bebop, but invented his own sound entirely. UW jazz program student Isaiah Dobbins performs 13 of Monk’s most memorable works, with narration by Buzz Kemper tracing the legend’s turbulent life and lasting influence on Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, and generations that followed. This free performance is a co-production of Fermat’s Last Theater and BlueStem Jazz; shows at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 11 and 2 p.m. Oct. 12.

Marc Cohn + Shawn Colvin, Saturday, Oct. 11, Stoughton Opera House, 7:30 p.m.: This has all the trademarks of a Stoughton Opera House two-fer, with the pairing of two artists you might not have imagined together. Marc Cohn’s earthy deliveries balance Shawn Colvin’s distinctive emotional vocals. And all these two really need are their two acoustic guitars. Tickets at stoughtonoperahouse.com.

Quadeca, Saturday, Oct. 11, Majestic, 8 p.m.: Quadeca released Vanisher, Horizon Scraper, back in July, and it seems likely it will be a resident of many year-end best-of lists. The multi-instrumentalist seamlessly blends gentle singer-songwriter folk, hip-hop, electronic textures, choral vocals and other elements into a dizzying and dense yet coherent concept album. It’s a long way from his start as a tween in the 2010s, posting video game content on YouTube. With Rozey. This one’s officially sold out, but last-minute tickets may be available at ticketmaster.com.

Charlieboy, Sunday, Oct. 12, Gamma Ray, 8 p.m.: On the 2023 album People Garden, LaCrosse-based band Charlieboy often starts in a shoegaze/mope rock-adjacent mode and then takes the music in varied directions, from prog to jazz to pop. It’s all topped by a lead vocalist who at times dials into a sound reminiscent of the insouciant drawl of Amy Winehouse. Charlieboy is on a run of tour dates with Dilly Dally Alley, a Minneapolis band adept at blurring genres into something still danceable. An eclectic lineup also includes a pair of Madison bands: jazz fusionists Lowboy and unpredictable rockers Sex, Fear. Tickets at gammaray.bar.

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