What to do in Madison this week: Bill Nye, Slocan Ramblers, and more

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Note: Many venues and businesses may continue to maintain individual requirements for masking, as well as proof of COVID-19 vaccination and/or a negative test for entry. Before heading out for any in-person event, confirm it is still taking place and check for any attendance guidelines on the relevant business websites or social media accounts.

Unfunny: Pandemic, Comics and What Matters Most, Monday, April 25, UW Helen C. White Hall-Room 6191, 5 p.m.: A professor of English at Columbia University and the mother of a disabled son, Rachel Adams grappled with the implications of her son’s disabilities and high-risk status during the pandemic by writing a graphic memoir. In this UW-Madison Center for the Humanities talk, she will discuss her work, and why comics proved to be an effective way of writing on the topics of illness, disabilities and healthcare disparities. Adams is also the author of Raising Henry: A Memoir of Motherhood, Disability, and Discovery, which was published in 2013.

Bill Nye, Monday, April 25, Kohl Center, 7 p.m.: For more than 30 years, Bill Nye (The Science Guy) has been a science educator and a quintessential television personality. Nye is now using his platform to spread awareness about climate change. Nye will offer a free talk and Q&A about global warming and climate change as a part of the Wisconsin Union Directorate's Distinguished Lecture Series. The talk can be attended in person with a free ticket, or virtually by filling out the pre-registration form.

Time(is): An Exploration of Black Art in Madison, through July 1, Central Library-Diane Endres Ballweg Gallery: Works by four Black Madison-based artists — Sharon L. Bjyrd, Simone Lawrence, Alice Y. Traore and Teena Wilder — are currently featured in the light-filled third-floor gallery at Central Library. The wide-ranging exhibit is meant to inspire conversation and reflection. Guest curator Sophia Abrams included the artists' individual curated book lists, a great tie-in to the library.

The Slocan Ramblers, Tuesday, April 26, The Bur Oak, 8 p.m.: These are Canadians with a serious bluegrass problem. 2018 Juno Award nominees and 2020 International Bluegrass Music Association Momentum Band of the Year Award winners, the Toronto trio whips the horse the same way Bill Monroe did: hard and fast. Three albums in, the group shows the rare ability to stay traditional even while charging off into new sonic territory.

Libby Fischer Hellman, Wednesday, April 27, Mystery to Me, 6 p.m.: Best-selling crime writer Libby Fischer Hellman visits Madison to discuss a pair of new novels. Double Blind, released in March, tells the story of Chicago PI Georgia Davis, who agrees to help investigate the sudden death of a friend’s aunt following her COVID-19 booster shot and soon finds her own life at risk. A Bend in the River is set in 1968 Vietnam, where two sisters must flee their village when it is attacked by American forces. After escaping, the two sisters become estranged, and for the next 10 years neither knows where the other is, much less if the other is even alive. Reserve a free ticket to attend, or stream the event on Crowdcast.

Marc Maron, Wednesday, April 27, The Barrymore, 7 p.m.: The dour Maron rose from the alt-comedy scene of the late 1980s and early 1990s, and his leisurely but trenchant style hasn't changed much. As the host of the WTF with Marc Maron podcast he's interviewed pretty much everybody. Expect a no-holds-barred take on current events from a guy whose last Netflix special was called End Times Fun.

Russian Troll Farm: A Workplace Comedy, April 21-May 8, Overture Center-Playhouse: Forward Theater Company will round out the 2021-22 performance season with Russian Troll Farm: A Workplace Comedy. Employees at the Internet Research Agency in Russia busily post disinformation aimed at Americans ahead of an election. The play, by Sarah Gancher, was named a New York Times Critics Pick, and takes a clever, comedic approach to telling the stories of the employees' daily lives. This will be the first live stage production of the play, originally written as a virtual production. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays, plus additional 2 p.m. matinees on April 30 and May 7.

Madison's Funniest Comic, Wednesdays, through May 4, Comedy on State, 9 p.m.: Take a deep dive into the pool of emerging comedians with the Madison's Funniest Comic competition, returning after a pandemic hiatus year. April's preliminary rounds end April 27, and the semifinalists are Reier Cammerman, Lukas Day, Rich D'Amore, Ton Johnson, Ryan Kushner, Matthew Mandli, Raegan Niemela, Jared Porter, David Schendlinger, Eric Smith, Brandon Wein, and Olivia Witt. The finals are May 4. Showtime is 9 p.m., but the room fills up quickly so arriving closer to door time (7:30 p.m.) is a good idea. Finalists will be posted on April 18 at facebook.com/comedyonstate.

Reading Between the Wines, online auction through April 28; in-person events April 27-28: Literacy Network's annual fundraiser event is back with both virtual and in-person components. The silent auction is online now and continues through 11 p.m., April 28. The “Brass for Books” kick-off event is rescheduled for 5:30 p.m. on April 27 at Garver Feed Mill, featuring music by Hirt Alpert and Yid Vicious; it's free to attend, but donations are encouraged. The Reading Between the Wines social and program is at 5:30 p.m. on April 28 at Aldo Leopold Nature Center, Monona ; in-person registration is extended to noon on April 26, or sign up by April 27 for the virtual option. Find the silent auction and registration info at literacynetwork.schoolauction.net/readingbetweenthewines22.

Renée Fleming, April 28-30, UW Memorial Union and Hamel Music Center: Soprano Renée Fleming was originally on the Wisconsin Union Theater schedule for a gala concert in May 2020 celebrating its 100th anniversary season. It's taken a couple extra years, but Fleming's visit now has transformed from one concert to three events featuring the Grammy-winning artist and educator. On April 28, Fleming will present “Music and the Mind,” a talk on the health benefits of music (7 p.m., Shannon Hall); on April 29, she will advise five Performance Studio students in a session open to the public (4 p.m., Collins Recital Hall); and on April 30, Fleming will perform a recital drawn from her wide-ranging repertoire (7 p.m, Shannon Hall). Find tickets at artsticketing.wisc.edu.

Mackenzie Berry, Thursday, April 28, Central Library, 7 p.m.: Poet Mackenzie Berry graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s First Wave Hip-Hop and Urban Arts Program, but her first collection, Slack Tongue City (Sundress Publications, 2022), is an ode to her hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. That said, the images she unveils, the emotions she evokes, and the ideas she triggers convey universal tension, complexity and joy. No wonder UW-Madison English professor, author and poet Quan Barry calls Slack Tongue City “a percussive debut.” Berry's poetry has appeared in Vinyl, Up the Staircase Quarterly, Blood Orange Review and others.

The Floridians, through May 1, Governor's Mansion Inn: Russian money-launderers working as travel agents would prefer to be in musical theater; retirees looking for something, anything, to do decide to become amateur investigators and run afoul of an FBI agent on a similar track. Comedy ensues, as written by TNW Ensemble Theater co-founder Danielle Dresden in the new play The Floridians. The company produces the new play at the restored, historic Governor's Mansion Inn; performances take place at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays; 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays; and 2:30 p.m. Sundays. Buy tickets here.

Black Opry Revue, Thursday, April 28, Stoughton Opera House, 7:30 p.m.: Former Carolina Chocolate Drops members Rhiannon Giddens and Dom Flemons were among the first modern-day performers to cast light on the historic contributions to country music by black artists. The Black Opry Revue carries on that mission, performing songs and stories that long pre-date the construction of the Ryman Auditorium. The lineup for Stoughton includes The Kentucky Gentlemen, Nathan Graham, Nashon Halloway, Jett Holden, Lauren Napier and Victoria Williams.

Chris Castino with Chicken Wire Empire, Thursday, April 28, High Noon Saloon, 8 p.m.: The Big Wu emerged from Minnesota in the early Nineties and went on to become one of the biggest jam bands in the world. More recently, founding guitarist Chris Castino teamed with Milwaukee jamgrass heroes Chicken Wire Empire to reimagine some of The Big Wu’s material and make those songs sound the way they originally were written — as basic bluegrass tunes. The result of this effort can be heard on Fresh Pickles, the collaborative’s tasty new album that sounds as vintage as it does refreshing. Bring your barn-dancing shoes.

We hope it’s handy for you to find Picks grouped together in a single post. The individual Picks can still be found in the usual places online: collected here, and sprinkled throughout all the events.