Zoo and Zooms

The return of Zoo Lights and an array of virtual events in Isthmus Picks for Dec. 3-10

by

Better Sleep, Better Health, Thursday, Dec. 3, 1:30 pm: The Wisconsin Alumni Association continues offering free enrichment programs open to all. And it's hard to think of a better time for a talk on optimizing sleep time as we navigate the stress of COVID-19. This webinar will be given by an expert: Dr. Steven Barczi, a faculty member of the UW-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health and director of the Sleep Telemedicine Program at the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital. Sign up here for a link to the talk.

Jane Smiley, Thursday, Dec. 3, 7 pm: The Wisconsin Book Festival keeps on going strong with more excellent programming. Tonight's Crowdcast talk is from a marquee name: Jane Smiley, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of the classic A Thousand Acres. She will discuss her new book, Perestroika in Paris. It's an unusual narrative about the adventures of a racehorse, a dog and a young Parisian boy.

Election Symposium 2020, Friday, Dec. 4, 2 pm: It is a month out from the Nov. 3 presidential election and Joe Biden, for all intents and purposes, will be the next president of the United States. So even while Trump’s campaign still has some legal challenges in play, it’s fair game to analyze the results of the 2020 election, as the Elections Research Center at UW-Madison intends to do at its upcoming Elections Symposium on Zoom. Topics include voter concerns, partisanship, consequences of the pandemic and dynamics of swing states. UW’s Barry Burden (pictured) and Mike Wagner are among the experts who will weigh in. The symposium is free and open to the public but registration is required.

Jason Reblando & Joanne Diaz, Friday, Dec. 4, 5 pm: The spiffy new space across from The Sylvee that is the new Arts + Literature Laboratory is kind of perfect for pandemic viewing: The big windows and clear sightlines means the public can see the exhibits while remaining outdoors (though the galleries are open noon-5 pm Thursday through Saturday, or by appointment; those going inside must mask up). La Ruta: Walter Benjamin's Last Passage is one of three shows there currently; on Friday, photographer and artist Jason Reblando and poet Joanne Diaz will discuss their collaboration on La Ruta, an installation centered around theorist Benjamin's escape from the Nazis across the Pyrenees. The artist talk will be live on Facebook. The exhibit is on display through Dec. 19, and also includes work by Leila Byron (who will give an artist talk on Dec. 11) and Sylvie Rosenthal (artist talk on Dec. 18).

Zoo Lights, Friday-Sunday, Dec. 4-6, 5:30-8:30 pm: The Henry Vilas Zoo promises the best and brightest Zoo Lights ever and, judging from just the displays that can be seen from the parking lot, they ain’t lying. There’s a lot of bling this year! Safety precautions are also in place: Visitors are directed along a one-way path throughout the zoo. There is no requirement to register, but the zoo encourages it so that staff can anticipate how many plan to attend on a given night. Zoo Lights is open from 5:30-8:30 pm Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, through Dec. 27. It will also be open Dec. 21-23, but closed Christmas Day, Dec. 25. For more information visit the zoo website.

Breakthrough Dance Company, Friday, Dec. 4, 7 pm: Art groups have had to become more inventive in getting their works to the public during COVID-19 restrictions, and audiences — anyone looking for something to do, basically — have also become more open to experiment in what they watch and experience. What better time to give dance a whirl? Transforming is a livestream showcase featuring Madison’s Breakthrough Dance Company, which features an open-style approach. In this event, dance videos are paired with a Q&A with company members. Viewers can submit their questions during the event or in advance by contacting breakthroughdc@gmail.com. Free, but donations are encouraged with a portion of the proceeds going to Feeding America.

Madison Polish Film Festival, Saturday-Sunday, Dec. 5-6: This annual event organized by the UW-Madison Polish Student Association will feature free online screenings of three recent films, viewable anytime Saturday or Sunday. I Never Cry is a story about a teen who travels abroad to bring her father's body back home after a construction accident. In The Iron Bridge, a love triangle and a mine collapse drive the drama. And Icarus: The Legend of Mietek Kosz is a biopic about pianist Kosz. All films are in Polish with English subtitles. Register here.

Vanessa Williams, Saturday, Dec. 5, 7 pm: Overture Center's Women of Broadway series concludes with a concert by Vanessa Williams, a true superstar who has conquered the popular music charts, film and television roles, and the Broadway stage over the last three-plus decades. The concert, livestreamed from New York City, will include pop and Broadway tunes as well as stories from her life (and an opportunity for audience questions via email). Tickets here.

The Health of Our Democracy: A Status Check, Monday, Dec. 7, 5 pm: If you aren’t worried about the health of our democracy, you haven’t been paying attention. Donald Trump appears determined to undermine the integrity of our election system every chance he gets. Top Republican leaders have been silent about these threats; others have abetted the president. On the bright side, so far the court system has rejected the Trump campaign’s lies about fraud and election officials at the state and local level have mostly stood strong as well. Hear what UW experts have to say on the topic at this Crossroads of Ideas series webinar. Featured speakers include Barry Burden, Franciska Coleman, Kathy Cramer, Lew Friedland, Manuel Teodoro and Michael Wagner, who will moderate.

Life with the Badger Band, Tuesday, Dec. 8, noon: For more than a century, the UW-Madison Marching Band has amped up the crowd at Badgers football games and the Varsity Band offered beloved spring concert spectaculars. For five decades the bands were led by Mike Leckrone, who retired following the 2019 school year. Think he has some stories to tell from his historic tenure? Find out during this free Badger Talks lecture, via Facebook Live.

Crane Congregations, Tuesday, Dec. 8, 7 pm: If you have never heard the ricocheting racket of a congregation of sandhill cranes, you are missing out on one of southern Wisconsin's greatest natural happenings. Each fall, more than 10,000 sandhill cranes flock to sites along a path that includes the Wisconsin River adjacent to naturalist Aldo Leopold's famous "shack." While the in-person presentations typically fill up quickly, this year everyone can visit the cranes virtually and learn more from Stan Temple, a professor emeritus in conservation from UW-Madison, who will speak on the Leopold Foundation's work on crane conservation. Livestreams will also take place on Dec. 10 and Dec. 15; RSVP here.

A Master Plan for Vilas Park, Wednesday, Dec. 9, 8 am: The Clean Lakes Alliance continues its Yahara Lakes 101 lecture series with a talk on the future of one of Madison's iconic parks, originally designed by early 20th century landscape design legend O.C. Simonds (who also designed Tenney Park). Speaking on how that design will inform the creation of a new master plan for the park on the shores of Lake Wingra will be MSA Professional Services senior landscape architect Dan Williams and Madison parks superintendent Eric Knepp. Register here to receive the Zoom link. (Also: The annual Mendota Freeze Contest from CLA is now open.)

An Evening of Readings with Madison Writers' Studio, Wednesday, Dec. 9, 6 pm: The Madison Writers' Studio, started by authors Michelle Wildgen and Susanna Daniel in 2013, has been holding its classes and workshops virtually this year. Likewise, the readings the studio holds at the end of its classes so the writers can share their work are not in-person this fall at Mystery to Me bookstore, but online. Students from the classes Novel Revision, Novel/Memoir in a Year, Visions and Revisions, and Advanced Revision will be reading from their wide-ranging works, from thrillers to literary novels. Register here for the Crowdcast link.

Jeff Daniels, Wednesday, Dec. 9, 7:30 pm: Perhaps best known as an actor of stage and screen (with the range to star in both To Kill a Mockingbird and Dumb and Dumber), Jeff Daniels has also proven to be an accomplished songwriter and guitarist. His concerts at Stoughton Opera House are always sellouts, and though the theater is closed right now Daniels is performing a livestream show to benefit the historic venue.

North Star Awards, Thursday, Dec. 10, 6 pm: This annual celebration of community members making a difference on Madison's north side is hosted by the Northside Planning Council. This year's event will move to Facebook Live from its usual home at the Warner Park Community Recreation Center, but WPCRC facility manager Terrence Thompson will be the emcee and also participate in a conversation with NPC executive director Abha Thakkar on advancing equity in the city parks department. Along with honoring this year's award winners, speakers include Dane County Supv. Michele Ritt.

InstaQuest Holiday Edition, through noon, Dec. 18: The Madison Central Business Improvement District invites the community to learn more about the downtown area by participating in a photo-taking challenge, hosted on Instagram. Competitors (in teams of up to four) respond to a series of challenges describing locations for both in-person (respecting social distancing, natch) and virtual visits. The challenges began on Nov. 15, so catch up by reviewing the rules and registering here.

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