Musical relief

WCO launches a virtual concert series and fund drive, attend Sundance at home, and more Isthmus Picks for Jan. 21-28

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The 32nd "Red Arrow" Division, Thursday, Jan. 21, 7 pm: The Wisconsin Veterans Museum remains closed due to the pandemic, but many of the museum's regular programs are taking place virtually — including its "Mess Night at the Museum" lecture series. This installment features a talk by historian Edward Lengel on a group of Wisconsin and Michigan National Guard members who, as part of the American Expeditionary Forces, were among the first U.S. soldiers in combat during World War I. Register here for a link to the free talk.

The Case of the Straight Arrow, Thursday, Jan. 21, 7 pm:  You know the mystery will be of the lighthearted variety when the detective's name is Grim Brooder. Sun Prairie Civic Theatre member Sandy Kintner originally planned for The Case of the Straight Arrow to be an interactive dinner production, but has adapted it into a one-act version ready for the virtual world. And, rather than pre-recording the play, SPCT will stream each performance live, for free, on its Facebook page. ALSO: Friday-Saturday (7 pm) and Sunday (2 pm), Jan. 22-24.

MMoCA Mosaic 5K, Jan. 15-31, anytime: Madison is lucky to have two great art museums, the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art and the Chazen, both of which are free to visitors. MMoCA is raising funds to keep admission free going forward. The Mosaic 5K is a socially distant run; participants can "run, walk, or roll the 5K anywhere — inside or out." Furthermore, if watching movies on your couch is more your thing, go for it. You do have to set your fundraising goals, though, and ask family and friends to support your run (or movie marathon). Registration is $35 and all registrants will receive a limited-edition scarf featuring the artwork of up-and-coming Madison artist Terrence Adeyanju.

Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, Friday, Jan. 22, 7:30 pm: The Winter Chamber Series from Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra kicks off with a wide-ranging program featuring works by composers canonical (Gabrieli, Schubert) to current (Valerie Coleman, of Imani Winds), plus a side of 20th century sounds (Alec Wilder). Find tickets here, and note that each concert in this series will only be available for 72 hours after the premiere. The WCO has also launched a Musician Relief Fund drive; donate here.

The Niceties, Jan. 22-Feb. 7, anytime: Forward Theater Company continues its season with a timely work by Eleanor Burgess, described in a 2018 New York Times review of an Off Broadway production as "...a bristling, provocative debate play about race and privilege in the United States." In The Niceties, a Black college student (played by Samantha Newcomb) and a white professor (Sarah Day) clash over the student's thesis about the American Revolution...a discussion that ends up exploding into the world beyond the professor's office. Ticket holders can stream the production anytime from Jan. 22-Feb. 7, and a series of talkbacks with the actors and director will also be available, via Zoom.

Corey Mathew Hart, Saturday, Jan. 23, 7 pm: Madison-based singer-songwriter Corey Mathew Hart has long been a mainstay of the regional Americana scene, as a solo performer, with his Lost Lakes project, and more recently as a member of The Mascot Theory. Catch up on his latest music during this livestream concert from the stage of the River Arts Center. Register here.

Charlie Parr, Sunday, Jan. 24, 8 pm: Duluth, Minnesota, songwriter and guitarist Charlie Parr heads south for a residency at the beloved Minneapolis venue First Avenue every winter. In 2021 he is maintaining the tradition, although potential audience members don't need to go any farther than a comfy chair; on Sundays in January, Parr will livestream from First Ave on YouTube and Facebook. Each week will feature secret special guests and likely new material from Parr's forthcoming 14th album, to be released via the legendary Smithsonian Folkways label later this year. Donations for the musicians are encouraged.

An Evening with Isabel Wilkerson, Monday, Jan. 25, 6 pm: Pulitzer Prize winner Isabel Wilkerson has written two critically acclaimed books that focus on the Black experience in America: Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents and The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration. On Jan. 25 she will be the keynote speaker for UW-Madison's virtual Martin Luther King Jr. symposium. "The work to fulfill Dr. King's vision of racial equality continues today, and Wilkerson is carrying on this work," says Chancellor Rebecca Blank. Register here.

Wisconsin Scavenger Hunt, ongoing: Are you bored yet? More importantly, are the kids bored? Okay, stop fibbing; we're all bored. The Wisconsin Historical Society has pulled together a Wisconsin scavenger hunt that should get both adults and kids out of the house with a purpose, engaging with our surroundings and our state's history and culture. And you can even do most of the hunt from a car, and all of it in a safe, socially distanced way. Hunt items (PDF list here) range from fish fry signs to Cream City brick. And did you know Master Locks are made right here in Milwaukee? 14-0-30!

Photography workshop, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 5 pm: Since photos these days are ubiquitous, it makes sense to learn some new techniques to become a better photographer. In this workshop, held in conjunction with the James Cagle exhibit at MMoCA through January 31, students will focus on how Cagle transformed familiar objects and overlooked spaces into elegant compositions. Register here for the Zoom link; also, it's recommended to watch this gallery talk by MMoCA curator emeritus Rick Asxom to prepare for the workshop.

Education for Democracy: Renewing the Wisconsin Idea, Thursday, Jan. 28, 4:15 pm: The Wisconsin Idea has long brought the thinkers and thinking of the public university into the community. A new book of essays, Education for Democracy: Renewing the Wisconsin Idea (University of Wisconsin Press), focuses on the role of the public university in a democratic society. At this livestream book launch event, editor Chad Alan Goldberg and essayists will speak about their contributions and participate in a Q&A with the audience. Register here.

Sundance Film Festival, Jan. 28-Feb. 3: If there is a silver lining to the pandemic, it is that we have been able to experience virtually many events we would never have been able to attend otherwise. Case in point: The legendary Sundance Film Festival is now no farther away than your couch. Even in its virtual incarnation, the choices of what to watch are overwhelming, so cruise to the How to Fest page to get started. Films are $15 each and "seats" are limited, so as with an in-person film fest some decision-making will be needed...but there is also an array of intriguing free programming viewable just by signing up for a fest account.

Winter Wonders, submissions open through Jan. 31: Madison Children's Museum invites kids ages 12 and under to participate in an online photography contest examining the world during Wisconsin's coldest season. It's free to participate, and prizes include items for both outdoor and indoor recreation time. Up to two photos per child can be submitted through Jan. 31; find more guidelines and the submission form here. And visit this page for more information on the museum's continuing MCM at Home video programming, offered via Facebook.

Kel Mur, Gillian Drier, Thursday, Jan. 28, 5 pm: A gallery talk by two of the three new artists exhibiting through Feb. 27 at the Arts + Literature Laboratory will be broadcast live on Facebook. Kel Mur's Reap includes weaving, video, performance and sound. Gillian Drier's Ideas, Ideals, Criticism, and Concerns incorporates quilting, beading, community and Black future. Mur and Drier are both participants in the Bridge Work Madison emerging artists program. The third artist exhibiting, Victoria Maidhof, incorporates photos and text into a multidimensional exploration of loneliness in her Don't Fall in Love and Chronicles of the Ordinary. Gallery open hours are noon-5 pm Thursdays-Saturdays.

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.