Whoopensocker!

Whoopensocker is a theater arts residency program in Madison schools led by artists from the UW Community Arts Collaboratory program. They have compiled some favorite songs created during past residencies and are ready to undertake a new project: a live album recording session, taking place at "Whoop-in-Song Live," a matinee concert for all ages. Find tickets and more info at go.wisc.edu/whoopinsong2022.

media release: Founded by Dr. Erica Rosenfeld Halverson, Whoopensocker is an education residency focused on creativity, expression, writing, and collaboration. During their six-week residencies in elementary schools, Whoopensocker's teaching artists bring a toolkit of fresh ideas for teaching writing to the classroom, generating hundreds of short stories. Then their theater professionals select some stories and turn them into short plays that they perform for the grade school writers, friends, peers, families, and communities.

Last year, Whoopensocker was the first group that brought busloads of kids to MYArts for their hilarious, irreverent, and often poignant stories about everything from chicken nuggets to funding science to dance parties.

Join Whoopensocker for Live Album Recording on Saturday, November 12

The event will feature musicians and actors from many different languages, cultures, races, and ethnic groups to honor the creativity and brilliance of young people from Madison schools, community centers, and libraries. Over the last seven years, Whoopensocker’s artists have created many musical pieces from young authors’ stories, and the live album will record some of these songs to support the authors. The album will be recorded live on stage with professional actors, singers, and musicians. Whoopensocker hopes that the album will encourage emerging artists to keep creating and give them a tangible way to show what their creative minds can do. 

Saturday, November 12, 11:30am-1:30pm, Starlight Theatre at MYArts (Madison Youth Arts Center), 1055 E. Mifflin.

General Admission: $35

There will be food! Many thanks to Banzo for offering to donate deliciousness to the Whoopensocker family and audience.

Contact Jessica Jane Witham (witham@wisc.edu) for any questions.