Todd Hubler
Summer calendars fill up fast, between evenings on the Union Terrace, enjoying Madison’s lakes, getaways up north and strolls
around the Capitol Square at the Dane County Farmers’ Market. As the outdoors beckons, so do plenty of arts events.
Although some companies take the warmer months off, Madison area stages are still bustling with activity.
Here are some noteworthy productions to see in between backyard barbecues.
UW-Madison’s University Theatre will welcome audiences to the fictional but familiar town of Almost, Maine, a tiny community that’s so far north, it’s almost not in the United States — it’s almost in Canada. And it almost doesn’t exist, because its residents never got around to getting organized. The play takes place on one cold, clear Friday night in the middle of winter. As the northern lights hover in the sky, several couples in Almost have emotional encounters they will never forget.
John Cariani’s Almost, Maine is one of the most-produced plays in the country. Initially an Off-Broadway flop that closed a month after it opened, the play has had nearly 3,000 productions since then on regional, college and high school stages. Why? Because the play is charming. A dozen loosely connected scenes depict couples in all stages of love and heartbreak in a decidedly small-town, original and un-snarky way. See it June 8-25.
As part of the Broadway at Overture Series, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical will make the earth move under your feet June 13-18 in Overture Hall. The Tony- and Grammy-winning musical tells the inspiring true story of King’s remarkable rise to stardom, from being part of a hit songwriting team with her husband Gerry Goffin, to her relationship with fellow writers and best friends Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann, to becoming one of the most successful solo acts in popular music history. The hit-filled show features many ’60s and ’70s standards, including “I Feel the Earth Move,” “One Fine Day,” “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” “You’ve Got a Friend” and of course, the title song, “Beautiful.”
Then there’s one of the best things about summer in Wisconsin; another amazing season of plays in the woods at American Players Theatre in Spring Green. With nine plays running in repertory from June 10 into November, it may seem like you have all the time in the world to catch a few literary classics or other great dramas, but the weeks will fly by. Plays in the Touchstone Theatre (the more intimate, indoor space) will sell out very quickly. So how to choose? First consider the weather — do you want to picnic and partake in great performances under the stars in hot and sticky July, or on a cool and colorful afternoon in October? Or do you want to leave the bug spray and the umbrellas behind and enjoy an air-conditioned, indoor experience instead? Then pick a genre, because there’s everything from the traditional Shakespeare of A Midsummer Night’s Dream to the seldom performed Pericles, from the absurdist nightmare The Maids to the French farce A Flea in Her Ear.
I’m marking my calendar for Edmond Rostand’s beloved romance Cyrano de Bergerac. Adapted and directed by APT core company member James DeVita, it stars James Ridge as the gallant soldier with the large nose, short temper and amazing way with words.
I’m also looking forward to seeing DeVita onstage as Eddie Carbone (paired with Colleen Madden as his wife Beatrice) in Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge. Described as a “Greek tragedy set in 1950s Brooklyn,” the play is experiencing a resurgence in popularity on stages across the country; the Young Vic production directed by Ivo van Hove won two Tony Awards in 2016 for Best Revival and Best Direction. Time to see APT’s take on the American classic.
And then there’s Chekhov. Continuing its run of plays by the celebrated Russian playwright, APT presents my favorite of the canon: Three Sisters. Perhaps this summer Olga, Masha and Irina (played by Laura Rook, Kelsey Brennan and Rebecca Hurd) will finally make it to Moscow after all.
Four Seasons Theatre will urge audiences to “Dream the Impossible Dream” with its production of Man of La Mancha, August 4-6 in Shannon Hall at the Wisconsin Union Theater. Winner of five Tony Awards and mounted to great acclaim at the Milwaukee Rep last fall, it’s the story of the author Miguel de Cervantes who, imprisoned by the Spanish Inquisition, enlists his fellow inmates to help tell the story of Don Quixote. And so he becomes the mad knight who mistakes a prostitute for his fair lady Dulcinea, jousts at windmills with his trusty sidekick Sancho and believes he is on a sacred quest to right the wrongs of this world, no matter the odds against him. A bittersweet story of the clash of noble fantasy and harsh reality, it will leave you humming the choruses of many of the great songs that are packed into this musical.
Music Theatre of Madison continues bringing the weird and wonderful to audiences this summer with the Wisconsin premiere of Lizzie, the historically based rock musical that focuses on one of America’s most notorious (alleged) murderers, Lizzie Borden. The sensational story of parenticide in 1892 (via 40 or 41 whacks with an ax, if folk songs are to be believed) is examined through the perspectives of four female characters — an undeniably troubled Lizzie, her sister Emma, the family’s maid Bridget, and Lizzie’s friend and lover Alice.
Described by the New York Times as “a gothic rock ritual with a ‘riotgirl’ attitude … an eerie hybrid of rock club and a turn-of-the-century New England parlor,” this is on my must-see list. Directed by Dana Pellebon, the musical runs August 17–26 in the Fredric March Play Circle at the Memorial Union and features a powerhouse of local talent, including the company’s executive director Meghan Randolph, Liz Griffith, Erin McConnell and newcomer Kelsey Anne Johnson.
A cross between an introduction to opera’s greatest hits and a Fourth of July fireworks display, Madison Opera’s annual Opera in the Park concert will be presented on July 22 in Garner Park on the west side. The free event attracted an estimated 16,000 spectators last year, so plan to bring your blankets or lawn chairs early if you want a good view of the stage. Attendees are also welcome to bring picnics and beverages to accompany the evening of beautiful music. Audience members can even take a crack at conducting the orchestra along with maestro Joseph Mechavich. Although he will have the baton, you may use a glow stick.
This year the Madison Opera Chorus and Madison Symphony Orchestra will be joined by soprano Cecilia Violetta López, mezzo-soprano Adriana Zabala, tenor David Walton and baritone Will Liverman for the two-hour program. It should be a sensational night for anyone who loves live music under the stars.
