The Wisconsin Singers have been around the University of Wisconsin-Madison since 1967, and they won’t be leaving any time soon.
They will perform their show, fittingly titled “Can’t Stop Us Now!,” this weekend at the Overture Center.
Calling themselves Official Ambassadors of Goodwill for the UW, the Wisconsin Singers perform 35 shows a year, only two of which are in Madison. But those two shows are important to the UW undergraduate singers, instrumentalists, technicians and staff that compose the group. They look at it as an opportunity to perform for their fellow Badgers.
According to Robin Whitty-Novotny, director of the Singers for the past 22 years, UW students will be amazed at what the Singers put out, seeing as the performers are students just like them.
“I think campus will be blown away by the talent that’s on stage and realize that they’re sitting next to it in class.”
Most of the students involved with the Wisconsin Singers are not even music majors.
“They just have a passion to perform,” Whitty-Novotny said.
Senior Bryce Mahlstedt, majoring in Communication Arts, agreed.
“I wanted to continue to sing and dance after high school and develop my performing skills while receiving a college degree from a nationally ranked university at the same time,” he said.
Whitty-Novotny cited the group’s trifecta of talents as what set the Singers apart from other musical organizations on campus.
“The thing that makes the Singers most interesting is that it is a triple-threat group—it’s not just singing, it’s not just dancing, it’s not just instrumentals—it’s all three of those together,” she said. “The combination of Broadway-style choreography, a killer band and outstanding vocals gives the best of all worlds.”
Whitty-Novotny herself was a Singer before coming back to direct the group. She explained that being a part of the group was a huge influence on her college experience, and she wanted to come back and create that same sort of experience for other students. For Mahlstedt at least, it seems Whitty-Novotny has accomplished this mission.
“Every weekend, I look forward to sharing our talents with countless communities and representing the UW,” Mahlstedt said. “To top it off, I get to do this with people I love. You can’t beat that.”
This weekend’s show will feature top American hits from the past 40 years from Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra to Michael Jackson, all the way to current stars like Beyoncé and Katy Perry.
“We’ve got almost 70 different songs,” Whitty-Novotny said. “Anything American pop music, we do.”
Badger fans will especially enjoy the Wisconsin Singers’ rendition of the Fifth Quarter, as they sing popular favorites like “Swingtown,” “Hey Baby,” “On Wisconsin” and “Varsity.”
“Every part of the show is going to touch you in some way with energy, and humor, and great vocals and instrumentals,” Whitty-Novotny said. “Come support our outstanding student performers.”
