Arts

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ARTS

‘The Drama’ is not the love story you were promised

By Kaelana Faessler | Apr. 25

Since its highly anticipated release on April 3, “The Drama” has received highly polarized reviews, with some saying “there's a pretty good chance you will either hate it, or feel repulsed having watched it,” and others saying, “I hated every second of this. Absolutely outstanding.”  However, it’s perfect for those who enjoy impossibly unanswerable hypothetical scenarios, dramatic plots, terrible romantic decisions and phenomenal acting. 

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ARTS

‘The Pitt’ delivers award-worthy drama in anxiety-inducing second season

By Andrew Holton | Apr. 25

When my mom first told me about “The Pitt,” I was hesitant to watch and immediately dismissed it as a typical medical drama similar to “House,” “Grey’s Anatomy” and “ER.” I don’t necessarily dislike these shows and I did watch “House,” but I’m not always interested in the genre. What really pushed me to watch “The Pitt” was how it breaks the stereotypical medical drama mold by making every episode one hour of a singular shift.

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ARTS

‘Much Ado About Nothing’ brings love, liveliness and laughter to Mitchell Theatre

By Eloise Slipper | Apr. 23

The quintessential enemies-to-lovers story has taken the Mitchell Theatre stage just in time to kick off a romantic, picturesque springtime in Madison. University Theatre’s “Much Ado About Nothing,” directed by Baron Kelly, is a production of the classic Shakespearean comedy that finds a way to put a smile on the face of every member of the audience. 

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PODCAST

Is Geese worth the hype? Making sense of the gaggle and its supporters

By Matthew Brady , Matt Titus , Yadiel Chavez , Jackson Baker , Yareli Gutierrez and Ted Hyngstrom | Apr. 20

This week, hosts Matthew Brady and Jackson Baker talk indie rock band "Geese" with Yadiel Chavez. 

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ARTS

‘Paradise’ Season 2 values character development above all

By Andrew Holton | Apr. 16

The Hulu show’s sophomore season, starring Sterling K. Brown, takes the series in a new direction.

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ARTS

MSO’s ‘Indiana Jones’ makes history cool again

By Cameron Schneider | Apr. 16

Fans of all ages gathered to watch the Madison Symphony Orchestra live score “Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark” at Overture Center on March 28, inviting viewers on an adventure with the film's famed archeologist.

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PODCAST

Back to Blu-Ray: How a small home-video rental is surviving in the digital age

By Jackson Baker | Apr. 13

On this episode of the Daily Cardinal Arts Radar, host Jackson Baker steps into the world of physical media with a visit to University Avenue's Four Star Video Rental. 

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ARTS

The battle of the bands: Madison Brass Band sets off to compete at nationals

By Charlie Durochik | Apr. 10

The Madison Brass Band, a volunteer ensemble of local musicians, will compete at the North American Brass Band Championships this weekend against 45 other bands in Fort Wayne, Indiana. 

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ARTS

MSO celebrates final organ concert of the season

By Ryan Kim | Apr. 9

The Madison Symphony Orchestra presented its final organ concert of the season, filled with warm, intimate music and conversations on March 31. 

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ARTS

Madison Circus Space ‘Bizarre Bazaar’ highlights local acrobatics

By Sonia Bendre | Apr. 9

The Madison Circus Space’s banana-oriented “Bizarre Bazaar” shows took viewers through a whirlwind of local performance acts, including contortion, aerial silks, lyra, hoops, dance numbers and Cyr wheel on March 27 and 28. 

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ARTS

Wisconsin ranks nearly last in the country in arts funding. Madison arts organizations and the UW are trying to fill the gaps.

By Liset Zacker | Mar. 27

The state of Wisconsin ranks third-to-last in the nation in funding for the arts, according to the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies. The state spends 18 cents per capita on arts funding, while neighboring Minnesota spends $7.85 per capita and ranks first in arts funding.

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ARTS

How UW students work to make movies, games and culinary arts accessible

By Andrew Holton | Mar. 26

The financial pressure of being a college student can leave students feeling priced out of recreational and creative activities. But due to the work of student leaders, whether you are a cinephile, artist, gamer or learning chef, the University of Wisconsin-Madison has many free resources for students to step back from academics and indulge in a hobby without breaking the bank. 

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PODCAST

Comedic context: conceptualizing Conan

By Matthew Brady , Matt Titus , Lydia Picotte , Jackson Baker , Yareli Gutierrez and Ted Hyngstrom | Mar. 23

This week, hosts Matthew Brady and Jackson Baker discuss the red headed, gaunt Conan O’Brien. 

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ARTS

‘Back to the Future: The Musical’ is a technical spectacle

By Eloise Slipper | Mar. 20

The legendary flux capacitor-charged, plutonium-powered DeLorean time machine landed at Overture Center to present the touring production of “Back to the Future: The Musical” in Overture Hall from March 10 to March 15. This high-tech theatrical journey through time is a musical theater spin on the classic 1985 film, bringing the movie’s nostalgia to the stage alongside the magic of live theater in its Wisconsin premiere. 

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ARTS

Rise Against heats up Sylvee on freezing Sunday

By Annika Bereny | Mar. 19

The Chicago-based punk band offered a warm escape from the snow.

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ARTS

How collaboration shapes printmaking at Tandem Press

By Aanya Agrawal | Mar. 19

Inside the Tandem Press studio, a hub for collaborative and artistic experimentation just outside the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus, artists, printmakers and curators from across the U.S. work side by side to create limited edition fine art prints. 

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ARTS

Alt-pop singer Lauren Spencer Smith answers fans’ calls at the Sylvee

By Sonia Bendre | Mar. 17

The 22-year alt-pop singer brought crowds to tears with emotional, hard-hitting lyrics.

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PODCAST

White, feather, what? Making sense of Lana Del Rey's recent single

By Matthew Brady , Matt Titus , Jackson Baker and Ted Hyngstrom | Mar. 16

Hosts Jackson Baker and Matthew Brady interview Lana Del Rey expert Sophia Pietan in a discussion of how Rey's recent genre switch-up fits into her career thus far. 

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ARTS

Oscars Review: Who deserves Best Picture?

By Liset Zacker | Mar. 14

Ahead of Sunday’s show, The Daily Cardinal reviewed the 10 films nominated for Best Picture at the 2026 Oscars.

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ARTS

YouTuber Andrew Callahan brings Channel 5, ‘All Gas, No Breaks’ energy to Madison

By Jacob Szczap | Mar. 12

Andrew Callaghan, Gonzo journalist of the YouTube generation, stopped in Madison on Friday night as a part of his 22-city live tour, hosting an entertaining evening at the Orpheum Theatre that included screenings of exclusive documentary footage, a Q&A session, a crowd-sourced talent show and a locally-sourced rap battle.