Theater

Department of Theatre and Drama kicks off sold-out production of 'Heathers the Musical'

By Athena Kafkas | Apr. 22

Hey, Westerburgers! There’s a new kid in town…

The Nicest Kids in Town stop by the Overture Center for the Arts

By Emily Knepple | Mar. 11

Viola Davis, Chadwick Boseman shine in “Ma Rainey's Black Bottom”

By Dominic LeRose | Dec. 21, 2020

More Theater

ARTS

‘Anastasia’: An unforgettable journey to the past

By Lauren Souza | Aug. 8, 2019

The national tour of “Anastasia” stops in Madison for an eight-show run, filling the Overture Center with idyllic sets and songs.

ARTS

Bernadette Peters performs classic musical hits — and misses —at the Overture

By Emma Hellmer | May. 1, 2019

Tony® Award-winning actress Bernadette Peters comes to Madison to dazzle the audience with some of her hit performances on stage and television.

ARTS

Summer Arts Preview: Theater

By Emma Hellmer | Apr. 25, 2019

Emma Hellmer, the Daily Cardinal's theater columnist, previews a few musical performances that are coming to Madison this summer.

ARTS

UW-Madison graduate student shines spotlight on accessible, sustainable theater

By Robyn Cawley | Apr. 20, 2019

After spending years on the stage, Cyra K. Polizzi is switching roles to create a sustainable, accessible, feminist theater practice — from play programs to accommodating tour locations.

ARTS

‘A Raisin in the Sun’ celebrates 60th Anniversary: A look at Broadway’s first African-American woman playwright

By Lauren Souza | Mar. 11, 2019

UW-Madison alumna Lorraine Hansberry debuted her play "A Raisin in the Sun," making her the first African-American female playwright on Broadway.

ARTS

‘Into the Woods’ is a must-see with splendid cast and crew

By Emma Hellmer | Feb. 26, 2019

"Into the Woods" is a tremendous experience that combines the musical magic of different fairy tales into one theater performance that you will never forget.

ARTS

Rock of Ages proves an enjoyable 1980s tribute show with few minor quirks

By Emma Hellmer | Feb. 14, 2019

Glorified 80s rock ‘n’ roll takes the audience back in time at the Overture Center on Feb. 7 as part of the Broadway’s tenth anniversay tour of the classic musical, “Rock of Ages.”

Every actor just seemed to fit perfectly with their character in this production of "Urinetown."

ARTS

Best Entertainment of 2018: Theater

By Emma Hellmer | Dec. 8, 2018

Our theater columnist picks her favorite Madison plays from this year.

Forward Theater Company, pictured above, hires upwards of 100 contracts, with over 95 percent of them going to Wisconsin residents.

ARTS

Local theater companies provide wages, opportunities for local artists

By Allison Garfield | Nov. 16, 2018

The theater industry is notorious for being difficult to find steady work, no matter what aspect of the field one is pursuing.

"Rocky Horror" is a legacy, a cultural monument and a beacon for anyone who feels outcasted.

ARTS

Velvet Darkness carries on cultural legacy of ‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’

By Emma Hellmer | Oct. 29, 2018

“The Rocky Horror Picture Show” is more than an objectively bad movie-musical from the ‘70s to the Madison-based shadow cast at Velvet Darkness; it’s a legacy, a cultural monument and a beacon for anyone who feels outcasted. The director of the group, Lantry, has been involved with Velvet Darkness for over 25 years.

Camden Ebert (above) and Jack Gammie played the young brother and sister, who said almost nothing during the show and yet delivered some of the strongest performances of the night.

ARTS

‘Six Characters in Search of an Author’ is self-referential delight

By Emma Hellmer | Oct. 25, 2018

Performances of University Theatre’s personalized version of Luigi Pirandello’s haunting play “Six Characters in Search of an Author” will be held through Oct.

Spitaletta, pictured above with co-star Jennifer Elizabeth Smith, leads the touring cast of the Broadway musical.

ARTS

Star of ‘Something Rotten!’ Richard Spitaletta talks favorite moments, being cast in tour

By Allison Garfield | Oct. 11, 2018

The Broadway hit musical “Something Rotten!” stopped in Madison at part of the Overture Center’s Broadway at the Overture series.

The playful Broadway musical set in Renaissance-era London centered on the plight of brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom and their struggle to become as famous and renowned as William Shakespeare.

ARTS

‘Something Rotten!’ delights audience but lacks strong female characters

By Emma Hellmer | Oct. 11, 2018

“Something Rotten!” stunned and delighted a packed crowd at the Overture Center on Oct. 9. The musical comedy kept audience members smiling by not taking itself too seriously.

With comical performances and a bizarre plant that talks and sings, “Little Shop of Horrors” has it all.

ARTS

Theater to look forward to this fall

By Allison Garfield and overture's rising stars | Sep. 5, 2018

Madison is a hub of culture when it comes to the arts — concerts, art shows and poetry slams can be found every weekend. Few realize, however, that Madison also hosts dozens of theater performances, from Broadway tours to local productions. Here’s your guide for what to keep an eye out for this fall.

“Spring Awakening” is a rock musical that proves teen angst knows no time period.

ARTS

High schoolers impress in the risky ‘Spring Awakening’

By Anna Welch | Mar. 5, 2018

Express Yourself! put on its final production of “Spring Awakening” on Saturday night at the Bartell Theater after performing around Wisconsin since the beginning of November.

This play reflects a different side of Shakespeare’s writings, focusing on a rebellion and allowing for love stories to take a backseat.

ARTS

‘Henry IV’ is an interactive, yet inaccessible experience

By Cara Suplee | Feb. 15, 2018

The local theater looked like everything you’d imagine it would: a modest waiting room with a family of welcoming, eager staff and an intimate black box theater for the main event.

Gunderson’s play dives into ideas of life, death and time.

ARTS

I and You conveys Whitman’s deep themes

By Allison Garfield | Nov. 6, 2017

The Forward Theater Company kicked off its ninth annual season with Lauren Gunderson’s “I and You” at the Overture Center’s Playhouse Theater. The play opened on Thursday, Nov. 2 and will run until Nov. 19 and, trust me, this is a show you do not want to miss.