Madison Ballet’s spring program, “ChoreograpHER,” comes to the MYArts Starlight Theater April 3-5.
COURTESY OF MADISON BALLET
FRIDAY-SUNDAY, APRIL 3-5
Women’s work
Women are the “driving force behind ballet as performers and educators,” according to Madison Ballet artistic director Ja’Malik, but their contributions as choreographers are underrepresented onstage. The ballet’s spring program, “ChoreograpHER,” includes world premieres by Endalyn Taylor and Ilana Goldman, as well as Madison premieres by Caili Quan, Stephanie Martinez and Nathalia Arja. Shows at the MYArts Starlight Theater, 1055 E. Mifflin St., cost $60-$73 with discounts for students and seniors.
Tony, Grammy and Emmy-winning soprano, Audra McDonald, comes to the Overture Center April 4.
ALLISON MICHAEL ORENSTEIN
SATURDAY, APRIL 4
A voice that soars
Audra McDonald is a Tony, Grammy and Emmy-winning soprano, noted for her stage and screen roles — among them, she originated Sarah in “Ragtime,” tore up the stage as Mama Rose in “Gypsy” and played an operatic wardrobe in the 2017 live-action remake of “Beauty and the Beast.” McDonald comes to Madison with just a pianist for “An Evening with Audra McDonald” at Overture Center, 201 State St. Expect “pure musical magic.” Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. show start at $74.08.
The Verona Egg-Stravaganza Spring Festival, Elvehjem Egg Hunt and Fitchburg/Verona’s Best Easter Egg Hunt kick off April 4.
UNSPLASH
SATURDAY, APRIL 4
For all my peeps
Easter is on Sunday, and many neighborhoods throughout Dane County are hosting Easter egg hunts the day before. The Verona Egg-Stravaganza Spring Festival starts at 9 a.m., where sleuths must search Hometown USA Festival Park for 6-foot-tall eggs scattered throughout the park. On the same day, the Elvehjem Egg Hunt will host the Easter Bunny for a hunt starting at 9:30 a.m. Fitchburg/Verona’s Best Easter Egg Hunt kicks off at 5:30 p.m. and will have thousands of eggs to find — some with candy, some with cash.
Brooklyn folk-bluegrass trio Damn Tall Buildings stop at the Bur Oak April 7.
COURTESY OF DAMN TALL BUILDINGS
TUESDAY, APRIL 7
A damn fine trio
The Brooklyn folk-bluegrass trio Damn Tall Buildings cut their teeth busking. They released their fourth full-length album, “The Universe is Hungry,” in October, which explores “the quiet chaos of modern life.” The trio stops at the Bur Oak, 2262 Winnebago St. on Tuesday. The show starts at 8 p.m., and tickets cost $12 in advance and $15 at the door.
Hear author Nnedi Okorafor speak about her work at the Central Library April 7.
NEILSON BARNARD
TUESDAY, APRIL 7
Rusted robots
The New York Times Book Review called Nnedi Okorafor’s 2025 sci-fi novel “Death of the Author” “spellbinding” as it “traces a Nigerian American woman’s quest for freedom and self-invention despite the social and cultural conventions that try to contain her.” Hear Okorafor speak about her work and process on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Central Library, 201 W. Mifflin St., presented by Humanities without Boundaries and the Wisconsin Book Festival. Free.