As winter sets in around Madison, city performing arts organizations have lineups sure to entertain through the spring.
The touring Broadway musical “Back to the Future” and the final installment of the eight-film “Harry Potter” series with the Madison Symphony Orchestra should appeal to pop-culture enthusiasts. Meanwhile, companies at the Bartell Theatre present on oldies but goodies, with “12 Angry Jurors” and “A Valentine’s Affair,” the latter inspired by the works of William Shakespeare.
Also at Overture, the all-male ballet company Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo celebrate over five decades of comedy during a late February visit. Local companies Madison Ballet and Madison Opera present premiere performances — “Re:Focus – Pointes of View” includes three new ballet numbers, and “Everlasting Faint” was written by local composer Scott Gendel.
Some shows, like “Hamilton” and Children’s Theater of Madison’s production of “Tiara’s Hat Parade,” run for multiple weeks while performances by Japanese taiko drumming group DRUM TAO and South African troupe Step Afrika! are one night only.
This list is not comprehensive. There are many more performances taking place this winter at not only the venues listed here, but also at more intimate locations like University of Wisconsin-Madison’s University Theatre.
Be sure to double-check details as performance times and dates can shift.
The national tour of “Hamilton” stops in Madison at the Overture Center from Jan. 6-18.
JOAN MARCUS
‘Hamilton’
Ring in the new year with the sounds of liberty and Grammy Award-winning songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda, as “Hamilton” stops in Madison for the third time since 2019.
Using hip-hop, R&B and jazz to revolutionize (pun intended) the story of America founding father Alexander Hamilton, the Pulitzer Prize and 11-time Tony Award-winning musical “Hamilton” was originally directed by Thomas Kail, with choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler and musical supervision and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire. The Broadway production spotlights Hamilton’s ambition, drive and fight for a lasting national legacy.
Madison attendees can explore the real history behind the musical with original letters from Hamilton, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Aaron Burr and James Madison — as well as the infamous Reynolds Pamphlet — in the Wisconsin Historical Society’s exhibition on display in the Promenade Lobby during matinees select days (Jan. 6, Jan. 9, Jan 15 and Jan 17).
The exhibition is open to the public, and the show is recommended for ages 10 and up. Tickets in the balcony, mezzanine and (for most dates) the circle have sold out, leaving the highest priced tickets — $193.50-$254.25 — remaining.
Sign up for the Ham4Ham lottery, which opens at 10 a.m. each Friday, and you could win the opportunity to purchase $10 tickets (two max per person) for a show the following week. Madison has a lottery via LuckySeat on Dec. 30.
Tuesday, Jan. 6-Sunday, Jan. 18Overture Hall, Overture Center, 201 State St.$193.50-$254.25 tickets remain; $10 lotteryoverture.org
Oracular Studios presents “12 Angry Jurors,” an adaptation of Reginald Rose’s 1955 courtroom drama, at the Bartell Theatre.
COURTESY ORACULAR STUDIOS
Oracular Studios presents ‘12 Angry Jurors’
One thing is certain in Reginald Rose’s 1955 play: Someone is dead. Murdered, allegedly by his own son, with a switchblade through the heart. Did the father deserve it? Did the 19-year-old accused do it?
In this play, directed by Michael Kelley for Oracular Studios, a jury of twelve must determine the son’s guilt. If he’s found guilty, he will be sentenced to death. Based on the Academy Award-nominated courtroom drama “Twelve Angry Men,” this show will be performed on the Evjue Stage and suggested for those age 13 and up for its adult language and themes.
Thursday, Jan. 22-Sunday, Feb. 1Bartell Theatre, 113 E Mifflin St.$25bartelltheatre.org
Boris Giltburg joins the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on tour in the Hamel Music Center.
SASHA GUSOV
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with Boris Giltburg
This nearly 80-year-old international British symphony orchestra is visiting Madison this winter to warm up Wisconsinites, led by music director Vasily Petrenko.
The program includes Dmitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 10, Hector Berlioz’s “Béatrice et Bénédict” overture, and Ludwig van Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 1, performed by Russian-born pianist Boris Giltburg.
The program will be presented by the Wisconsin Union Theater and Wisconsin Union Directorate Performing Arts Committee. This one is currently sold out — check with the box office, as tickets often come available closer to the performance.
Wednesday, Jan. 28, 7:30 p.m.Mead Witter Foundation Concert Hall, Hamel Music Center, 740 University Ave.$84-$119, less for students and union members (currently sold out)union.wisc.edu
The Madison Symphony Orchestra will play the live score to the final “Harry Potter” movie.
COURTESY OF OVERTURE CENTER
‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows™ Part 2 in Concert’
Composing wizard Alexandre Desplat’s magical scores return to Overture Center for the epic finale to the “Harry Potter Film Concert Series.” These films, based on the books by J. K. Rowling, follow a young wizard’s quest to defeat a murderous dark lord, a journey that leads to an all-out war in Britain’s wizarding world. Nothing raises the stakes of a film fight like a live orchestral crescendo.
The Madison Symphony Orchestra’s concert will feature the film played on a big screen while the orchestra performs live. Recommended for those 13 or older.
Saturday, Jan. 31, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.Overture Hall, Overture Center, 201 State St.$59.81-$102.01overture.org
Step Afrika! performs in Overture Center on Feb. 4.
JATI LINDSAY
Step Afrika! presents ‘The Migration: Reflections on Jacob Lawrence’
In 1941, African American painter Jacob Lawrence created “The Migration Series,” a group of paintings depicting the migration of African Americans to the northern United States from the South.
These works inspired Step Afrika!’s Home Performance Series, which features the images, color palette and motifs from the paintings shown alongside a wide range of African American step-style performances.
Step Afrika! is a nonprofit dance company, founded by C. Brian Williams in 1994 in South Africa through a collaboration between dancers from the United States and Johannesburg. “The Migration,” created in 2011, combines percussive dance, traditional and contemporary movements, powerful rhythms and audience participation to create a cacophony of dance and storytelling.
Wednesday, Feb. 4, 7 p.m.Overture Hall, Overture Center, 201 State St.$36.73-$68.36overture.org
“The Simon and Garfunkel Story” is a tribute to an iconic act.
COURTESY OF OVERTURE CENTER
‘The Simon & Garfunkel Story’
Simon and Garfunkel won seven Grammys for their work together, with iconic tunes like “The Sound of Silence,” “Mrs. Robinson,” “Bridge over Troubled Water,” “America” and “The Boxer.”
With direction and musical supervision from Dean Elliott, “The Simon & Garfunkel Story” covers Paul and Art’s musical journey from their “Hey Schoolgirl” beginnings in the 1950s to the height of their success in the ’60s and their infamous split in 1970. Large projection photos and original film footage are paired with a full live band performing all the hits including “Cecilia,” “Homeward Bound” and many more.
VIP packages are available and include a private 20-minute acoustic performance with the lead performers and exclusive songs not performed in the main show.
Saturday, Feb. 7, 7:30 p.m. Overture Hall, Overture Center, 201 State St.$31.49-$68.36 (VIP packages $100)overture.org
Children’s Theater of Madison presents “The Hobbit” at the MYArts Starlight Theater.
COURTESY OF CHILDRENS THEATER OF MADISON
Children’s Theater of Madison presents ‘The Hobbit’
Dwarves, wizards and cursed rings, oh my! Children’s Theater of Madison will transform the stage at MYArts into Middle Earth for a couple weeks in February to tell the story of homebody hobbit Bilbo Baggins, whisked away on a grand adventure by a band of dwarves and a very cheeky, mysterious wizard.
Based on the famous fantasy novel by J.R.R. Tolkien and adapted for the stage by Greg Banks, “The Hobbit,” produced in a special arrangement with Plays for New Audiences, finds Bilbo facing trolls, goblins and a fire-breathing dragon in hopes of helping his new dwarf friends reclaim their mountain home. Music by Tom Johnson emphasises the humor, heart and growing courage of the story’s tiny but mighty hairy-footed hero.
Saturday, Feb. 7-Sunday, Feb. 22Starlight Theater, Madison Youth Arts (MYArts), 1055 E Mifflin St.$48.20 ctmtheater.orgRecommended for ages 7 and up.
Madison Shakespeare Co.’s “A Valentine’s Affair,” shown here with Ben Seidensticker and Maddie O’Keefe, celebrates the holiday with excerpts of plays and sonnets from Shakespeare and his contemporaries.
COURTESY OF MADISON SHAKESPEARE COMPANY
Madison Shakespeare Company presents ‘A Valentine’s Affair’
For the eighth year in a row, Madison’s one-of-a-kind Valentine’s Day tradition continues with “A Valentine’s Affair,” a collection of classic love stories written by William Shakespeare and his peers.
Directed by Joseph Green, this year’s production includes scenes from “Romeo and Juliet,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and “Much Ado About Nothing,” as well as Edmond Rostand’s “Cyrano de Bergerac,” William Congreve’s “The Way of the World” and more.
The show presented by the Madison Shakespeare Company will also feature two Shakespeare sonnets, randomly determined each night. Let passion, pursuit, misunderstanding, marriage, and mayhem spice up a winter evening.
Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 12-14Bartell Theatre, 113 E. Mifflin St.$25bartelltheatre.org
Mezzo soprano Joyce DiDonato joins Time For Three at the Wisconsin Union Theater.
CHRIS GONZ
Joyce DiDonato and Time for Three, ‘Emily – No Prisoner Be’
Grammy Award-winning opera singer Joyce DiDonato teams up with the Grammy- and Emmy-winning ensemble Time For Three (TF3) to create a musical work exploring the inner world of American poet Emily Dickinson, famous for poems like “I’m Nobody! Who are you?”, “Hope is the thing with feathers,” “I felt a Funeral, in my Brain,” and others.
Combining mezzo-soprano vocals with video projections and 24 selections of Dickinson’s poetry, the theatrical concert “Emily – No Prisoner Be” is a celebration of the poet’s creativity and complex emotions. “Emily – No Prisoner Be” premiered in summer 2025 and was composed by Kevin Puts.
Thursday, Feb. 12, 7:30 p.m.Wisconsin Union Theater, Shannon Hall, 800 Langdon St.$10-$89union.wisc.edu
Local composer Scott Gendel worked with librettist Sandra Flores-Strand on “Everlasting Faint,” a world premiere at Madison Opera.
COURTESY OF MADISON OPERA
Madison Opera presents ‘Everlasting Faint’
Elva Heaster Shue has died of natural causes, or an “everlasting faint,” according to the town doctor. Then Elva’s ghost tells her mother a different story — one of murder most foul.
Based on the true story of the 1897 Greenbrier Ghost in West Virginia, this world premiere of Madison Opera’s “Everlasting Faint” was composed by Madison’s own Scott Gendel with a story by Sandra Flores-Strand. To this day, historians cite this as the one example where a ghost’s testimony helped to solve her own murder.
Friday, Feb. 13, 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 15, 2:30 p.m.Capitol Theater, Overture Center, 201 State St.$34.43-$178.98madisonopera.org
Madison Ballet’s “Re:Focus — Pointes of View” features three premieres.
COURTESY OF MADISON BALLET
Madison Ballet presents ‘Re:Focus — Pointes of View’
Madison Ballet’s dance anthology “Pointes of View” features three Madison premieres: Heinz Poll’s “Schubert Waltzes,” Tom Mattingly’s “Flight” and Ja’ Malik’s “Variations on a Grosso.” The show also includes Richard Walters’ humorous “Weibermacht” performed by an all-female ensemble with music by Mozart.
Exploring dance tradition, gender roles and power dynamics with tutus and combat boots, Madison Ballet dancers exercise their hamstrings and funny bones in their reinterpretations of classic numbers. The company has a diverse team of choreographers, including Endalyn Taylor, Ilana Goldman, Caili Quan, Stephanie Martinez, Nathalia Janvion and Ja’ Malik, the current artistic and interim executive director.
On opening night, join a post-performance discussion with Madison Ballet choreographers and collaborators who help bring these visions to life.
Friday-Sunday, Feb. 13-15Promenade Hall, Overture Center, 201 State St.$56.48-$62.75madisonballet.org
Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo visit Overture Center in late February.
Vito Lorusso
Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo
He is beauty and he is grace! Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, the all-male drag ballet troupe, parodies the conventions of romantic and classical ballet. For one night in Madison, the troupe presents an evening of jokes and jetés, parodies and pliés, led by artistic director Tory Dobrin.
Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo was co-founded by Peter Anastos, Natch Taylor and Anthony Bassae in 1974. For over 50 years, the ballet company has skewed gender norms and traditional ballet expectations with their comedic adaptations of “Pas de Quatre,” “Swan Lake” and other famous ballets. Watch out for flying tutus, toe shoes to the face and other outrageous slapstick maneuvers.
Thursday, Feb. 26, 7:30 p.m.Overture Hall, Overture Center, 201 State St.$31.49-$68.36overture.org
Children’s Theater of Madison presents ‘Tiara’s Hat Parade’
Hats off to Children’s Theater of Madison, which in March presents the world premiere of “Tiara’s Hat Parade.” This one-woman show was based on Kelly Starling Lyons’ award-winning 2020 children’s book. Tiara’s mom has a gift for making hats, and Tiara has a gift for storytelling. When a new store opens that sells cheaper hats, Momma finds herself discouraged — but Tiara hatches an idea for rekindling her mom’s dreams.
The story, adapted for the stage and directed by Paige Hernandez, focuses on kindness, creativity and resilience, with a bit of entrepreneurship and resourcefulness too.
Saturday, March 7-Sunday, March 22 Starlight Theater, Madison Youth Arts (MYArts), 1055 E Mifflin St.$48.20ctmtheater.orgRecommended for ages 5 and up.
Drum Tao, a Japanese taiko drumming ensemble, presents “The Best” in Madison on March 10.
COURTESY OF OVERTURE CENTER
Drum Tao presents ‘The Best’
Madison really does have it all: ballet, African step, opera and now, Japanese taiko drumming.
Drum Tao is a Japanese drum and dance ensemble that has sold out shows all around the world. Focused on the ancient Japanese art of taiko drumming, historically used for religious ceremonies and battle, performances in “The Best” mirror the movements of martial arts and showcases the athleticism of drumming, accented with vibrant costumes, fire and theatrics.
While the taiko drums are the main instrument in the show, flutes and harps also join the ensemble meant to celebrate not only the Japanese arts, but Japan itself.
Tuesday, March 10, 7 p.m.Capitol Theater, Overture Center, 201 State St.$36.73-$68.36overture.org
From left, David Josefsberg and Lucas Hallauer perform in the national tour of “Back to the Future: The Musical.”
EVAN ZIMMERMAN FOR MURPHYMADE
‘Back to the Future: The Musical’
Doc Brown and Marty McFly will park their DeLorean in Madison this March, as the national tour of “Back to the Future: The Musical” flies into Wisconsin.
Zip up that windbreaker and activate the flux capacitor for a trip back to 1955. Using a time machine built by the eccentric scientist Doc Brown, young Marty accidentally changes the course of history and finds himself in a race to fix the present, escape the past and send himself “back to the future.” The show is a wild ride of flashing lights, strobe effects, smoke, haze and pyrotechnics.
Adapted for the stage by the iconic film’s creators Bob Gale and Robert Zemeckis, Tony Award-winner John Rando directs. While the award-winning musical does feature original music by multi-Grammy winners Alan Silvestri and Glen Ballard, the production wouldn’t be complete without the movie’s hit songs “The Power of Love,” “Johnny B. Goode,” “Earth Angel,” and “Back in Time.”
Tuesday, March 10-Sunday, March 15Overture Hall, Overture Center, 201 State St.$38.40-$170.45 overture.org
George S. Kaufman’s “The Butter and Egg Man” is a play about trying to make a play.
COURTESY OF MADISON THEATRE GUILD
Madison Theatre Guild presents ‘The Butter and Egg Man’
A 1925 play by George S. Kaufman, “The Butter and Egg Man” is a play about trying to make a play. Who doesn’t love a good play-ception?
Presented by Madison Theatre Guild, “The Butter and Egg Man” is a romantic comedy about an Ohio man named Peter Jones who arrives on Broadway hoping to invest in a play and make enough money to buy a hotel back home. Through being conned and swindled, Peter still manages to win the heart of a girl and land a hit show.
A precursor to Mel Brook’s “The Producers,” “The Butter and Egg Man” is directed by Emma Sorenson and performed on the Bartell’s Drury Stage.
Friday, March 20-Saturday, April 4Bartell Theatre, 113 E Mifflin St.$25bartelltheatre.org
The Madison Symphony Orchestra will play the score of an “Indiana Jones” movie, conducted by Kyle Knox.
COURTESY OF MADISON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
‘Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark Live in Concert’
Don’t worry, there are no snakes in this orchestra pit. In late March, Madison Symphony Orchestra’s “MSO at the Movies” series presents another classic on the Overture Hall stage. “Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark Live in Concert” features John Williams’ Grammy Award-winning score performed live to Steven Spielberg’s five-time Academy Award-winning film.
The 1981 box office hit stars the acclaimed Harrison Ford as brooding college professor and heartthrob archeologist Indiana Jones. Jones hunts for the Lost Ark of the Covenant while throat-punching Nazis and winning over the hearts of his female costars. The concert is led by conductor Kyle Knox, the MSO associate conductor.
Saturday-Sunday, March 28-29Overture Hall, Overture Center, 201 State St.$34-$114 madisonsymphony.org