The green room. Every venue in show business has one. It's a place for performers to relax before, during and after a show and the energy varies, depending on which artist walks through the door: Excited, nervous, calm. We welcome you to join us and take a look at what goes on behind the scenes look at the theater. Welcome to the green room!
Summer time at the Wisconsin Union means, along with our sensational summer schedule, we are preparing for fall and spring seasons full of exciting events, unforgettable performances and welcoming the new group of student leaders that will make it all happen for the community and visitors. Some of these students, who make up the 2025-2026 Wisconsin Union Directorate (WUD) Performing Arts Committee (PAC), have officially been announced! These are the students who work closely with the Wisconsin Union Theater (WUT) to plan each memorable season.
With a Build-Your-Own Subscription, you can craft a 2025-2026 Wisconsin Union Theater (WUT) season of performing arts that is uniquely yours! From our jazz and classical performances to hip-hop, theater, dance and beyond, experience the full breadth of this season.
This season, the Wisconsin Union Theater (WUT) welcomes a towering figure of classical music back to the Shannon Hall stage. On Oct. 23, Grammy-nominated pianist Richard Goode returns to Madison to perform selections from one of the greatest bodies of work in classical history: Beethoven’s piano sonatas.
Live music has always brought people together. But in times of stress, uncertainty, or even the quiet fatigue of daily life, it offers something more: the possibility of connection, reflection, and, sometimes, healing.
Each season, the Wisconsin Union Theater (WUT) invites you into spaces where music becomes more than performance; it becomes a shared experience.
Are you as surprised as I am that the pandemic is not the only worldwide upheaval we’ve experienced in five years? Never before 2020 had I so frequently said the words “unprecedented, unimaginable, and uncertain.” If we generated a word cloud for the first half of 2025, I am confident those exact words would be big and bold.
In the spirit of Broadway legend and University of Wisconsin–Madison alumnus André De Shields, we at the Wisconsin Union Theater (WUT) are empowering a new generation of artists to create transformative work that brings their stories and perspectives to life through our André De Shields Fund grants. We proudly share with you the first award recipients of the André De Shields Fund.
By Charlie Pingel
There’s nothing like summer in Madison, and there’s no better summer soundtrack than jazz on the Terrace!
An extraordinary Wisconsin Union Theater (WUT) season ended with fanfare as the WUT team announced the 2025–26 Jazz Series and Classical Series.
Building on WUT’s rich legacy of curating world-class performing arts experiences, these series bring together globally acclaimed artists and bold, rising stars for transformative live jazz and chamber music performances. Uniquely, the WUT season is programmed with input from both seasoned arts professionals and students, ensuring that the future of the arts as well as time-honored traditions take center stage in Madison.
After a thrilling debut that reimagined the Play Circle as a hip-hop hotspot, the excitement is far from over. We’re looking back on the three inaugural Black Box Sessions concerts from the 2024-25 season and even sharing a sneak peek at what’s coming up next season!
The Branford Marsalis Quartet, formed in 1986, has been a cornerstone of the jazz world for nearly four decades. Known for uncompromising interpretations of both original compositions and jazz classics, the quartet has garnered critical acclaim and numerous accolades, including six Grammy nominations and one Grammy win. Its dynamic performances and innovative approach have solidified its reputation as one of the premier jazz ensembles of our time.
