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!
By Amanda Stezenski
Jazz musician Art Blakey said, “Jazz washes away the dust of everyday life.”
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By Amanda Stezenski
According to the League of American Orchestras, only about 14 percent of orchestral sound comes from people of color, and that decreases dramatically for Black and Latinx performers. Sphinx Virtuosi has vowed to change that number.
By Abby Synnes
The Wisconsin Union Theater’s Concert Series will make its long-awaited return to in-person performances this fall with concerts by six renowned musical acts. The 2021-22 season will mark the 102nd year of the Concert Series, setting it apart as one of the longest-standing music series of its kind in the United States. Most performances will take place in Shannon Hall, located within Memorial Union, while two will take place in the Hamel Music Center through a partnership with the Mead Witter School of Music.
It is truly a dream come true that we are approaching the moment that we will open the doors to our Theater at Memorial Union and welcome you to an in-person 2021-22 season.
After a season of empty seats due to COVID-19, this year will be extra special when we enjoy live performances as a community again.
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The sounds of Wisconsin-based musicians have echoed across many homes as patrons joined us for the first events of our pilot virtual music series Wisconsin Sound, which exclusively features Wisconsin artists.
Our celebration and support of Wisconsin artists continues with performances by Mr. Chair on April 11 and the Pro Arte Quartet on May 2.
By Abby Synnes, Communications Associate
We continue our Wisconsin Union Theater team spotlight with Epiphany Holmstock, who has been essential to the workings of the Union Theater since she joined the crew as a stagehand in August 2017. Two and a half years later, she transitioned from working behind the scenes of performances to assisting in behind-the-scenes operations of the Theater from the administrative side. She now serves as Wisconsin Union Theater administrative assistant, a role she has held since March 2020.
Okaidja Afroso’s music may be some of the most beautiful songs in the world. Okaidja is a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumental, whose talent we can experience first-hand during his Wisconsin Union Theater virtual performance on Feb. 11 at 7:30 p.m. CDT.
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Heather Macheel, our second feature on our theater team story series, joined the Wisconsin Union team in 2005 as a student stagehand. She enjoyed it so much that she decided to stick around and stayed with the team as a temporary employee after graduating. Then, after a year, she undertook a second temporary position, one that offered more hours to pursue what she loved. Heather transitioned into the role she plays today—a full-time position, created for her merits—in 2015.