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!
The Wisconsin Union Theater is excited to pilot “Wisconsin Sound,” a new video concert series featuring musicians from our very own state. The series will have five concerts, once a month between January and May and begins with celebrated, locally grown Willy Street Chamber Players (WSCP) on Jan. 24 at noon CDT.
In a new article series, our writing team will introduce you to Wisconsin Union Theater team members. We begin the series with a relatively new member of the Theater team: Kendra Ramthun. Since Aug. 3, 2020, Kendra has served as the general manager of the Theater. No two days are alike for this talented professional. Kendra manages the theater’s budgeting and financials; manages day-to-day Theater operations, including performance spaces rentals; and supervises the production team.
As a supporter of the arts, you understand the role the Wisconsin Union Theater plays in the community we serve. In the face of uncertainty and in the midst of a crisis, arts can ground a community, show us where we have been, and remind us where we are committed to going. This fall, when we lifted the curtain on our virtual season, we were building the plane as we flew--working to deliver world-class performances in a virtual space that was just not built for live theater.
The lineup for the 2020 Madison World Music Festival was finalized in February, the earliest date ever in the festival’s 17 years. I thought I could relax.
Then came the pandemic. It didn’t take long for us to decide that we will offer a festival, digitally. Little did we know what that meant. Now, about one week before the festival, we’re still learning how to do it. Fortunately, we have an excellent staff with a can-do attitude and a director who is willing to provide the necessary resources.
The Wisconsin Union Theater’s role is to present the highest quality performing arts to our University faculty, staff, and students and to our Madison community. Our mission is to bring people together to experience the transformational power of live performing arts, creating togetherness in space and in spirit. We are guided by the mantra, “The show must go on.”
One of the greatest parts of the Wisconsin Union is the way students make it their home. It is the place to meet people, eat some cheese curds, watch the sunset and do homework. The Union is versatile, which is part of the reason it is so special for students, alumni and Madisonians alike.
[image class="right" title="" src="/assets/Uploads/BlogImages/d094ef2f66/th-MLPF-600.jpg" alt="Students acting in a play" width="600" height="400" id="12303"]Rehearsal of "Watching Over the Mother"
The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain knows how to have a good time. Since their creation in 1985, the group has been strumming, singing and laughing their way to international success. During their performances, no genre of music is off limits as they remix well-known songs on their "bonsai guitars" and show audiences that music does not have to take itself so seriously.
George Hinchliffe’s Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain
perform "Heroes" by David Bowie
As a newcomer to the Madison area, the Wisconsin Union was a delightful surprise to me. The opportunities to engage, indulge, create, and enjoy everything about this place was beyond impressive: it was amazing. I couldn't believe that I could wander art galleries and rent snowshoes in the same place that I could take in a great show or create my own piece of art. A year later, I found myself working in this fabulous place and I'm still amazed.
This season at the Wisconsin Union Theater, we are celebrating the rich history of classical music performers in our 100th Anniversary Concert Series. Many performers have visited our theater multiple times and have had careers that span decades. However, in February we welcome an ensemble that is just getting started.
I’m building a dance to curb emissions. If that seems unlikely, well then at least to curb passivity, or worse yet, conspiratorial thinking about our climate crisis. In a few weeks at the Wisconsin Union Theater, The Seldoms will premiere Floe, a new multimedia performance piece about climate change. The ensemble, our collaborators, and I have spent two years conceptualizing, researching, and building this project. Two years, to what end?
