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Step Afrika!'s The Migration: Reflections of Jacob Lawrence
Wednesday, February 4 at 7pm
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Leonela Alejandro
Presented by Madison Classical Guitar Society | Tuesday, April 28 at 7:30pm
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Honoring Jerry Frautschi
The leadership team and employees of Overture Center for the Arts mourn the passing of Jerry Frautschi, the visionary philanthropist whose generosity transformed Madison’s cultural landscape and redefined what philanthropy can achieve.
Overture. Forever.
Help secure Overture Center's future! We are raising $30 million to preserve and maintain our beloved building from the foundation to the roof. Join us in protecting this cultural treasure and ensuring a vibrant future for the arts in Madison.
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Resident Companies
Overture Center for the Arts includes nine award-winning resident arts organizations. Although they call Overture home, they offer independent, innovative and diverse experiences suitable for a wide range of audiences.
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Coming Up
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February 4
Wednesday
2025/26 Season, Dance, Overture Presents Step Afrika!'s The Migration: Reflections on Jacob Lawrence
Overture Hall
Watch as the energy of percussive dance, African traditions and contemporary movement collide. With powerful rhythms, storytelling and audience participation, this celebration of African culture and artistry will leave your heart pounding.
7:00 PM -
February 4 - February 15
Forward Theater, Theater Ironbound
Playhouse
An immigrant fighting for a better life learns what’s fleeting and what lasts in this clear-eyed and darkly funny portrait spanning 22 years. “Ironbound” is a meditation on hope, love and staying human.
Multiple Showtimes -
February 7
Saturday
Family Friendly, Free Events, Kids in the Rotunda, Music Drum Power
Rotunda Stage
The Drum Power advanced performing group features local youth ages 12-16, showcasing drumming and dance from Guinea, Senegal and Mali in West Africa and Salvador Bahia and Rio, Brazil.
Multiple Showtimes -
February 7 - February 22
Children's Theater of Madison, Family Friendly, Theater The Hobbit
MYArts Starlight Theater
When homebody Bilbo Baggins is whisked away by a band of dwarves and a very mysterious wizard, he finds himself facing trolls, goblins and a fire-breathing dragon—with only his courage and a bit of luck to guide him!
Multiple Showtimes -
February 7
Saturday
2025/26 Season, Cover Bands, Folk Music, Music, Overture Presents The Simon & Garfunkel Story
Overture Hall
The Simon & Garfunkel Story is back! Using huge projection photos and original film footage, this show also features a full live band performing all the duo’s hits, including “Mrs. Robinson,” “Cecilia,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “Homeward Bound” and many more.
7:30 PM -
February 10 - February 15
2025/26 Season, Broadway, Six-Show Package Kimberly Akimbo
Overture Hall
Kimberly is about to turn 16 and recently moved with her family to a new town in suburban New Jersey. In this “howlingly funny heartbreaker of a show” (The New Yorker), Kim is forced to navigate family dysfunction, a rare genetic condition, her first crush... and possible felony charges.
Multiple Showtimes -
February 13 - February 15
Dance, Family Friendly, Madison Ballet Pointes of View
Promenade Hall
From tutus to combat boots, each work in "Pointes of View" offers a bold reinterpretation of classical technique, pushing boundaries while honoring ballet’s rich traditions.
Multiple Showtimes -
February 13 - February 15
Classical Music, Madison Opera, Music, Theater Everlasting Faint
Capitol Theater
Based on the true story of the 1897 “Greenbrier Ghost,” “Everlasting Faint” is a ghost story, a maternal love story, a true crime drama and an all-American opera. Don’t miss this world premiere by Madison composer Scott Gendel and librettist Sandra Flores-Strand.
Multiple Showtimes -
February 14
Saturday
Family Friendly, Free Events, Jazz, Kids in the Rotunda, Music NOLA Tribute
Rotunda Stage
Get ready for a musical journey with the New Orleans Tribute! This talented group, featuring members from Mama Digdown's Brass Band and Madison's top jazz musicians, brings the vibrant sounds of New Orleans Jazz and Secondline music to you—no plane ticket needed.
Multiple Showtimes -
February 20 - February 22
Classical Music, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Music Rachel Barton Pine Returns!
Overture Hall
“Overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is a decidedly playful overture by a very youthful Felix Mendelssohn. This sparkling work captures the magic of the fairy kingdom, the humor of the lovers’ entanglements and the grandeur of Theseus’ court.
Multiple Showtimes -
February 21
Saturday
Family Friendly, Free Events, Kids in the Rotunda, Music L.E.X
Rotunda Stage
L.E.X delivers original kid-friendly hip-hop music with positive themes like regulating emotions, being kind, chasing dreams and navigating childhood experiences.
Multiple Showtimes -
February 21
Saturday
Duck Soup Cinema, Film, Variety Peter Pan
Capitol Theater
Join us for Duck Soup Cinema's "Peter Pan." A spirited boy whisks the Darling children to a magical island for high-flying adventures and daring battles with pirates in this beautifully restored silent-film fantasy.
Multiple Showtimes -
February 24
Tuesday
Classical Music, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Music Felix Hell, Organist
Overture Hall
Organist Felix Hell, who first performed in Madison in 2012, returns with a brilliant and unique program that he calls “Cathedral of Sound: The Organ as Orchestra.”
7:30 PM -
February 25
Wednesday
Classic Rock, Music Joe Bonamassa
Overture Hall
Hailed internationally as one of the greatest guitar players of his generation and cited by Guitar World Magazine as “the world's biggest blues guitarist,” Joe Bonamassa has almost single-handedly redefined the blues-rock genre and brought it into the mainstream.
8:00 PM -
February 26
Thursday
2025/26 Season, Dance, Overture Presents Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo
Overture Hall
From tutus to toe shoes, the all-male troupe transforms classical ballet into an outrageous, yet deeply skilled, spectacle. With impeccable technique, over-the-top personas and a touch of slapstick, the Trocks deliver a performance as breathtaking as it is hilarious.
7:30 PM -
February 27
Friday
Classical Music, Kanopy Dance, Music, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra Masterworks III - Regeneration with Kanopy Dance Company
Capitol Theater
Universal rhythms explored through music and movement—weaving together themes of transformation and the endless cycle of renewal.
7:30 PM -
February 28
Saturday
Family Friendly, Free Events, Fringe Festival, Kids in the Rotunda, Variety Mark Hayward
Rotunda Stage
Mark Hayward's performance is a delightful mix of comedy and object manipulation. Using props like yo-yos, tops, juggling equipment and even a mousetrap, he creates a fun and witty show that everyone can enjoy.
Multiple Showtimes -
February 28
Saturday
Free Events, Fringe Festival Fringe Festival: Day 1
Overture Center
All day Saturday, the Fringe spills beyond the stage as Overture transforms into a creative playground. Between performances, enjoy free pop-up acts, immersive experiences, a local art market and food carts serving festival fare to fuel your Fringe hopping—free for all!
11:00 AM -
February 28 - March 2
2025/26 Season, Fringe Festival, Overture Presents, Variety, Visual Arts "Earthlings: Revisited" By Jeanne C. Wilkinson
Rotunda Studio
Free exhibition in Rotunda Studio! Step into artist Jeanne Wilkinson’s “Cloud Tunnel” and immerse yourself in a mesmerizing interplay of shifting images and color.
Multiple Showtimes -
February 28
Saturday
2025/26 Season, Comedy, Fringe Festival, Improv Comedy, Overture Presents Chris Grace: Sardines (a comedy about death)
The Playhouse
After performing his smash-hit show “Chris Grace: As Scarlett Johansson” last year to an adoring and 100% satisfied audience, Chris Grace is back for Overture Center's second annual Fringe Festival! This time, the actor and comedian is moving from solving racism to solving... death?
2:00 PM -
February 28
Saturday
2025/26 Season, Fringe Festival, Overture Presents, Theater, Variety Dinosaur World Live
Overture Hall
Dare to enter a prehistoric realm where lifelike dinosaurs roar before your eyes. From the mighty T. Rex to the towering Giraffatitan, meet incredible creatures up close in an interactive family show. Don’t miss this thrilling Jurassic adventure live on stage!
3:00 PM -
February 28 - March 1
2025/26 Season, Comedy, Fringe Festival, Improv Comedy, Overture Presents Baby Wants Candy
The Playhouse
They’re back! Prepare for an unforgettable night of spontaneous hilarity as Baby Wants Candy brings you a fully improvised musical—made up on the spot from a single audience suggestion.
Multiple Showtimes -
February 28
Saturday
2025/26 Season, Comedy, Fringe Festival, Overture Presents, Theater, Variety Caitlin Cook - The Writing on the Stall
Promenade Hall
Caitlin Cook's hit bathroom graffiti musical transforms stall scribbles into the lyrics of her original songs and trail markers along her journey in this confessional, immersive and uproarious one-of-a-kind show.
Multiple Showtimes -
February 28
Saturday
2025/26 Season, Comedy, Fringe Festival, Overture Presents, Theater, Variety The Naked Magicians
Capitol Theater
Brace yourself for a magic show like no other! Direct from Las Vegas and London’s West End, Australia’s “The Naked Magicians” deliver world-class illusions and nonstop laughs—while wearing nothing but a top hat and a smile. 18+ only.
7:00 PM -
February 28 - March 1
2025/26 Season, Comedy, Fringe Festival, Improv Comedy, Overture Presents Shamilton
The Playhouse
Join members of famed musical improv group Baby Wants Candy as they create an epic musical on the spot based on a historical celebrity of your choosing—from Genghis Khan to Kim Kardashian.
Multiple Showtimes -
March 1
Sunday
Free Events, Fringe Festival, Variety Fringe Festival: Day 2
Promenade Hall
Sunday only, enjoy additional free local talent acts The Hitterz Collective and Arclight before ticketed performances of “Baby Wants Candy” and “Shamilton.”
2:00 PM -
March 3
Tuesday
2025/26 Season, Educational/Talks, National Geographic Live, Overture Presents The Untold Story of Sharks with Marine Biologist Jess Cramp
Capitol Theater
Dive into our planet’s waters and observe the fascinating lives of sharks with marine biologist Jess Cramp. Fifty years after “Jaws,” discover the real story of these ancient predators, the trailblazing women of shark science and Cramp’s mission to protect them.
7:30 PM