Forward Theater’s theme for its 2026-27 season is “Past is Prologue.” The phrase — “What’s past is prologue” — comes from (who else?) William Shakespeare, in Act 2 of The Tempest. In other words we need to grasp the past to understand what’s happening in the present. For its season, Forward has chosen plays set in the past to do just that. Other works on stage, screens, concert halls and gallery walls this fall seem to be geared to doing the same. Take “Pressing Issues,” a print exhibit at the Chazen of works primarily created thanks to the Works Progress Administration of the Great Depression. The images give perspective on economic insecurity, workers’ rights, immigration, and the rise of fascism…then and now. Fall dance embraces immigrant experience, as do several pieces in the classical music season; Cinematheque presents a new documentary on the Vietnam War’s first Black special operations unit. A participatory evening from UW Theatre even asks the audience to engage with each other about the ethics of technology. Says director Micha Espinosa, “It’s about practicing the difficult work of democracy, listening and weighing evidence — and I think that’s extremely important right now, when we have such stark political divides.” But if this all seems too much like live-action doomscrolling for you, take refuge in some more distracting options, from the amazing spectacle of Telugu-language Indian cinema to the orderly joys of Bach’s cantatas.

Links to our preview coverage are below. Or if you want to entertain yourself at a specific day and time, consult our calendar. It is truly the area’s most complete event calendar, searchable 24/7 at isthmus.com/calendar.

High notes

Superstar Joshua Bell opens the 2026-2027 classical music season and there’s plenty more to come

45! 50! 100!

Madison dance organizations celebrate their pasts —  and look to the future

Fall theater embraces sea shanties, strong women, lovestruck teens and more

You, ho and up she rises!

The Chazen’s ‘Pressing Issues’ showcases prints on social justice

The personal is political in these Depression-era prints

Unreeling fall pleasures at UW Cinematheque

Guest filmmakers, Tollywood epics, a Zeitgeist Films series and more

Chloe Benjamin’s Under Story is speculative, urgent

The author reads in Madison as part of the Wisconsin Book Festival