THURSDAY

• A Road at Night, Thursday, Feb. 12, Point Cinema, 5:30 p.m.: A Road at Night is a documentary about former Wisconsin Badgers basketball player and coach Howard Moore and his family. Before the film screened at the 2025 Wisconsin Film Festival, director John Roach told Isthmus editor Judith Davidoff that it’s a film not about basketball, but a cautionary story about drunk driving; Moore’s wife, Jennifer, and daughter, Jaidyn, were killed, and Moore and his son, Jerrell, seriously injured in crash caused by a drunk driver. The film’s first run in a theater begins with a benefit event on Feb. 12, featuring a panel discussion and reception along with a screening; all proceeds from screenings (continuing through Feb. 18) will support Howard Moore’s ongoing medical care.
• Social Cinema, Thursdays, Feb. 12-March 19, UW Union South-Marquee, 6:30 p.m.: Each winter, the Havens Wright Center for Social Justice (with other campus partners) coordinates the Social Cinema film series. This year features documentaries on timely topics: book bans (The Librarians, Feb. 19); the housing crisis (Fault Lines, March 5); families facing state bans on transgender care for their children (Just Kids, March 12); and the right’s attempt to create a narrative of white victimization (White With Fear, March 19). The series kicks off farther afield on Feb. 12 with Mr. Nobody Against Putin, the story of a Russian school worker who quietly documented the rise of militarization in schools following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Find more info and the full schedule at havenswrightcenter.wisc.edu.

• Sabina Ott: all this and not ordinary, through Feb. 15, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art: Sabina Ott passed away too early at age 62 in 2018. “all this and not ordinary” includes 33 late works from a career that encompassed painting, sculpture and other assemblages using such materials as polystyrene and spray foam. The result is often a “space of transformation” that incorporates “play and wonder,” as the MMoCA explains in its gallery notes. And we can all use some more of that. The exhibit was co-curated by Jefferson Godard and museum director Paul Baker Prindle.
• A Love Letter, through Feb. 15, Art House 360, Verona: Theatre LILA collaborates with the contemporary and hip-hop-inflected Madison dance company Barrio Dance for an experimental dance-theater production. It’s about love — but, like love itself, it takes unexpected turns and leads the audience into new places. Theatre LILA’s Jessica Lanius calls A Love Letter “immersive” and says that the new venue ART House 360, 401 W. Main Street in Verona, enhances that connection. Shows are at 7 p.m. Thursday-Friday, 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday; tickets at theatrelila.com.
• Ironbound, through Feb. 15, Overture Center-Playhouse: Forward Theater Company presents the Wisconsin premiere of a play centered on a timely topic: the experience of an immigrant in America. Ironbound, by Martyna Majok, tells the story of a couple decades in the life of a woman from Eastern Europe who lands on the East Coast in the late 20th and early 21st century looking for a better life, and love, in a new country. How will her life plans change over the years while fighting for a secure existence? Read Rebecca Jamieson's review here. Performances at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday, plus 2 p.m. on Feb. 7 and 14. Tickets at overture.org.

• C’est La Vie, through Feb. 21, Bartell Theatre: Though this production is new, the concept is familiar: a lifetime includes a lot of scenes you don’t realize mattered until later. C’est La Vie, presented by Madison Public Theatre, features a collection of short works, written by Gretchen Suárez-Peña, that examine “the little things that make us all human,” as described by the playwright. Performances at 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday (except 1:30 p.m. on Feb. 21) and 1:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets at bartelltheatre.org.
• Kimberly Akimbo, through Feb. 15, Overture Hall: Some musicals dare you to feel something. Kimberly Akimbo ambushes you — then hands you a punchline so you don’t get too comfortable. The musical adaptation of David Lindsay Abaire’s play about a teenager suffering from a disease causing advanced aging swept the 2023 Tonys with five wins, including Best Musical, and you can hear why: it’s brisk, sharp, and oddly life-affirming, with humor that doesn’t sand down the sharp edges. Performances at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 10-13, 2 and 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 14, and 1 and 6:30 p.m. Feb. 15; tickets at overture.org.

• Joyce DiDonato + Time for Three, Thursday, Feb. 12, UW Memorial Union-Shannon Hall, 7:30 p.m.: Emily Dickinson was no church mouse — her poetry frequently encompasses big feelings, as does Emily: No Prisoner Be. The setup alone is a jolt: superstar mezzo Joyce DiDonato joins the genre-hopping trio Time for Three for a made-to-measure piece by composer Kevin Puts (who wrote the music for the 2022 opera The Hours). Video projections and Dickinson’s poems drive the whole thing like a theatrical pulse. Think less “song cycle” and more interior drama — 24 poems, big emotion, and an evening that treats Dickinson as the complicated artist she was. Tickets at artsticketing.wisc.edu.
• A Valentine’s Affair, Feb. 12-14, Bartell Theatre: Love can be messy. Madison Shakespeare Company’s flirtatious annual compilation, “A Valentine’s Affair,” leans into the mess with works drawn from canonical writers such as William Congreve, Thomas Heywood, Edmond Rostand and, of course, Shakespeare. The best part is often the curveball: “Sonnets From a Hat,” where the audience helps pick a random sonnet to be performed. It’s a fast-moving, slightly feral mash-up of love in all its forms. Performances at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 12-13 and 5 p.m. Feb. 14; tickets at bartelltheatre.org.

FRIDAY

• Andy Ewen, through March 21, Giant Jones Brewing; reception Feb. 20, 5-9 p.m.: In the 1980s and '90s Andy Ewen created illustrations for The New York Times Book Review, The Progressive and Isthmus; more recently his professional life has been at the UW-Madison medical school. But many in Madison will know Ewen as frontman/songwriter for the band Honor Among Thieves. In an artist statement, Ewen describes the work in “Recent Drawings” as “semi-automatic…I just start by drawing a line or a shape, and then let my imagination free associate in a manner akin to lucid dreaming.” The tasting room at Giant Jones is open Wednesday-Saturday; find hours at giantjones.com. A reception takes place from 5-9 p.m. on Feb. 20.
• Garden & Green Living Expo, Feb. 13-15, Alliant Energy Center: We could use some more gardens and green living in our lives right about now. Fortunately, this annual event will be a vibrant celebration of gardening, landscaping, local food culture and ecological responsibility. Highlights include 150 educational presentations on everything from creating a seed-saving garden to maintaining and sharpening garden tools to home composting, as well as an exhibitor mall, opportunities to chat with UW-Madison Extension horticulture experts, a floral design competition and the PBS KIDS backyard family area. All proceeds support PBS Wisconsin, a worthier-than-ever cause these days. Visit wigardenexpo.com for a schedule and more info.
• Ways of Knowing: A Sonic Celebration of the Humanities, Friday, Feb. 13, UW Memorial Library, 5:30 p.m.: If your brain is fried by screens but still hungry for ideas, Ways of Knowing could offer a solid reset. Podcast hosts and audio producers Chris Hoff and Sam Harnett create a program of music, language, sounds of nature and infrastructure, and more “informed by contemporary humanities scholarship, and rendered into soundscapes for an octophonic speaker array.” The audience will wear eye masks for the duration. The co-producers will participate in a Q&A after the program. Registration is required at humanities.wisc.

• Madison Ballet, Feb. 13-15, Overture-Promenade Hall: The program “Pointes of View” is Madison Ballet’s reminder that the art form encompasses more than just classical technique. The concert ranges from choreography by Heinz Poll matched with Schubert waltzes to the sly, high-energy Weibermacht of Richard Walters, that somehow fits pointe shoes, lip-syncing, and combat boots into the same world. And yes, Madison Ballet’s artistic director, Ja’ Malik, is on the program too: his Variations on a Grosso puts six dancers in motion to Corelli, blending classical form with modernism. With different vibes and plenty of range, it’s a great “I don’t usually go to ballet” entry point. Performances at 7 p.m. Feb. 13, 2 and 7 p.m. Feb. 14 and 2 p.m. Feb. 15; tickets at overture.org.
• Everlasting Faint, Feb. 13 + 15, Overture Center-Capitol Theater: It’s a big deal for Madison Opera to premiere this exciting new American opera, with music by Madisonian Scott Gendel and libretto by Sandra Flores-Strand. The plot of Everlasting Faint is a true story and West Virginia legend: The ghost of a woman who supposedly died of “natural causes” returns to accuse her husband of murder; she and his previous wives all testify against him. The music carries the strains of Americana folk tunes; the singing is intense and the themes resonate today. The opera is sung in English and text is also projected. The story is big and powerful — everything opera is supposed to be. Performances at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 13 and 2:30 p.m. Feb. 15; tickets at overture.org.

• Bad Bad Hats, Friday, Feb. 13, High Noon Saloon, 8 p.m.: Kerry Alexander grew up in Tampa listening to David Bowie CDs her parents played while making dinner. She met her Bad Bad Hats partner Chris Hoge at open mics while studying at Macalester College in the Twin Cities. The duo’s band name comes from the children’s book Madeline and the Bad Hat, and their indie rock has the same whimsy. With Smut. Tickets at ticketmaster.com.

SATURDAY

• The Hobbit, through Feb. 22, Madison Youth Arts: Bilbo Baggins is an icon for anyone whose favorite plan is to “stay home.” The Hobbit is what happens when that plan collapses — cheerfully, catastrophically — into a world filled with dwarves, riddles, trolls, goblins, and one extremely persuasive wizard. Children’s Theater of Madison’s stage version of Greg Banks' adaptation of the fantasy classic keeps the story moving (90 minutes) and leans into the best Tolkien truth: courage isn’t always indicated by wielding swords and shields. Performances at 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday and 1 and 6 p.m. Sunday, plus 7 p.m. on Feb. 20. Tickets at overture.org.
• ICCA Great Lakes Quarterfinals, Saturday, Feb. 14, UW Memorial Union-Shannon Hall, 7 p.m.: One thing in campus life guaranteed to match the intensity of finals week is the ICCA season. The International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella Great Lakes Quarterfinals brings 10 visiting collegiate groups to Shannon Hall for a night where vocal percussion turns athletic and every ballad lands with real stakes. Hosted by Fundamentally Sound (who participated in last weekend's quarterfinal in Chicago), the competitors include UW’s own Pitches & Notes (ICCA’s 2022 international champion) and Under A-Rest, plus top groups from Marquette, Stevens Point, Eau Claire and the University of Minnesota. Two groups advance to the Great Lakes Semifinal at Milwaukee’s Pabst Theatre. Tickets at artsticketing.wisc.edu.

• Gentle Brontosaurus album release, Saturday, Feb. 14, Crystal Corner Bar, 8 p.m.: Madison quintet Gentle Brontosaurus unleashes its latest album, Three Hares, the day before this album release party. The singles released ahead of the album, "Luxury Bones" and "My Favorite Monster," showcase the band’s patented blend of catchy, melodic guitar pop and thoughtfully gloomy lyrics. The bill overall is a trifecta of compelling Madison bands, also including dance-psych seekers The Earthlings and the eclectic Marigold Motel.
• It’s All You, Cowboy album release, Saturday, Feb. 14, Gamma Ray, 8 p.m.: I am Trash, the 2024 album by It’s All You, Cowboy, sounds like a lost ‘80s R&B-influenced pop album, all bouncy keyboard melodies and vocal harmonies. At least, until you start listening to the lyrics, detailing mundane life situations and societal ills in a self-deprecating blend of sincerity and snark. The singles released ahead of I Can’t Eat — out Feb. 13 via Appleton’s Crutch of Memory empire — promise more of the same goodness on this double album. It’s All You, Cowboy is helmed by Frankie Furillo of long-running Madison heavy experimentalists The Central, and while it may offer a different sonic approach there’s a conceptual through line to be found on listening. With Able Baker and Cause & Control (who just released the EP Coyote in January). Tickets at gammaray.bar.

SUNDAY

• United Way Bluegrass Benefit, Sunday, Feb. 15, Barrymore Theatre, 1-5 p.m.: The annual fundraising tradition of celebrating warm sounds on a (usually) cold day continues. This year’s concert features bands of the Southern Wisconsin Bluegrass Music Association — including Soggy Prairie (4 p.m.), They Talk TOO Much with the Silent Partners (3:15 p.m.), David Landau (2:45 p.m.), SpareTime Bluegrass Band (2 p.m.) and Cork ’n Bottle String Band (1 p.m.). This is a family-friendly event, so why not introduce the kiddos to some authentic, down-home, feel-good music?
• Winter Festival of Poetry, Sundays, through March 8, Delta Beer Lab, 2 p.m.: A potent potable and some poetry on a midwinter’s afternoon? Yes please. The annual Winter Festival of Poetry is now located at Delta Beer Lab for the rest of these Sunday afternoon readings, proving that iambs and IPAs are a perfect match. Kicking off the first Sunday at Delta are Jodi Vander Molen, E. Hughes, Araceli Esparza, Joseph Lutz, Ronnie Hess and Willie Wright.
• MAMA Hall of Fame/Lifetime Achievement Award Celebration, Sunday, Feb. 15, East Side Club, 4 p.m.: This Madison Area Music Association event honors the “lifers” in the music scene — the people who keep the amps on, the rooms open and the music spinning. The honorees include performers, DJs, audio engineers, venues, radio, record stores and media (including Isthmus). A social hour precedes the awards program (emceed by Jimmy Voegeli), followed by a Madison Mystery Tour set with Sean Michael Dargan and guests. Show up if you want to applaud the architects, not just the headliners. Find a full list of honorees at themamas.org.

• Melt ICE, Sunday, Feb. 15, High Noon Saloon, 6 p.m.: Four rising Wisconsin bands are joining together to raise funds for a pair of immigrant rights organizations: Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee and Wisconsin’s Voces de la Frontera. Fans of dark and deep folk get a two-fer with Madison favorites The Spine Stealers and fairly new Milwaukee quintet Bitch Creek. Two more Madison bands provide heavier sounds: catchy emo experts Excuse Me, Who Are You? and shoegazers Hush Now, Sweet Halo. Tickets at ticketmaster.com.

Find the individual Picks collected here, and as part of the full calendar of events.