Performing Arts

Many of modern jazz’s mainstream piano techniques were developed in the 1960s. During that tumultuous decade, jazz musicians and composers questioned and challenged every convention of their genre. The move away from tonalities and song forms rooted firmly in the European harmonic tradition required pianists to re-imagine that most harmonic of instruments and allowed for the creation of a new harmonic language. Among the most significant of the 1960s jazz piano innovators were Bill Evans, McCoy Tyner, Herbie Hancock, and Chick Corea. 

Get ready for the upcoming Wisconsin Film Festival with an evening of Madison-made short films at this special after-hours event. Space available for 60 attendees on a first-come basis.

Saturday, March 18

6:00: Doors open

6-6:30: Performance by White Birch Ensemble & refreshments donated by Willy Street Co-op

6:30: Short film program begins, including Q&As with select filmmakers and Wisconsin Film Festival coordinator Ben Reiser 

The Short Film Program Includes:

The Life and Music of Charlie Parker. Join us for this informative and entertaining event featuring UW-Madison's Professor of Saxophone Les Thimmig.  Professor Thimmig will discuss the importance of Charlie Parker and the history of bebop jazz, and will also offer short musical performances!

This program is part of Madison Opera's Extending the Stage: Charlie Parker's Yardbird (performances will be 2/10 & 2/12).

Play Club extends a successful Forward Theater Co. program into the library world.  Through Play Club, participants receive a copy of FTC's current play to read, after which participants engage in discussion, which includes watching live scene work of the play by actors working with a director.  Participants will have the opportunity to engage in conversation with one another and the performers to reach a greater understanding of the play, its issues and struggles, and how a piece is brought from a written work to life.

Enjoy a piece from the upcoming Alice in Wonderland ballet, performed by Dance Wisconsin. Learn about costuming, choreography and how the sets are design to tell the Alice in Wonderland story. Following the presentation, dancers will teach children the "butterfly" dance from the ballet. 

9:30 - 10am
Social time with light refreshments, art projects and library book display

10 - 11am
Alice in Wonderland Presentation

Join us for this informative and entertaining event featuring UW-Madison's Professor of Saxophone Les Thimmig. Professor Thimmig will discuss the importance of Charlie Parker and the history of bebop jazz, interspersed with short musical performances.

This program is part of Madison Opera's Extending the Stage: Charlie Parker's Yardbird (performances will be 2/10 & 2/12).

View all programs in this series.

Join us for this informative and entertaining event featuring UW-Madison's Professor of Saxophone Les Thimmig. Professor Thimmig will discuss the importance of Charlie Parker and the history of bebop jazz, interspersed with short musical performances.

This program is part of Madison Opera's Extending the Stage: Charlie Parker's Yardbird (performances will be 2/10 & 2/12).

View all programs in this series.

An Evening of Rare Jazz Films

Jazz historian Gary Alderman will present and explain films of the historically-significant innovators of modern jazz, including the only two existing videos with sound of Charlie Parker. Among the other musicians shown will be those relevant to Parker’s music and career, including Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Sonny Sitt, and Cannonball Adderly. ​

An Evening of Rare Jazz Films

Jazz historian Gary Alderman will present and explain films of the historically-significant innovators of modern jazz, including the only two existing videos with sound of Charlie Parker. Among the other musicians shown will be those relevant to Parker’s music and career, including Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Sonny Sitt, and Cannonball Adderly. ​

This program is produced by Four Seasons Theatre as an outreach component of its 2016/2017 season and draws on the work of Alisa Solomon, author of Wonder of Wonders: A Cultural History of Fiddler on the Roof. Tamara Brognano, Four Seasons Theatre Outreach Coordinator, will lead a program that introduces the audience to Sholem-Aleichem’s stories and describes the collaboration of Broadway artists that resulted in the creation of Fiddler on the Roof.