Your Donations At Work

The Theater Season wouldn't be the same without the support of many of you who contribute to the Wisconsin Union Theater Program Endowment each year. You may give by "rounding up" your Season ticket order, clicking on the "donate" button on our website, or responding to the Wisconsin Union's annual campaign. Whichever path you choose, your generosity is noticed and appreciated.

Thanks to these donations, the Wisconsin Union Theater never has to compromise on the quality of our programs or on the ability to keep them accessible to our next generation of arts lovers. Endowment funds allow us to keep ticket prices at an affordable $10 for all UW-Madison students.

In the Fall of 2011, for example, endowment funds kicked in $37,327 to support Theater Season events by subsidizing the difference between the student-priced tickets and the general public tickets.

Contributed income makes up approximately 30% of the Theater Season's annual budget, and endowment support provides the lion's share of that contributed income. This support is what allows us to take a chance on a rising star artist or invite a celebrated veteran performer to return to our stage. It allows us to think beyond "butts in seats."

This wouldn't be possible without countless donations, big and small, from people who value what we do and show their support. Whether it's $5 or $500, it all goes towards making the Wisconsin Union Theater a more vibrant and forward-thinking organization.

If you're one of our generous contributors: Thank you! If you'd like to join the effort, please go to Wisconsin Union Theater Program Endowment to make a donation.

Killer Spring Semester

by Shawn Werner

WUD Performing Arts Committee Director

With the Spring semester right around the corner, we're wrapping up a very successful Fall semester of events. The Special Events Series looks to kick off next semester with a bang!

The awesome Bela Fleck and the Flecktones are rockin' out on our stage on March 1, the one and only Comedy Central's Gabriel Iglesias will be sure to make the whole house laugh on March 3, the annual Marcia Legere Play Festival will be held on March 10 and 11, Pilobolus is dancing on April 14, followed by the Neale-Silva Young Artist Competition on April 29, and Leahy, an awesome Canadian powerhouse of dancing and music making, will be here on May 4.

Apart from Gabriel Iglesias's show, I'm extremely excited to see Bela Fleck and the Flecktones - in their original form, just like old times! Seeing that they haven't played together for a good 20 years, their sound is bound to be more mature, richer, and just plain old better. Get excited, people! If you haven't purchased your tickets yet, I advise to do so soon!

Bela Fleck and the Flecktones:

Bela Fleck and the Flecktones are definitely one of the apexes of our spring semester, and I can't wait; it'll be so much fun! They just released a new album, Rocket Science. Check out one of the new songs here:

Gabriel Iglesias is one EXTREMELY FUNNY comedian! "Hot and Fluffy" was definitely one of the most hilarious stand-ups I've ever watched. It's one of those you-can-watch-it-every-day-and-never-get-tired-of-it stand-ups. What I find most interesting is that all of the stories he tells are actually true events that happened in his life. For example, he tells this bit about how he bought a VW Beetle and, one day, he drove to his friend's house to pick him up and--well, you'll just have to watch it yourself. This dude is gonna kill this show! You won't want to miss it!

Leahy is an awesome mix of musicians and dancers composed (ha! Get it?!) of brothers and sisters from Lakefield, Ontario, who perform an eclectic mix of music choreographed with dance. Their repertoire ranges from Cape Breton to Quebecois and Celtic to good ol' folk performances. Their music is quite virtuosic (it's a word, I promise) filled with rhythmic complexities and melodic heterophony (again, it's a word, I promise). These two elements combined pretty much create an urge to dance and they do exactly that. Check out their piece "B Minor."

They'll certainly bring an explosive presence to the stage and you'll for sure want to be a part of that experience!

So there you have it, the three powerhouse special events happening next semester that will guarantee your satisfaction!

Peace,

Shawn

He's just darn funny

by Elana Siegel
Marketing and Communications Intern

I started my love affair with stand-up comedy when I saw Robin Williams perform his interview on Inside the Actor's Studio with James Lipton. Startled out of the calm stupor leaning on sleepiness that normally results from James Lipton's voice and endless stack of blue notecards, I watched Robin Williams command the stage, creating and inventing from what seemed like nothing.

From there I explored Ricky Gervais, stand-up comedian and creator of The Office, Comedy Central's Aziz Anzari, and some of the early Steve Martin.

And then I found Gabriel Iglesias, the Comedy Central and Last Comic Standing comedian.

My first version of this blog article featured me trying to explain what it is about Gabriel that drew me in to his comedy - he wears Hawaiian shirts, he creates characters on stage, he mixes in ideas about immigration and racism. But here's what I realized about Gabriel: he's just darn funny.

In his approachable manner, he invites you to laugh along with him. He posts all of his YouTube videos with a personal note. He invites his audience members to interact with him. In this video, he personally introduces his mother.

I'm hoping that when Gabriel stops by the theater on Saturday, March 3rd at 8pm, I'll get a chance to speak with him. I know that he'll make me laugh.

Picking Tickets, Spring 2012

Our friend and former Isthmus writer Susan Kepecs writes "Cultural Oyster," a blog that covers performing arts in the Madison Area. Read her spring picks from our theater, below. The full article can be found here.

"The Village Vanguard Jazz Orchestra (Wisconsin Union Theater, Feb. 4) – the very sophisticated Monday night house band at Manhattan’s eponymous West Village club – has always played honest-to-god jazz. This big band, with its 15 heavy-hitting players, was born in ’66 of the fortuitous collaboration between two forward-looking orchestral jazz giants: trumpeter and composer / arranger Thad Jones, who’d been a soloist with swing king Count Basie, and drummer Mel Lewis, who honed his chops in Stan Kenton’s jazz orchestra. The VJO brought big band jazz straight into the postbop epoch, and despite huge changes in the times and personnel, it’s still true to its own brand of big band swing.

The wacky, whip-smart, genre-busting jazz fusion band Bela Fleck and the Flecktones stops in Mad City (Union Theater, March 1) on its much-touted reunion tour. Banjo master Fleck and the Wooten brothers (“Futureman,” inventor of the drumitar, and virtuoso bassist Victor) have been together since the band’s very first gig on PBS in 1988, but this is the first time they’ve played with pianist / harmonicist Howard Levy since 1992. There’s a new album, Rocket Science (E1 Records, 2011), to go with the tour, though the promo lit implies the band’ll mix new tunes with hits from the three albums they made before Levy split.

Nigerian saxophonist / vocalist Seun Kuti and his high-energy brass and percussion rich big band Egypt 80 (Wisconsin Union Theater, April 12) blew the roof off the WUT on their US debut tour in June, 2007. Kuti told me in an interview then that he’s not as wild as his father, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, the late, legendary king of Afrobeat and revolutionary politics. Maybe not, but like Fela, Seun is the consummate activist, taking the stage in support of myriad African causes. This month he's been in the midst of the Occupy Nigeria movement, performing his take-no-prisoners political songs onstage in Lagos during mass protests against the end of the fuel subsidies that help keep prices down for the underpaid masses – President Goodluck Jonathan’s concession to deregulation demanded by the IMF. A week into the protests Jonathan restored part of the subsidy, but count on Kuti to keep up the good fight. I saved the best – my personal favorite – for last. When the going gets tough, as it will when state GOP challenges to the Recall signatures plus all those right wing corporate-funded ads aimed at the national presidential race heat up, we get the orishas’ blessings, right on time.

Straight from Havana, Sierra Maestra – the group that rescued Cuban son from the dustbins of prerevolutionary history in the 1970s and has carried la musica forward ever since – plays Memorial Union’s Great Hall on March 23. I’m listening to their latest CD, Sonando Ya (2010, SASA Music), right now. It takes me to my happy place, despite the freezing fog outside. Yo soy sonera de corazón – I live to dance to Cuban son. You will, too. Aché."

Gaelic Storm: More than Just a St. Patrick's Day Festivity

by catherine Harris
World Stage Coordinator

On February 17, Gaelic Storm returns to the Union Theater, after giving a thrilling performance last year to a  nearly sold out house of loyal fans. Hearing Gaelic Storm at the Union Theater last year was my first encounter with Irish music. At the time I didn't know anything about the band, or the cultural traditions and history behind the music, but I knew I liked it.

To me, Irish music was only something heard once a year, cornily humming out of the speakers at a parade or a bar on St. Patrick's Day, accompanied by all of the four leaf clover and green regalia associated with the day. Gaelic Storm, however, is much more than just a fiddle reeling off notes with a person dressed as the infamous leprechaun. Gaelic Storm is an experience that authentically represents both traditional Celtic music and Irish culture.

The band is traditional in the sense that the members play traditional instruments characteristic of the region, and they always incorporate old popular folk tunes which are undoubtedly recognizable to Irish people around the world. In addition to being rooted in the history and traditions of the culture, as seen in songs like, Tell Me Ma off their first album, their music at times has elements of fusion with rock or pop. Most of the songs they perform are original compositions that incorporate well known tunes. They offer a very high-energy performance, complete with driving beats and occasional dancing, all while staying very grounded and connected to their fans.

I'm excited to see them again and am especially looking forward to this performance because it is going to feature songs off of their newest album, Cabbage. I hope to see you there!

Finckel, Han and Setzer play Mendelssohn

by Lindsay Hanson

Concert Series Coordinator

One of my favorite things about working at the Union Theater is that I get the chance to listen to lots of recordings. Just the other day, I received the new release by David Finckel, Wu Han and Philip Setzer of Mendelssohn's Piano Trios.

How exciting to get to preview part of the program the trio will present here next month! Along with the two piano trios from the recording, Finckel and Han will also perform the Sonata for Cello and Piano in D major, op. 58 on their program at the Union Theater on Friday, February 24, at 7:30pm.

As a performer and arts administrator myself, I am inspired by Finckel and Han's commitment to our art form. Besides being great musicians and educators, the duo also founded Music@ Menlo, a summer chamber music festival, and serve as artistic directors for The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center in New York City. The Mendelssohn recording I received today is a product of their own recording label, ArtistLed Records, which they founded in 1997 as classical music's first musician-directed and internet based recording label. Their entrepreneurial spirit is something I really admire. Their artistic merit was recognized this year by Musical America, who named Finckel and Han Musicians of the Year, the first duo ever to receive this honor. For the recital here in Madison, Finckel and Han are joined by the famous Philip Setzer of the Emerson String Quartet.

I love playing chamber music. Obviously, Finckel, Han and Setzer do too. In listening to their new release, I am captivated by their sound. There is something special about their musical unity. The trio sounds as one instrument. My favorite parts of the recording are when the violin and cello play in octaves together. The sound just RINGS!

You can hear this outstanding trio LIVE in just a few short weeks. Order your tickets today while there are still great seats available! I'll keep listening to the musical treat I received in my mailbox in the meantime, and I'll look forward to seeing you at the concert. Believe me, if this recording is any indication, the trio's live performance will be one not to miss.

David Finckel Discusses the All-Mendelssohn Program He, Wu Han and Philip Setzer Will Play in the Theater

David Finckel, Wu Han and Philip Setzer will be  playing an all-Mendelssohn program when they come to the theater on Friday, February 24, 7:30 pm. Jacob Stockinger, who blogs at "The Well-Tempered Ear," interviewed Finckel and Han. The full interview will be available on his blog next week. In the meantime, here's a teaser, Finckel's explanation of the program choice.

Ear: Why did you choose an all-Mendelssohn program? Could you give a short introduction to each piece you will play and what you think its importance is or what the audience should listen for?

David Finckel: Mendelssohn was not only one of the most skilled and devoted musicians of all time, but his music appeals to a broad spectrum of the public, from those who are musical experts to new listeners.  His ingenious voice well deserves an entire evening's attention.

The Trio in D Minor, Mendelssohn's first, shows him in a stormy mood for its outer movements, and offers both a song without words and “A Midsummer Night's Dream” experience in its middle movements.  There’s something for everyone in this trio.

The Trio in C Minor is a more advanced work in terms of its

structure, with a final movement that contains extraordinary

innovations. Listen for the quiet introducing of a hymn within a

folk-inspired movement, and follow its progress toward the conclusion where both ideas are reconciled. It is one of the most magical creations in all of chamber music.

The Sonata for Cello and Piano in D Major is one of Mendelssohn's most exuberant works. Giving the lion's share of notes to the piano, the composer nevertheless affords the cello all the main themes and uses the instrument's signature lyrical strengths to the fullest. It's an absolute joy to play from start to finish.

Béla Fleck and the Flecktones Reunite!

Erin Bannen
Marketing Intern

While I was running a booth for the Wisconsin Union Theater at La Fete de Marquette last summer, I tried to guess which of our events people would be most excited by. I was predicting Pilobolus, which was certainly met with enthusiasm, but after three hours of random Madisonians seeing my billboard and squealing, "Béla Fleck and the Flecktones? Oh they are just FANTASTIC. When are they playing?!?!?" I realized that this demographic had something in it that I had not expected.

People reacted to the news of this group performing in the same way they would if they found out their favorite discontinued ice cream flavor, the only ice cream flavor they had ever really loved, was coming back for one weekend only. Who are these guys? I thought. And why is everyone in Madison so excited about them?

Wooten with his Drumitar

You know how they say a band has a sound so unique that you won't hear it anywhere else on earth? For Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, it's actually true. Calling the band genre-busting doesn't even begin to cut it. Their latest album, for example, goes from classical and jazz to bluegrass and African to electric blues and Eastern European folk dances. Roy “Futureman” Wooten literally invented a new instrument, the drumitar, which, though in the shape of a guitar, can replicate sounds of an entire contemporary drum kit. Howard Levy developed a fully chromatic style on the standard 10 - hole diatonic harmonica, revolutionizing harmonica playing and taking the instrument into totally new territory. Béla himself, considered the premier banjo player in the world, has been breaking banjo genres since he was 16 (see his full bio for more specifics). 

So that's two newly invented instruments played by the guys that invented them, and the world's most famous innovator on the banjo. If there is anything those Madisonians taught me at that fair, it is that there is no way I am missing a chance to hear this sound.

Below is an opportunity for you to hear from the band members themselves about the experience of coming back together to play with their original line-up, just for this one album and one tour. BTW, about a half of the house is already sold out. I recommend that you buy your tickets soon.

The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra's Outstanding Line-up

by Ben Ferris
Isthmus Jazz Series Coordinator

On February 4th, some top New York city musicians will be performing at the Wisconsin Union Theater as part of the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. I was recently sent the line-up of who will be on this tour, and there are some very exciting musicians indeed. it's been a long time since Madison had so many outstanding musicians share one stage. I can hardly contain my excitement and anticipation.

While I impatiently await this concert, let me share with you who these musicians are.

Saxophones:
Billy Drewes, on alto, soprano and flute, is a New York native whose discography includes over 150 CDs. Drewes has performed or recorded with Herbie Hancock, Lionel Hampton, Bill Frisell, Eddie Palmieri and many more and is adjunct faculty at NYU.

Also on alto, soprano and flute is Andy Fusco, whose career started with the Buddy Rich Big Band. He has also toured with Gerry Mulligan and Mel Lewis and has recorded a number of albums as leader and soloist for Criss Cross Records.

Rich Perry, on tenor and flute, joined the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra (which later became the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra) in 1977. Recording extensively for Steeple Chase records, Perry has featured many fantastic musicians, such as George Mraz, Fred Hersch and Billy Hart.

On tenor and clarinet is Ralph LaLama, who was also a member of the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra before the two leaders left the band. LaLama has recorded and performed with a number of great musicians, including Clara Bley, Barry Harris, James Moody, Joe Morello and many more. His 1997 CD as leader, "Circle Line", received 4.5/5 stars from Downbeat Magazine. Below is a video "Hot House," performed by Joe Lovano's Nonet live in Paris, in which LaLama is the 4th featured soloist (on Tenor Sax at 5:30).

Frank Basile, on baritone, is one of the most in-demand baritone saxophone players in New York City. Basile has played with the Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band, the Dave Holland Big Band, the Bob Mintzer Big Band, The Jon Faddis Jazz Orchestra, and many others as well as leading his own regularly performing quintet.

Trombones:

John Mosca

John Mosca is the artistic director of the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, and has been playing with the band for more than thirty years. He has also been on the faculty at the Manhattan School of Music, The New England Conservatory, and The University of Connecticut, among others. Mosca often plays at Smalls Jazz Club in Greenwich Village where he has also recorded.




2010 Downbeat Critics Poll winner for "Trombone, Rising Star" is VJO member Luis Bonilla. Bonilla recently released an album as leader titled "Twilight" which gets a great review at allaboutjazz.com. In addition to his solo efforts, Bonilla has been a sideman with  McCoy Tyner, Dizzy Gillespie, Lester Bowie, Tom Harrell, Freddie Hubbard and many more.

Larry Farrell plays with the Manhattan Jazz Quintet, Manhattan Jazz Orchestra and a group called Super Trombones. He has also recorded with Johnny Cash, Elton John, Maria Schneider, and Canadian Brass.

On bass trombone is Jeff Nelson, who is featured on the album "A Matter of Time" by the New York Trombone Conspiracy. I encourage you to check him out in the video of the group playing Nelson's arrangement of Monk's "I Mean You". Nelson is the second soloist at 4:15.

Trumpets/Flugelhorns:
The New York times proclaims VJO Trumpeter Tanya Darby "…a virtuoso with remarkable control and power…who shows that though Miles Davis died in 1991, his unbounded soul will inspire for years to come." Darby's career began early on with her great success at the age of 12 in the Monterey Jazz Festival, and she has played with an extensive list of fantastic musicians, including Jon Faddis, Frank Foster, Dianne Reeves, Ramsey Lewis, and Clark Terry. Check her out on this video from the 25th anniversary of Arista Records with Aretha Franklin:

Alan Quinn has played in many different broadway shows, as well Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker, and Jimmy Heath. This is his ninth year with the VJO.Quinn's band, the Alan Quinn Orchestra, has played at many famous New York clubs, such as the Radio City Music Hall and the Rainbow Room.

Joe Magnarelli has released nine CDs as a leader, the most recent is called "My Old Flame" and features strings orchestrated by Marty Sheller.

Also on trumpet is Richie Vitale. In addition to playing in the VJO, Vitale has also played in the Buddy Rich Big Band, the Count Basie Orchestra, and the Duke Ellington orchestra. Vitale leads a twelve piece salsa band called Orquesta Universal, featuring twice Grammy nominated Cuban born singer David Oquendo

Michael Weiss with Horace Silver

Rhythm:
Named by the New Yorker as "...one of the most dependable pianists on the scene", VJO pianist Michael Weiss will be an exciting part of the band to listen in on. His first CD, "Presenting Michael Weiss," was awarded Jazz Pick of the Year on National Public Radio's Morning Edition, and he has recorded or performed with a number of great musicians, including Jon Hendricks, Al Foster and Frank Wess. Weiss is also known for his compositions, and won the Thelonious Monk Institute's Composer's Competition in 2000.

Mike Karn, bassist for the VJO, is a faculty member at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York City and has performed with Ray Charles, Jimmy Cobb, Charles Earland, Junior Mance, Charli Persip, Irene Reid, Valery Ponamarev, and Andy Bey.

Manhattan School of Music professor John Riley will be playing drums for VJO. Riley has played with many great musicians, including Woody Herman, Milt Jackson, Miles Davis, and John Patitucci, and is the author of The Art of Bop Drumming, Beyond Bop Drumming, The Jazz Drummer's Workshop.Below is a video of him as featured in the Modern Drummer Festival last year.

There's one additional perk: Manhattans are the featured drink for Saturday's performance: Canadian Whiskey, sweet vermouth, bitters and a cherry garnish.  $6.50 per cocktail. Yum! I hope that you can make it to see all of these great musicians perform together in the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra on Feb. 4th!

Let the photos do the talking

I'm kind of a photo-holic. It's gotten to the point where I bought an external hard drive just to house all of my photos. And then a second hard drive to back up the first one. Normally, my photo-taking is just tolerated as a quirk. But since returning from study abroad in Lima, Peru, my photo-taking habit has been entirely vindicated.

After commenting on how tan I am (if I do say so myself!), people here in the States, in their well-intentioned interest to learn more about what I did while in South America, ask the question. "So," people say, "tell me about Peru." And I really have no answer. How do I sum up five months of study and travel into an elevator sound bite? It's almost as impossible as the Badgers going to the Rose Bowl two years in a row and losing both times (oh wait, that actually happened). But as hard as it is to explain, I do want to tell stories and share my experiences. So I often just show my photos and let them do the talking. The system works well, except that I can never pick what photos to show, especially considering that I returned from South America with approximately 2,000 photos to choose from! I've tried to narrow it down for you all, so here is a small(ish) selection of photos from my study abroad.

If you're looking for more, during the semester, I did keep a personal blog with written stories, reflections, and descriptions of my adventures as well as more photos.

I started the semester studying at a Peruvian university in Lima.

The skyline of Lima

A corner market in a poor area in Lima

Gastronomy is one of the prides of Peru. Here is ceviche, the most famous national dish.

During the semester, I traveled around Peru and Ecuador on short weekend trips. I went to the Andes:




A valley at the foot of the Andes



The highest point we crossed in the Andes - 4,750 meters

The northern beaches and fishing towns:
 

Fishing and tourism are the major industries in the northern coast region



A young boy watches as a motor taxi passes by

The Amazon river and jungle: 

Turtles for sale in a city market

The port city of Iquitos

A cove from an offshoot of the Amazon River

After the semester, I went backpacking for a month around southern Peru and Bolivia.

We started at Machu Picchu:

The view from Huayna Pichu

Headed south to Lake Titicaca:

One of the "floating islands"

Passed into La Paz, Bolivia: 

A view from the colonial section of La Paz

Traveled through the western desert of Bolivia:

Salt plains

Bolivian desert plants

Flamingos eating in a lake surrounded by sulfur



The "colored" lagoons



And finished by trekking through the Cotahuasi Canyon, the deepest canyon in the world:

The deepest point in the Cotahuasi

Since returning to the states, I have experienced a huge reverse culture shock. Prices are higher, and there is snow on the ground. Buildings are cleaner, skin is paler, and internet is easily accesible. The bus system uses a schedule. People eat on the go. If these first two weeks are any indication, it will take me quite a while to re-adjust to the States. But I'm not worried, because I know what will help me to reflect on the transition: I'll just take some pictures along the way.