2017/2018 20th Anniversary Season Announcement

ANNOUNCING THE BARTELL THEATRE 20TH SEASON!

AUGUST

Melancholy Play
By Sarah Ruhl
Comedy
August 6–19, 2017
KRASS
A funny play about a serious illness: major depression. Tilly’s melancholy is of an exquisite quality. She turns her melancholy into a sexy thing, and every stranger she meets falls in love with her. One day, inexplicably, Tilly becomes happy and wreaks havoc on the lives of her paramours.

From Awkward Spaces:
The Story of the Bartell and the Journey to Permanence
By Suzan Kurry and Brendon Smith
Drama
August 13-19, 2017
MTG
An original play about the Bartell Theatre’s history. Six local theatre groups, who have been producing plays in whatever space they could find, unite to create a permanent home. Being led by a retiree who likes a challenge, they quickly learn there’s more drama in building a stage than performing on it. This play is a fundraiser for the Bartell Theatre Foundation.

SEPTEMBER

Titus Andronicus
By William Shakespeare
Tragedy
September 8-23, 2017
MTG
Shakespeare’s earliest tragedy, Titus was the most frequently performed of his plays during his lifetime. The noble Titus Andronicus triumphantly returns to Rome after having defeated the barbarous Goths only to learn that “Rome is a wilderness of tigers.”

A Delicate Balance
By Edward Albee
Drama
September 15-30, 2017
Strollers
Edward Albee’s classic drama about two couples whose lives are upended by an encroaching, nameless “fear,” bring a firestorm of doubt, recrimination, and ultimately solace. This play won Albee the first of his three Pulitzer Prizes for Drama.

Falsettos
Book by James Lapine, Music by William Finn
Musical
September 29-October 14, 2017
StageQ
When Marvin’s lover, Whizzer, is diagnosed with AIDS, the entire family — non-traditional as it may be — must put aside their issues and come together. Now is your chance to see this “hilariously neurosis-infused musical”. You will laugh, you will cry, and everything in between.

OCTOBER

The Mineola Twins
By Paula Vogel
Comedy
October 13–28, 2017
KRASS
This award-winning satire examines the women’s movement in post-World War II America, as seen through the lives of identical twins, Myra and Myrna, from Mineola, New York. One twin is a rebellious leftist, while the other is an uptight conservative. The play takes place during the presidencies of Eisenhower, Nixon, and the first Bush. Historical and yet so relavant.

Push
Dance
October 20–21, 2017
Madison Ballet
Madison Ballet’s Push takes ballet to the edge of the art form, pairing the drama and precision of ballet with contemporary choreography and music. Push shines the spotlight on the athleticism and allure of each dancer with an evening of shorter classical and current works. Think you know ballet? Push your own boundaries and you’ll be surprised and seduced by Madison Ballet’s Push.

Rats in the Wall
By Stephen Sondheim
Horror
October 24, 2017
Bartell Fundraiser
Legendary Broadway writer Stephen Sondheim wrote this adaption of the HP Lovecraft short story as a radio play early in his career. We present the World Premiere of the piece in a night of staged readings of classic horror shorts.

NOVEMBER

Rhinoceros
By Eugene Ionesco
Comedy
November 3-18, 2017
Strollers
A rhinoceros rampages through the streets of a small town, shattering the peace in this darkly comic absurdist play. As the large intruder leaves behind a whirl of chaos and debate, the survivors must question their place in nature as a new reality grows.

Wait Until Dark
By Frederick Knott, adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher.
Suspense Thriller
November 3-18, 2017
MTG
A blind woman is tricked and terrorized in her own apartment by three criminals led by a ruthless and sadistic criminal. They are searching for a doll with a hidden secret they suspect she knows. But as night falls, her blindness could be the key to outwit them.

DECEMBER

Twilight of the Golds
By Jonathan Tolins
Drama
December 1-16, 2017
StageQ
The results show 10 fingers, 10 toes — but a 90% likelihood that your male baby will be gay. So would you have an abortion? One family must consider this, and the effects of it, on their entire family.

Harry Potter and the Pet Rock
By Nick Schweitzer
Comedy with music
December 15–30, 2017
Mercury Players
Harry Potter gets the Mercury Players “panto” parody treatment in this family-friendly adaption of the classic books. Loaded with slapstick humor, corny jokes, and silly songs, this original twist on the beloved tale of the boy wizard will delight kids and adults alike. Bring your costumes and wands to play along.

Ball Drop Blitz 4
Comedy
December 31, 2017
Mercury Players & Know Better Productions
A group of writers, directors, and actors meet on December 30th to pick names and writing challenges out of a hat. Just 24 hours to write, rehearse and perform a show! Start off your New Year’s Eve celebrations with 2 hours of fun at the Bartell! And all proceeds will benefit the Bartell, too!

JANUARY 2018

Cabaret: An Evening with Katie Cass & Friends
Music
January 2018
Mercury Players & Know Better Productions
An evening of song in a cabaret setting. Join local performer Katie Cass for an evening of music, humor and friends. All proceeds will benefit the Bartell Theatre.

She
January 28, 2018 – February 3, 2018
Dance
Madison Ballet
Underneath the ethereal dancer lies an indomitable spirit driven by grit, wisdom, tenacity, and fearlessness. Madison Ballet’s She celebrates the work of female choreographers and the many faces of women in classical and contemporary ballet. She is an evening of shorter works that challenges us to redefine what is male and what is female.

FEBRUARY

Arborophilia
By Jacob M. Appel
Comedy
February 23 – March 9, 2018
Strollers
A girl literally falls in love with a tree. Complicating matters, the girl with the tree crush has an older sister who’s a devout Democrat and plans a mixed marriage — to a Republican. Their mother, a liberal judge, has strong objections. Arboreal mayhem ensues in this satirical comedy.

MARCH

Rock of Ages: The Broadway Musical Comedy
By Chris D’Arienzo
Musical Comedy
March 2-17, 2018
MTG & OUT!Cast Theatre
A musical comedy riff on 1980s rock bands with big egos, big guitar solos, and bigger hair. A small town boy and a city girl meet on the Sunset Strip, while pursuing Hollywood dreams. Featuring classic songs by Journey, Styx, Pet Benatar, Bon Jovi, Twisted Sister, Poison, Europe, and more.

Wrong for the Part 2018
Variety
March 11–17, 2018
KRASS
Annual fundraiser for the women’s theater, a presentation of monologues and scenes performed by women and men of all ages and types. Nobody is cast correctly — and we like it that way.

Suddenly Last Summer
By Tennessee Williams
Drama
March 23-April 7, 2018
StageQ
A young woman, at the insistence of her wealthy aunt, is being evaluated by a psychiatric doctor to receive a lobotomy after witnessing the death of her cousin. Written when Tennessee Williams began psychoanalysis, this melodrama is full of metaphorical, mystical, and sexual overtones.

Body Awareness
By Annie Baker
Dramedy
March 23, 2018 – April 7, 2018
KRASS
With a backdrop of a campus Body Awareness Week, topics range from a dance troupe of refugee Palestinian children to an eating disorder seminar. The organizer, Phyllis, lives with her partner, Joyce, and Joyce’s 21-year-old son, Jared, who shows symptoms of Asperger’s syndrome. Frank, a male photographer, invited to present his artistic photos of nude women, exacerbates family tensions.

APRIL

Working (2012 Updated Version)
By Nina Faso and Stephen Schwartz, with contributions by Gordon Greenberg, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Craig Carnelia and James Taylor
Musical
April 13—April 28, 2018
MTG
Working is a musical exploration of the hopes, dreams, joys and concerns of the average working American. A day in the life of 40 workers and their sacrifices and accomplishments for their careers. Featuring updated songs by Hamilton’s Lin-Manuel Miranda.

A Place in the Woods
By Erik Gernand
Drama
April 13–28, 2018
Mercury Players
A dark family secret is pushed to the surface when a gay man is forced to return to his rural Indiana hometown to care for his ailing mother. With his teenage son in tow, he attempts to quickly bandage the situation and get out of this town he’d rather forget. But things are much worse than he expected. From the author of “The Beautiful Dark.”

Such A Pretty
By Betty Diamond
Comedy
April 29, 2018 – May 19, 2018
KRASS
An original play from the author of Lavinia. A serio-comic look at women and beauty. And cheesecake.

MAY

The Winter’s Tale
By William Shakespeare
Drama
May 4th –May 19, 2018
Strollers
“A sad tale’s best for winter,” a child tells his mother, only moments before their world is darkened by a jealous king. Bitter sweetness intertwines tragedy and comedy into romance and redemption. A gorgeous, sweeping story in which loss is grieved, joy is celebrated, and faith brings forth miracles.

Murder at the Bartell
Interactive Mystery
May 2018
A one-night interactive murder mystery. Patrons will be given roles to play for an evening of fun at the Bartell. Until a murder happens. Who did? Why? How? Join in the fun to solve the mystery! All proceeds will benefit the Bartell Theatre.

JUNE

Temp Slave: The Musical
By Catherine Capellaro & Andrew Rohn
Musical Comedy
June 8-23, 2018
Mercury Players
From the writers of Walmartopia… this brazen musical comedy sets up the conflict between greedy bosses & politicians and a group of temporary workers who unite to expose a nefarious plot to destroy labor unions.

Queer Shorts 13: Unity
Comedy Drama
June 8-23, 2018
StageQ

StageQ’s 13th annual short play festival returns for a new series of funny, serious, heartwarming, and heartbreaking short plays all built around the idea of “Unity” when freedom and equality are threatened.


The Amazing Acro-Cats Ameowze Madison!

Closing

Today at 1:00pm


The Untold Story of the Collyer Brothers

Now Playing

Today at 2:00pm


Wisconsin Thrillers Awards Party 2024

Coming Soon

Sat, Oct 19th at 6:30pm


Film Series: The Big Lebowski

Coming Soon

Fri, Oct 25th at 8:00pm


Film Series: Hocus Pocus

Coming Soon

Sat, Oct 26th at 2:00pm