Wisconsin Union Theater

Wisconsin Union Theater, located in the Memorial Union building on the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus, is a historic theater that has been a hub for cultural and artistic events in Madison, Wisconsin since its opening in 1939. The theater is part of the Wisconsin Union, a membership organization that provides recreational, cultural, and educational activities for University of Wisconsin–Madison students, faculty, and staff, as well as the broader Madison, Wisconsin community, including Dane County residents. The Wisconsin Union Theater has hosted a wide range of performances, including concerts by Lang Lang, Yo-Yo Ma, and the New York Philharmonic, as well as productions by the Joffrey Ballet and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. The theater has also been a popular venue for speakers, including Martin Luther King Jr., Jane Goodall, and Stephen Hawking, who have spoken at the theater as part of the University of Wisconsin–Madison's Distinguished Lecture Series.

● History

The Wisconsin Union Theater was built in 1939 as part of the Memorial Union building, which was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright's former associate, Conrad A. Elvehjem, and Douglas H. Armstrong, in the Art Deco style, with influences from Streamline Moderne and International Style architecture, similar to the Fallingwater house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The theater was constructed during the Great Depression, with funding from the Public Works Administration and the Works Progress Administration, which provided jobs for local workers, including those from Madison, Wisconsin and surrounding areas, such as Dane County and Rock County. The theater's opening night featured a performance by the NBC Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Arturo Toscanini, and has since hosted numerous performances by renowned artists, including Leonard Bernstein, Isaac Stern, and Vladimir Horowitz, as well as productions by the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Moscow Art Theatre. The theater has also been a popular venue for events, including the University of Wisconsin–Madison's Commencement ceremony, which has featured speakers such as Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Hillary Clinton.

● Architecture

The Wisconsin Union Theater is located in the Memorial Union building, which is a National Historic Landmark and a prominent example of Art Deco architecture in the United States. The building was designed by Conrad A. Elvehjem and Douglas H. Armstrong, and features a unique blend of Streamline Moderne and International Style influences, similar to the Johnson Wax Headquarters building designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The theater itself is a large, proscenium arch-style venue with a seating capacity of over 1,300 people, making it an ideal space for concerts, plays, and other performances, including those by the Madison Symphony Orchestra and the University of Wisconsin–Madison's School of Music. The theater's interior features a decorative plaster ceiling, wooden floors, and a stage that is equipped with state-of-the-art lighting and sound systems, similar to those found at the Sydney Opera House and the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. The theater's design has been influenced by other notable buildings, including the Guggenheim Museum designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and the Farnsworth House designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.

● Performance Venues

The Wisconsin Union Theater is one of several performance venues located within the Memorial Union building, which also includes the Play Circle Theater and the Fredric March Play Circle. The theater is also part of the University of Wisconsin–Madison's Arts Institute, which provides support for arts programming and education on campus, including the School of Music and the Department of Theatre and Drama. The theater has hosted a wide range of performances, including concerts by André Watts, Itzhak Perlman, and the Berlin Philharmonic, as well as productions by the Steppenwolf Theatre Company and the Guthrie Theater. The theater has also been a popular venue for events, including the University of Wisconsin–Madison's Distinguished Lecture Series, which has featured speakers such as Nelson Mandela, Toni Morrison, and Elie Wiesel, as well as the Madison Jazz Festival and the Wisconsin Film Festival.

● Events and Programming

The Wisconsin Union Theater offers a diverse range of events and programming throughout the year, including concerts, plays, dance performances, and lectures, featuring artists and speakers from around the world, including China, India, and Africa. The theater is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison's Distinguished Lecture Series, which brings prominent speakers to campus, including Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey, and Malala Yousafzai. The theater has also hosted numerous festivals and events, including the Madison World Music Festival and the Wisconsin Union Theater's International Festival, which feature music and dance performances from around the world, including Brazil, Mexico, and South Africa. The theater's programming is supported by a variety of organizations, including the National Endowment for the Arts, the Wisconsin Arts Board, and the University of Wisconsin–Madison's College of Letters and Science.

● Notable Performers

The Wisconsin Union Theater has hosted a wide range of notable performers over the years, including Mikhail Baryshnikov, Plácido Domingo, and the New York City Ballet. The theater has also been a popular venue for musicians, including Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, and Bruce Springsteen, as well as comedians, including Richard Pryor, George Carlin, and Eddie Murphy. The theater has also hosted numerous productions by renowned theater companies, including the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Moscow Art Theatre, as well as dance companies, including the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and the Martha Graham Dance Company. The theater's notable performers have also included Nobel Prize winners, including Toni Morrison and Elie Wiesel, as well as Pulitzer Prize winners, including August Wilson and Suzan-Lori Parks.