A Voice from the Past: Previous Wisconsin Union Theater Director Michael Goldberg

Goldberg in the Theater

 We went to Michael Goldberg, the Wisconsin Union Theater's Cultural Arts Director from 1983-2003, to get his take on our upcoming season. Here are the thoughts of a theatrical powerhouse.

What artists performed at the Wisconsin Union Theater as young, new musicians and returned as accomplished ones?

I assume you are asking me to focus on “classical” musicians. The many “young artists” who performed at the Union Theater early in their careers and then went on to great renown, returning to the Wisconsin Union Theater as the stars of classical music, are almost too numerous to mention.

 The excerpt below is from the Concert Series History that appears on your website:

“Pinchas Zukerman in 1968 (violin); Julian Bream, 1959 (guitar); Murray Perahia, 1971 (piano); Carter Brey, 1986 (cello) have found a receptive and supportive public before whom they could make their exciting debuts, learn and grow artistically, and later return as acknowledged stars.

 Just going back to the late 1950s, 60s and 70s, to those making youthful debuts at the Wisconsin Union Theater you can add:

Emanuel Ax, piano

Dawn Upshaw, soprano

            -Peter Serkin, piano
            -Garrick Ohlsson, piano
            -Dawn Upshaw, soprano
            -Yo-Yo Ma, cello
    (although Yo-Yo was always a superstar)
            -Janina Fialkowska, piano
            -Paul Neubauer, viola
            -Christopher O’Riley, piano
            -Emanuel Ax, piano
    (the joke was that Manny’s first publicity        shots at the WUT were his bar mitzvah photos)

 All are among today’s classical superstars.
(Of course, there are plenty of non-classical stars – especially jazz artists – who appeared at the theater early in their careers.)         

Tell us about the history (and the thinking behind it) of keeping tickets affordable for staff and students

For many years Wisconsin Union Directorate student programmers and committee chairs, as well as past Wisconsin Union Theater directors - Fan Taylor, Bill Dawson, Ralph Sandler, yours truly and Ralph Russo – have long understood that the Union, as the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Division of Social Education, has a mission to enrich and contribute to the cultural and aesthetic lives of students.

UW students studying at Memorial Library

Just as courses and curricula contribute to students' academic development, a key part of fulfilling that mission is to offer students the highest quality arts and entertainment experiences at the lowest possible prices students and young people, exposed to the arts early in their lives, become the audiences of the future. Reduced ticket prices for students, the Theater Endowment Fund, direct involvement in programming and producing events – all are central to the theater and Union missions and have been from the earliest years.

Also of interest is not just the many students who, through their Union Theater experiences, grew into life-long, arts-attending ticket buyers, but the many who actually ended up in professional careers in some aspect of the arts and entertainment industry.

Is there anyone you think students might be particularly excited about this season?

Madeleine Peyroux

It’s all about the magic of live performance.

The 2011-12 season is very strong, not just on the classical series but elsewhere (I can almost guarantee electrifying performances from Terence Blanchard, Madeleine Peyroux, Yamato and Leahy).

But on the concert series, orchestras always sound fabulous in the UT - as every knows the acoustics of the space are extraordinary - so The Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Chamber Ensemble should be thrilling. And of course, the David Finckel /Wu Han/Phillip Setzer Trio (especially for students new to chamber music) will blow audiences away.

Where is She Now? Brittany Buckner Looks Back to her time in the Theater

Brittany Buckner was the student director of the of the Performing Arts Committee in 2001-2003. We wanted to catch up with her and see what she's doing now. Here she is in May with husband Shawn and their daughter Zora at 2 weeks old.

What is one of your favorite memories of the Wisconsin Union Theater?
My favorite memory is Weekend Slam in 2002. As the director of the Performing Arts Committee that year, I was fond of spoken word, as were many people on campus that year. I had created the Big Mouth series, which was a regular open mic night for spoken word at the Union. It was always well attended and generated much buzz on campus, so I decided to create a bigger event called Weekend Slam, where there were several spoken word events throughout the weekend, including: a standing room only poetry slam in the Rathskaller, a viewing of the movie "Slam" starring Saul Williams, poetry workshop and live performance featuring Saul Williams.

Each event was packed full of excited people. I, along with many student volunteers, worked my butt off, but it was worth every 15 hour day.  I learned how to produce an event for hundreds of people. Putting on Weekend Slam helped me discover my ability to help people enjoy the performing arts. I am ever grateful to the people, namely Michael Goldberg and my Wisconsin Union Directorate colleagues, who enabled me to learn about my strengths in this hands-on way.

What is your current job? Where do you currently live?
I currently live in Washington DC with my husband Shawn and new daughter, Zora. In my professional life, I am an education consultant for Booz Allen Hamilton, a strategy consulting firm that focuses on the Federal Government. Ten years ago, when I was at UW-Madison, I never would have imagined that I'd be working in this capacity. However, I've found a good niche within the consulting world that satisfies my interests and strengths. I design cultural curriculum for military personnel deploying to Afghanistan and other regions of the world where the Department of Defense is focused. My undergraduate degree is in cultural anthropology and my graduate degree is in education from Harvard University (2007). My work allows me to merge these two areas. In my spare time, which is slim given that I'm a new mommy, I also write creatively.


Has your experience at the Wisconsin Union Theater impacted your life since being here?
When I worked at the Union Theater, I was supported by great people who understood the importance of the arts and work ethic. People such as Michael Goldberg and Esty Dinur. Having had varied professional experience since I graduated in 2004, I understand that their support, high expectations, and passion is not to be taken for granted. From my experience as the director of the Performing Arts Committee, I will always have a standard for what makes a great work situation. I know when it's time to move on to something better professionally because I know what work should feel like, given my Union Theater experience: challenging, passionate, supported, and flexible.


Who are you excited about this season?
Next season is super hot! With Sweet Honey in the Rock, Savion Glover, and Terence Blanchard, it's hard to choose which one I'd most want to see. But, I'll tip my hat towards Terance Blanchard, just because my husband and I are fans of his work on all of Spike Lee's movies. His sound is so unique and sensual.


Interview by Erin Bannen, marketing Intern

'Tis the Season for Special Events

By Nina Reynolds

I know what you're thinking. No, it's not the holiday season yet. It's not even time for Christmas in July, if that's something anyone even celebrates (I say, the more excuses to have a party the better).

No, the title of this article refers less to that jolly, "fa la la," and "deck the halls" time of the year and more to a season we can all agree is just as merry and worthy of celebration: the Wisconsin Union Theater 2011-2012 season, of course! And while you should check out all of the events coming your way, "follow me in merry measure" now to look in-depth at two of this season's Special Events.

Savion Glover

"Strike the harp . . ."

There will not be any striking of harps when Savion Glover takes the stage at the Union Theater on November 10, 2011, but I can promise striking. Of the stage floor. With the most magically rhythmic pair of feet you will encounter in your life. In fact, the "King of Tap," as Glover is often called, teaches his students not to "strike" per se, but to "hit" when they are tap dancing. "Hitting," according to Glover, refers to taking classroom moves and heavily infusing them with personal style, rhythm, and expression.

*Fun fact #1: Glover founded and teaches at HooFeRz School for Tap in Newark, New Jersey. He states: "Our Tap Dance educational curriculum recognizes that all students have the right to an arts education as a fundamental part of basic education."

A quick learner, Glover studied under tap legends like Gregory Hines, Sammy Davis Jr., and Honi Coles and made his public debut at the age of ten in the Broadway performance "The Tap Dance Kid." Although he often pays homage to the tap "greats" who inspired and encouraged him, by integrating some of their moves into his dancing, Glover's hard-hitting, bass-line-creating, hip-hop-infused, funk style, ultimately shines through in performance. Although tap dance has transformed over the years to incorporate flashy moves for entertainment -- such as "jazz hands" and "jazz smiles" -- Glover works to maintain African-rooted rhythm that is created from the waist down.

* Fun Fact #2: In addition to being a dancer and a teacher, Glover is also an actor and a choreographer.

Over the years, Glover has performed in, and choreographed for, numerous Broadway productions, films, and television shows and movies. He was the youngest person to be nominated for a Tony award, at age 15, for his appearance in the Broadway production of "Black and Blue" in 1989. In 1996, he won a Tony award for his choreography for the Broadway show, "Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk." And from 1990-1995 he made regular appearances on the kid's show Sesame Street on PBS. These are just a few of his most notable appearances, not to mention that "Mumble" in the animated film "Happy Feet" is based on him and his moves. Check out this video.


Sweet Honey in the Rock

"And join the chorus . . ."

Trust me when I say that this is not a "chorus" you want to miss. Six stunning women make up this a capella group. Bernice Johnson Reagon founded the ensemble in 1973 with singers who were participating in a workshop she was teaching at the Washington D.C. Black Repertory Theater Company. Originally a quartet, 20 individuals have lent their voices to the group over the years.

*Fun Fact #1: Carol Maillard, a current member, was one of the founding members of the group, which means she has been singing with Sweet Honey in the Rock for 38 years.

The following passage from the group's website wonderfully describes the ensemble's pertinent choice of name: "From Psalm 81:16 comes the promise to a people of being fed by honey out of the rock. Honey – an ancient substance, sweet and nurturing. Rock – an elemental strength, enduring the winds of time. The metaphor of sweet honey in the rock captures completely these African American women whose repertoire is steeped in the sacred music of the Black church, the clarion calls of the civil rights movement, and songs of the struggle for justice everywhere."

*Fun Fact #2: Two of the members of Sweet Honey in the Rock, Nitanju Casel and Aisha Kahlil, are sisters who together founded First World Productions, a cultural arts organization.

The music of Sweet Honey in the Rock is impossible to group under one genre. They incorporate Blues, spirituals, traditional gospel hymns, rap, reggae, African chants, Hip Hop, ancient lullabies, and jazz improvisation into complex, five-part harmonies. Their largely original songs make them a must-see for people of all ages and backgrounds. As for the message that the spectacular six convey? It's a social one, with many of their songs emphasizing love, equality, and understanding -- between races, between genders, between nations. Visit our website here to see a recent video of the lovely ladies singing Are We a Nation? and you'll see what I mean.

 

I'm going to leave you with one more fun fact about Sweet Honey in the Rock: Of the six in the group, only five sing. The sixth member, Shirley Saxton, is the group's American Sign Language interpreter. How cool is that?!

These shows are not to be missed!! Don't hesitate to get your tickets now. And keep your eyes peeled for an inside look at two more events coming your way: Madeleine Peyroux and Pilobolus.