Overture's Rising Stars

ALL AGES. ALL TALENTS.

Now in its fifth year, Overture’s Rising Stars is our area’s most exciting talent search, aimed at showcasing the wealth of talent in our community.

Auditions were held on SAT, JUL 14 and SAT, JUL 28. Those selected from the preliminary auditions by our panel of judges will be invited to The Callback on SAT, AUG 18. A workshop on SAT, SEP 1 will give those moving on another opportunity to perform and receive constructive feedback from local professionals before they put it all on the line at The Finals at Overture on SAT, SEP 15. The finalists will come together on the historic Capitol Theater stage to perform for the community and win cash prizes. One grand prize winner will be awarded the opportunity to perform during the 2019-20 season!

Read through the Audition Guide for more information!

AUDITION GUIDE

Auditions
SAT, JUL 14, 2018 from 10 AM – 4 PM in Rotunda Studio, Overture Center for the Arts

SAT, JUL 28, 2018 from 10 AM – 4 PM at Parker High School in Janesville, WI

The Callback
SAT, AUG 18, 2018 from 10 AM – 4 PM in Capitol Theater, Overture Center for the Arts

Workshop
SAT, SEP 1, 2018 from 1 – 3 PM in Promenade Hall, Overture Center for the Arts

The Finals
SAT, SEP 15, 2018 at 7:30 PM in Capitol Theater, Overture Center for the Arts

Buy tickets

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The Judges

Pacal “DJ Pain 1” Bayley

Known for his production on Young Jeezy’s platinum-selling album The Recession, producer Pacal “DJ Pain 1” Bayley stays busy. His journey started in the late 90’s while cultivating hip-hop sensibilities through visual art, DJing, and beat-making. He balanced a career in youth service/teaching with creating music, oftentimes marrying the two – he co-founded the first hip-hop performing arts program housed in an institute of higher education in Madison. Once he decided to focus on his production career, his resume quickly grew to include both legendary hip-hop acts (Public Enemy, MC Lyte) as well as contemporary hit-makers (Juicy J, 2 Chainz, 50 Cent). He has also garnered attention for his online video series on production and music business know-how. You can find DJ Pain 1 on Twitter and Facebook.

Jessica Lanius

Jessica is the Artistic Director of Theatre LILA, a company founded in New York City in 2004 and recently transplanted to Madison, WI in 2013. For Theatre LILA she has directed and choreographed: The Mojo and The Sayso, TRASH: a Theatre LILA Invention, No Child…, The Suitcase Dreams and A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Overture Center for the Arts. As a movement director and choreographer she has worked with American Players Theater on Seascape by Edward Albee, The Merry Wives of Windsor, An Ideal Husband and has choreographed Mary’s Wedding in the Touchstone at APT. Recent Theatre LILA projects include the musical Big Fish at Overture Center and an original dreamscape entitled The BED at the Union Theater in 2017.

Scott O’Donnell

Scott has always searched for colorful moments, and a childhood love of the circus and clowns dictated his life’s colorful future. Befriending clowns and circus performers who were travelling through his area, Scott learned the delicate art of making people laugh, a skill that lead to him owning his own circus for 8 years, and having the pleasure of appearing with his circus in Tim Burton’s movie Big Fish. After moving to Baraboo, WI, Scott performed and served as Operations Manager at the Circus World Museum before he was off to Feld Entertainment and a return to performing and booking talent for Ringling Bros. He’s also worked with The Big Apple Circus (where he served as Vice President and General Manager), and Live Nation. When the opportunity arose to return to Circus World, Scott seized it and currently serves as the Executive Director. Always honored to be a part of live entertainment, Scott believes that, “To be part of making memories through artistic talents is an amazing and humble honor. My life’s motto has always been ‘The child in the audience was and still is me.’”

Barbara Bolan

Barbara is a senior marketing executive with over 20 years of progressive experience in the entertainment industry and 7 years of experience in non-profit media and community engagement. Her specific competencies include market plan development and implementation, staff supervision and development, profit and loss responsibilities, creative advertising management, public relations, vendor relations, media relations, retail outlet liaison, fundraising and program management. She is also the CEO of her own music marketing company, First Release Music.

Rachelle Butler

A Madison native, Ms. Butler’s professional training began with Wisconsin Dance Ensemble (now Madison Ballet) in 1999. After dancing with the studio company for a year she was accepted on full scholarship to the Rock School of the Pennsylvania Ballet where she trained for two years. Ms. Butler continued her training with some of the best schools in the country including Ballet Chicago and Miami City Ballet School. While at Ballet Chicago she was given the opportunity to perform a large repertoire of Balanchine ballets as a soloist and principle dancer. Her favorite roles include principle couple in Allegro Brilliante, Second Violin in Concerto Barocco, and Who Cares? Pas de deux. Her professional career began with Sacramento Ballet and continued with Madison Ballet until her recent retirement from the stage. Before her retirement, she was blessed to perform the role of Mina in W. Earle Smith’s Dracula: A Rock Ballet as well as many other soloist and principle roles created on her by the Artistic Director of Madison Ballet. Ms. Butler was fortunate to begin her teaching career as a student with Ballet Chicago and honed her teaching style while performing with Sacramento Ballet and Madison Ballet. She also worked in the Philadelphia, Chicago, Sacramento, and Madison communities in outreach and education throughout her career. Currently, Ms. Butler works with Madison’s HeadStart schools teaching movement and ballet, provides lecture demonstrations in senior living facilities, and Overture’s Kids in the Rotunda. In addition, she runs Madison Ballet’s Master Class series bringing different styles of dance and cultures to the School of Madison Ballet. This year she will be joining the Overture Center’s judging panel for Rising Stars, which she previously participated in as a mentor.

Elijah Edwards performs on Overture Hall stage. Elijah was a finalist in the 2016 Rising Stars Competition.

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This project is supported by Arts Access, a component fund of the Madison Community Foundation, Madison-Kipp Corporation & Dane Arts with additional funds from the Evjue Foundation