The MOTH PROJECT
Thursday, October 24
8pm
The Playhouse
$35
$20 student rush tickets available
In-person sales only. Valid student ID required
Limit: 2 tickets per ID
Runtime
70 minutes, no intermission
Age Recommendation
All ages
On sale Friday, September 13
11am
This is a facility rental event presented by an independent organization separate from Overture Center for the Arts.
Can a song about moths save the earth?
David Attenborough meets Laurie Anderson in The MOTH PROJECT, a new production from Peter Kiesewalter, Grammy-nominated and Emmy-winning creator of the East Village Opera Company. Blending music, family history and moth lore, The MOTH PROJECT brings art and science together in entirely original and unexpected ways. Integrating live music, video, storytelling and science, the 75-minute show aims to instill a sense of wonder, appreciation, connection and curiosity about our natural world.
MUSIC – From Bach to Joni Mitchell to KISS to original songs, the music reflects the incredible diversity of the moth species and explores the common themes between us and them – migration, seduction, death, transformation and hope.
PICTURES – Through a visually stunning tour of macro photography, slow motion video and dynamic motion graphics, moths appear larger than life, towering over two musicians and engulfing them in their world.
WORDS – By weaving science, Western and Indigenous mythologies, and personal story of one family’s journey from post-war Europe to North America, The MOTH PROJECT explores the multiple ways we connect to our ecosystem.
“It is storytelling lifted to the stars… Kiesewalter has crafted a beautiful event… that will leave you with awe-inspiring wonder.”
Front Row Center NYC
"It’s clever, it’s wise, it’s so very human.”
NYC Theatre Times
Photos
Meet the Artists
Creator & Keyboard
Peter Kiesewalter
Peter Kiesewalter studied clarinet and saxophone performance at Ottawa University. He moved to New York City in 1997 and has worked as a touring and recording musician, composer, arranger, music director and producer ever since, most notably with his East Village Opera Company project which signed to Decca/Universal in 2005, garnered much acclaim (“Highbrow and brilliant!” – NewYork Magazine Approval Matrix) and a GRAMMY nomination for their modernist take on classic opera repertoire. He splits his time between Brooklyn with his three children and an upstate New York 18th century farmhouse that he bought and renovated with his partner Whitney La Grange.
Violin
Whitney La Grange
Whitney La Grange is from McAllen, Texas. She received her bachelor of music from The Juilliard School. She also attended Yale University on full scholarship in the Artist Diploma Program and received her master of music degree from the University of Illinois where she was a teaching assistant. In New York City she has enjoyed the variety of playing in orchestras (New York City Ballet, New York City Opera, Brooklyn Philharmonic and American Symphony Orchestra), on Broadway (Camelot at Lincoln Center), chamber music (Blue Door String Quartet and Lautreamont String Quartet) and rock/pop gigs (Billy Joel, Jon Batiste, Janelle Monae, Darlene Love, Brian Wilson, Graham Nash, Josh Groban, Rod Stewart, Smokey Robinson and Natalie Merchant). When she’s not in New York City working, she spends time with Kiesewalter at their farmhouse in Sullivan County, NY.
Upcoming Music Events
-
2025/26 Season, Music, Overture Presents DRUM TAO: The Best
Capitol Theater
Experience the pulse-pounding power of Drum TAO, where traditional Japanese Wadaiko drums meet breathtaking performance and modern spectacle. Renowned for their dynamic choreography, striking visuals and thunderous rhythms, “Drum TAO” delivers a performance that is more than just a concert—it’s a full-body experience.
7:00 PM -
Classical Music, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Music Ax Plays Mozart
Overture Hall
Strauss’ “Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks” is a mischievous tone poem that follows the antics of a legendary trickster. From daring escapades to clever pranks, the music captures Till’s irreverent spirit with virtuosic orchestral writing and humor.
Multiple Showtimes -
Family Friendly, Free Events, Kids in the Rotunda, Music Tom Pease
Rotunda Stage
One of the series’ most popular performers, Tom Pease engages children with imaginative songs, humor and full audience participation. Pease’s show leaves audiences with a renewed appreciation for their own sense of place and community.
Multiple Showtimes -
2025/26 Season, Classical Music, Cover Bands, Music, Overture Presents One Night of Queen performed by Gary Mullen and The Works
Capitol Theater
Get ready to rock! This high-energy, two-hour stage show brings the legendary music and iconic theatrics of Queen to life, featuring the incredible Gary Mullen & The Works.
7:30 PM -
Classical Music, Music, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra Masterworks IV - Dueling Violins
Capitol Theater
Prepare to be mesmerized as two extraordinary violin masters, Gilles Apap and Eric Silberger, return to the stage for “Dueling Violins”—not as rivals, but as creative counterparts.
7:30 PM -
Classical Music, Film, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Music Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark™ Live in Concert
Overture Hall
Madison Symphony Orchestra’s MSO at the Movies presents “Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark™ Live in Concert,” featuring John Williams’ GRAMMY® Award-winning score performed live to the film led by conductor Kyle Knox at Overture Hall.
Multiple Showtimes -
Family Friendly, Music Jerry Ensemble Cabaret
Promenade Hall
Get ready for a dazzling night of song and storytelling! The Jerry Ensemble takes the stage with a captivating cabaret featuring everything from beloved musical theater classics to the latest Broadway hits.
Multiple Showtimes -
Classical Music, Cyber Weekend, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Music An Evening of Chamber Music and Organ
Overture Hall
As the Madison Symphony Orchestra celebrates 100 years this season, it seemed only fitting to bring fellow colleagues on stage with MSO Principal Organist Greg Zelek to showcase their talent and unique pairing. Get a chance to hear many of the orchestra musicians perform works as soloists with the organ.
7:30 PM -
2025/26 Season, Music, Overture Presents, Theater An Evening with Audra McDonald
Overture Hall
Overture Center is honored to welcome the incomparable Audra McDonald to Madison for an unforgettable evening of music and artistry. The Tony, Grammy and Emmy winner stands alone as one of the most celebrated performers of our time.
7:30 PM -
Classical Music, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Music LA Guitar Quartet
Overture Hall
Peruvian composer Jimmy López’s “Fiesta! Four Pop Dances for Orchestra” is a vibrant and exhilarating celebration of life, culture and happiness. Filled with pulsating rhythms, bold colors and infectious energy, it draws from the rich traditions of Latin American music and ends with a blazing techno finale.
Multiple Showtimes -
Dance, Family Friendly, Free Events, Kids in the Rotunda, Music Limanya Drum and Dance
Rotunda Stage
Performing traditional music from Guinea and Mali, West Africa, Limanya Drum and Dance Ensemble incorporates song, dance, drum and theater into high-energy entertainment for all audiences.
Multiple Showtimes -
Classical Music, Music, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra Masterworks V - Saint-Saëns & Salome
Capitol Theater
Closing the 2025/26 Masterworks season is an evening of works known for their virtuosic demands and lush expressive beauty.
7:30 PM -
Classic Rock, Family Friendly, Music, Popular Music The Rock Orchestra by Candlelight
Overture Hall
The Rock Orchestra by Candlelight presents a spellbinding 90-minute spectacle that infuses iconic rock and metal anthems with a hauntingly beautiful energy. Witness the unexpected union of classical music and metal.
8:00 PM -
Dance, Family Friendly, Free Events, Kids in the Rotunda, Music Duke Otherwise
Rotunda Stage
Don’t miss the wildly entertaining Duke Otherwise! This playful wordsmith, spirited performer and captivating tap dancer brings music and laughter to audiences of all ages.
Multiple Showtimes -
2025/26 Season, Cabaret, Music, Overture Presents Patti Murin: Once Upon a Stage
Capitol Theater Stage
Broadway star Patti Murin invites you on a journey through the music that has shaped her illustrious career. Murin brings her signature warmth, themes of love, resilience and the power of dreams—weaving in heartfelt reflections on motherhood and its impact on her life and artistry.
6:30 PM -
Classical Music, Madison Opera, Music, Theater Così fan tutte
Overture Hall
Two sisters, two suitors and a drunken wager about the nature of fidelity—what could possibly go wrong? Mozart’s deliciously risqué romantic comedy is full of sublime arias, sparkling ensembles and the complications that ensue when young love and flirtation encounter reality.
Multiple Showtimes -
2025/26 Season, Music, Overture Presents, Up Close Llewellyn Sanchez-Werner
Capitol Theater Stage
Hailed as a “gifted virtuoso” (San Francisco Chronicle) with “masterful technique and a veritable deluge of sonorities” (La Presse Montreal), pianist Llewellyn Sánchez-Werner captivates audiences worldwide with his mesmerizing artistry and profound musical storytelling.
8:00 PM -
Family Friendly, Free Events, Kids in the Rotunda, Music Lullaby Project
Rotunda Stage
Join local musicians and teaching artists for a very special day of sharing songs created for the little ones in your life.
Multiple Showtimes -
2025/26 Season, Music, Overture Presents, Popular Music Take 6
Capitol Theater
Experience the genius of Take 6, the most awarded a cappella group in history! Don’t miss the extraordinary vocal orchestra that continues to amaze audiences with their enduring legacy of harmony, faith and friendship.
7:30 PM -
Music The MadHatters A Cappella Spring Show
Capitol Theater
With their unmistakable attire in their Wisconsin red jackets, the MadHatters A Capella Spring Show brings everyone together to clap their hands and stomp to the beat.
7:00 PM -
Classical Music, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Music Voices Eternal
Overture Hall
Our reimagined subscription season finale created by John DeMain is an uplifting program bringing to life moments from the MSO’s history, intimate connections to the world of opera, and highlights from his transformational tenure as Music Director. He opens the concert with Wagner’s glorious Prelude to Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, played by the Madison Civic Symphony in 1926.
Multiple Showtimes -
Classical Music, Free Events, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Music A Community Gift and Dream — for the Love of Music
During this free, two-day festival celebration, MSO musicians and diverse community groups will perform on a rotating schedule throughout Overture Center for the Arts. The Sunday concert features some of the “greatest hits” of classical music and will be the final concert Maestro John DeMain conducts as Music Director.
4:30 PM