Overture Center for the Arts

==About Overture Center for the Arts== Overture Center for the Arts is a premier performing arts center located in Madison, Wisconsin. It boasts seven state-of-the-art performance spaces and four galleries, hosting Broadway tours, national and international touring artists, as well as nine resident companies and hundreds of local artists. The center is a hub for artistic and educational experiences, with nearly 700,000 visitors participating in events each year. Overture Center is dedicated to creating a welcoming space for all, offering free or low-cost community and education programs such as Kids in the Rotunda, OnStage Student Field Trips, and the Jerry Awards. The center also serves as a versatile venue for performances, corporate meetings, conventions, trade shows, weddings, banquets, and receptions. With a mission to support and elevate the community's creative culture, economy, and quality of life through the arts, Overture Center aims to provide extraordinary experiences for all. ===History of Overture Center=== The history of Overture Center for the Arts spans nearly a century, beginning with the opening of the Capitol Theater in 1928. Designed by the architectural firm Rapp & Rapp, the Capitol Theater was a stunning example of the grand movie palaces of the silent film era, featuring a custom-built Grand Barton theater organ and hosting vaudeville acts and feature-length films. As the era of silent movies waned, the Capitol Theater transitioned into a concert hall, hosting performances by notable artists such as the Lawrence Welk Orchestra, Perry Como, and the Beach Boys from the 1940s through the 1970s. In 1974, the Madison Civic Center was established, with the Capitol Theater as its cornerstone. The Oscar Mayer Foundation contributed a significant donation, leading to the theater's rebirth as the Oscar Mayer Theater. The Civic Center also included the Isthmus Playhouse, Madison Art Center, and the Crossroads Lobby. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the Oscar Mayer Theater became a cultural landmark, serving as the performance home for local arts groups. By the mid-1990s, the need for a modern performing arts center was recognized, and a group of local arts leaders envisioned a new facility. In 1997, Jerry Frautschi, a Madison native, pledged an unprecedented $50 million to build the Overture Center for the Arts. His commitment eventually totaled $205 million, marking the largest single gift to the arts in American history at that time. Overture Hall opened its doors on September 19, 2004, with a gala and a series of performances, including the national tour of Phantom of the Opera. The Oscar Mayer Theater, Isthmus Playhouse, and Madison Art Center underwent renovations and reopened in 2006 as the Capitol Theater, The Playhouse, and the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, respectively. These spaces, along with Overture Hall, the Rotunda, Promenade Hall, and additional performance venues, constitute the modern Overture Center for the Arts, a testament to the city's commitment to the performing arts and cultural enrichment. ===Community Engagement and Impact=== Overture Center for the Arts is deeply ingrained in the Madison community, contributing $34,480,000 to the local economy during the 2021/22 season, as reported by the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Fiscal and Economic Research Center. The center's Community Advisory Council plays a crucial role in shaping community and educational programming, ensuring that the arts center continues to enrich and engage with diverse audiences. The Overture Center Foundation oversees the center's operations, with a Board of Directors comprised of esteemed individuals from Madison and Dane County, who bring a wealth of professional and civic expertise. The foundation's annual reports provide transparency and detail the center's operations, financials, and opportunities for community involvement. Visitors and supporters can stay informed about Overture Center's upcoming shows, promotions, and free events by subscribing to the weekly e-newsletters. Additionally, the Overture Blog offers stories and insights from the Overture Center community, while public tours provide a deeper understanding of the center's rich history and current offerings.