Bridges of Madison County

Music and Lyrics by Jason Robert Brown

Book by Marsha Norman

Directed by Meghan Randolph

Music Direction by Lisa Erdman

August 15, 16, 21, 22, and 23 at 7:30pm

August 17 at 2:00pm

Play Circle Theatre, Memorial Union

800 Langdon St., 2nd floor

Francesca Johnson, a beautiful Italian woman who married an American soldier to flee war-ravaged Italy, looks forward to a rare four days alone on her Iowa farm when her family heads to the 1965 State Fair. When ruggedly handsome, National Geographic photographer, Robert Kincaid, pulls into her driveway seeking directions, though, what happens in those four days may very well alter the course of Francesca's life. Based on the best-selling novel and winner of the Tony Award for Best Score, Bridges is a touching, fiercely romantic, and powerful testament to love and the question of “what if?”

Ticket prices are $15-20 for students and $33-38 for general admission. There are no fees added to this price!

Click here for the online program!

Get tickets

IMPORTANT PARKING NOTE: The Lake Street garage has been torn down, but there is a garage accessible from Frances St. Click here for more info on parking.

TICKET INFORMATION

Box office services are provided through Campus Arts Ticketing at UW-Madison. Click here to see their hours and policies.

Ticket Prices: $33 (Sunday and Thursday) -$38 (Friday and Saturday) general admission. Students with a valid ID can be admitted for $15 (Sunday and Thursday)-$20 at all performances.

***Unless you elect to have your tickets mailed to you, there are no extra fees added to these prices.***

How to order:

Tickets can be purchased in one of three ways:

1. Order online.

2. Call the Campus Arts Box Office at 608-265-ARTS.

3. Order in person at the Campus Arts Ticketing Box Office in Memorial Union (800 Langdon St.) during business hours or starting one hour before performances. Enter through the doors at Park and Langdon Streets. Click here for a map.

VENUE INFORMATION

Parking/Transportation: Click here for complete information on parking. Please note: The Lake Street lot has been torn down, but there is still a garage accessible one block over, entering on Frances St.

Location: The Play Circle is located on the second floor of the Memorial Union. Enter through the doors at the corner of Park and Langdon Streets. The box office is on your left, past the information desk. The elevator to the second floor is on your right. The stairs just inside the door will take you to other parts of the building to enjoy dining and drinks before the performance. Click here for additional location information.

Pre-show dining: The Memorial Union is home to several casual dining restaurants including standard American fare, pizza, custom sandwiches, coffee, ice cream, and full-service bars. Visit the Memorial Union website for details. You can even bring your drinks with you into the theatre! The UW Campus and State Street are within walking distance and have many options for dining and drinks.

Accessibility: The venue is wheelchair accessible. If we can do anything to make your experience more accessible in other ways, please e-mail info@mtmadison.com to let us know!

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Lindsey Giese (Understudy Francesca) Lindsey Giese is thrilled to be back with MTM! Recent credits include Diana u/s (NEXT TO NORMAL) with MTM, the Narrator (JOSEPH…), Cathy (THE LAST FIVE YEARS), and Cinderella (INTO THE WOODS) with Sauk Prairie Theatre Guild. Lindsey spent four years as a lead singer with Holland America and Celebrity Cruises, is the former lead singer for “Sweet Dreams and Honky Tonks” with The Dang-its, and received BFAs in Music Theatre and Arts Administration from Viterbo University.

Brandon Aroonsavath (Understudy Robert) Brandon Aroonsavath is so happy to be apart of this summers MTM production of Bridges of Madison County. This will be Brandon's second production with MTM after playing Dr.Madden/Dr.Fine In last years production of Next To Normal! Brandon wants to thank everyone that has supported him in his career as he starts to transition to the next phase of his life moving to Chicago.

Dave Conour (Understudy Bud) Previous credits include COMPANY (Larry) and The Hello Girls with Four Seasons Theatre.

Emily Odegaard (Understudy Carolyn) is so excited to be making her Music Theatre of Madison debut! She's currently a rising junior BFA Musical Theatre and BA Arts Management double major and Media Studies minor at the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point! Collegiate credits include ELEVEN WEEKS OF NUCLEAR SUMMER (Leigh); KODACHROME (The Young Woman); THE MOORS (Moorhen U/S). Thank you to her family and Michael for all of their love and support! Instagram: @emilyodegard

Kai DeRubis (Understudy Michael) is excited to work with Music Theatre of Madison once again! You may have seen him in past MTM shows such as TEN DAYS IN A MADHOUSE, SONGS, or as the Emcee in Madison College's performance of CABARET. Kai is a passionate artist who is currently studying graphic design at Madison College. He would like to thank Meghan Randolph for encouraging him to take this role!

Rachael Brolin (Understudy Marian/Chiara) Rachael is excited to be back with MTM after understudying in Marry Me A Little earlier this year! She was also recently on stage in Merrily We Roll Along (Middleton Players Theatre) and worked with UW-Milwaukee Peck School of the Arts as Music Director for their fall 2024 production of Bright Star. Rachael also teaches voice and piano at Monroe Street Arts Center. Thank you to her family and friends for their support!

Karen Saari (Understudy Marge) Karen Saari’s recent creative focus has been on playwriting. She co-wrote TEN DAYS IN A MADHOUSE for MTM (with Jennifer Hedstrom). She previously performed with MTM in BONNIE AND CLYDE and SOUND OF MUSIC. Favorite performances includes roles in THE ODD COUPLE, CAT’S PAW, MISS FIRECRACKER CONTEST and the world premiere of YOU’VE RUINED A PERFECTLY GOOD MYSTERY. She teaches Speech and Theatre at Madison College. Love to Dave, Max and Ginn.

Dan Presser (Understudy Charlie) This is Dan's first production with MTM. He's happy to be working with such a talented team. Dan has performed with theatre groups throughout the area. His favorite roles include Willy Wonka in CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, Black Stache in PETER AND THE STARCATCHER, and Uncle Max in THE SOUND OF MUSIC. Dan and his wife live in Sun Prairie.

Sophie Pitsch (Understudy State Fair Singer, others) Sophie is so excited to be performing with MTM this summer! She worked with the company last summer as an Assistant Stage Manager on their production of Next to Normal. She is currently a rising senior at UW Stevens Point where she is earning a BFA in Musical Theatre with a minor in Dance. Most recent credits include: A Cry of Players (Anne); Side by Side by Sondheim (Vocalist); The Moors (Emilie). She would like to thank her family and her UWSP community for their support and love.

Nick Zadra (Understudy Paolo, others) Nick is delighted to be in his first MTM show and to help bring this powerful story to the stage. Since receiving a degree in Theatre and Drama from UW-Madison, he has acted in the Madison area with credits such as Herman in CABARET at Madison College and Harry in MAMMA MIA! with Oregon Straw Hat Players. He'd like to thank the cast and crew involved for making this a wonderful experience.

CREATIVE TEAM

Meghan Randolph (Director) founded MTM nearly 20 years ago and has directed more than half of its shows. Favorites include Little Miss Sunshine, Murder Ballad, Indecent, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Bonnie & Clyde, Nine, and many more. As a director and actor, Meghan has worked with Skylight Music Theater, Madison Opera, Forward Theater, Milwaukee Chamber Theater, Four Seasons Theatre, TNW Ensemble Theatre, Children's Theater of Madison, Madison College, and others. She holds a BFA in musical theatre from the University of Michigan and an MS in Arts Administration from Drexel University. This show is dedicated to Claudius.

Lisa Erdman (Music Director) A 2008 graduate of NYC’s American Musical and Dramatic Academy, Lisa is delighted to be back with MTM after music directing and playing piano for three of their previous shows: Marry Me A Little (2025), Held (2019), and Beyond the Ingenue (2018). Up next, Lisa will be music directing Children Theater of Madison’s The Pigeon Gets A Big Time Holiday Extravaganza (Dec. 2025) and Sun Prairie Civic Theatre’s Wizard of Oz (Jan. 2026).

Kate Jajewski (Choreographer) Kate Jajewski is thrilled to be back for her sixth production with MTM! She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin Theatre & Drama Department’s Acting Specialist program. Most recent MTM credits include Who’s Your Baghdaddy? (Berry), Indecent, and Held (Mera). She has been lucky to work with many of the incredible arts organizations Madison has to offer, including Middleton Players Theatre, Four Seasons Theatre, Children’s Theater of Madison, Dance Fabulous, and Madison Theatre Guild. Thank you for supporting Wisconsin arts!

Kristen Emery (Stage Manager) has stage managed over 25 shows with MTM, including Next to Normal, Who's Your Baghdaddy?, Ten Days in a Madhouse, Indecent, The Yellow Wallpaper, and her very first with the company, the 10th anniversary production of A New Brain. She is MTM's Company Manager. Previous credits include work with Fresco Opera Theatre, Children's Theater of Madison, Sun Prairie Civic Theatre, and companies in Indiana and New York.

Resa Fuller (Lighting Designer) is thrilled to return to Madison for another MTM show! She is a lighting designer currently pursuing her MFA in Lighting Design and Technology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Previous MTM credits include TEN DAYS IN A MADHOUSE, MONSTERSONGS, MICRO, and WHO’S YOUR BAGHDADDY, all on the Stage Management team. Favorite design credits include STUDIODANCE 2025 (Dance at Illinois), DANCE NATION (Station Theatre), and ACT A LADY (StageQ). Love to Alex. resalainefuller.com

Alex Brusky (Costume Designer) is excited to join Music Theatre of Madison again after doing wardrobe for NEXT TO NORMAL (2024). Alex works locally around Madison doing costume design, wardrobe, makeup art, and more at Madison Opera, Madison Ballet, Capital City Theater, The Children’s Theater of Madison, Groundlings Theater, The Bartell, and with multiple short film and music video crews. She has a bachelor's in Theater from UW Madison with an emphasis in technical theater.

Scott Glogovsky (Sound Designer) is returning for his umpteenth MTM show. Favorite sound design credits for the company include Lizzie, Little Miss Sunshine, Bonnie and Clyde, A New Brain, and Next to Normal, for which he wona Broadway World Award for Best Sound. Scott has also worked with APT and various companies in Florida and Milwaukee.

Xed Pharo (Properties Design) is a student at Madison College, where their previous credits include CABARET, THE ROLLER DERBY PLAY, and ROCK OF AGES, all on the stage management team. Xed has also worked as an assistant stage manager with Forward Theater.

Breanne Brennan (Slide Design) Breanne holds a B.A in Radio-TV-Film and Theatre from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. Recent tech design credits include GEORGIANA & KITTY: CHRISTMAS AT PEMBERLEY (Acacia Theatre – sound), JEKYLL & HYDE (Lake Country Playhouse - direction, lights, sound, projections), AKEELAH AND THE BEE (Waukesha Civic Theatre - sound & projections). Additionally, she produces LOOKING TO SCORE: A MOVIE SCORE PODCAST, available on all podcast platforms. Much love and thanks to her husband Jim for his support.

ADDITIONAL CREW:

Assistant Stage Managers: Raven Jensen and John Siewert

Assistant Props Design: Sarah DeRubis

Wardrobe: Jessica Contreras and Alexandria Brusky

Intimacy Coordinator: Paul Milisch

SPECIAL THANKS

Waunakee High School Drama Department

Karen Brown-Larimore/Madison Opera

Paul Milisch

Andrew Lonsdale

Kristin Randolph

Madison College/Robin Fonfara