Many of us have been to concerts in which artists feel like a world away, framed by a distant stage and a sea of seats between us and the music. You’re part of it all but also separated from it.
And then there are performances in which you’re close enough to catch all the little things: the artists’ expressions, an improvised moment, a smile at you from an artist, an exchange of excited looks between performers…
That’s the kind of experience waiting for you on the second floor of Memorial Union at the Play Circle Theater.
One of two Wisconsin Union Theater performance spaces, the Play Circle is the smaller, more intimate of the Theater’s venues. Its size is part of its magic, but there’s another important piece: the room can change. Retractable seating allows it to shift from a seated theater into an open-floor venue. A set of curtains allows for the performance space to adjust in size for the occasion.
That flexibility will be on full display this fall during performances by Michael Mayo, bLAck pARty and Raveena during the 2026-27 Wisconsin Union Theater season.
Many Performances, One Intimate Space
On Sept. 18, we will welcome French-Senegalese singer-songwriter anaiis for the season’s first Black Box Sessions performance. Her introspective music brings together soul, R&B and music influences shaped by a life lived across continents, exploring identity, grief, healing and hope. In the Play Circle’s close, club-style setting, the subtle details of anaiis’s expressive vocals and storytelling can take center stage, creating the kind of personal connection between artist and audience at the heart of the Black Box Sessions.
On Oct. 1, Grammy Award-nominated singer-songwriter and vocalist Michael Mayo will bring a blend of jazz, neo-soul and R&B to the Play Circle. Mayo layers harmonies, beatboxing and vocals into his music. In a room like the Play Circle, his artistry doesn't have far to travel. The first row is essentially on stage, sharing the same floor as Mayo.
Two weeks later, the space will take on an entirely different atmosphere.
On Oct. 15, the Play Circle will transform for a performance by bLAck pARty, part of the Wisconsin Union Theater’s intimate, club-style Black Box Sessions performance series.
For Black Box Sessions, traditional theater expectations make way for a club-like atmosphere. The seating retracts. Standing cocktail rounds come out. A bar is set up inside the performance space. Audience members can gather close to the stage and become immersed in the music.
That setup is especially fitting for bLAck pARty, the producer, singer, songwriter, DJ and multi-instrumentalist whose music moves among R&B, neo-soul, funk, hip-hop, house and more. For a performance that moves people to dance, the open-floor setup gives the audience the space to move with the music.
The very next night, Oct. 16, the Play Circle changes again for Raveena, an artist known for ethereal neo-soul that weaves together R&B, pop, folk and Indian musical influences. Raveena made history as the first woman of Indian heritage to perform solo at Coachella, and her music creates the kind of atmospheric, enveloping experience particularly suited to a room where artist and audience are near to one another.
Different artists. Different sounds. Different configurations. The constant is intimacy.
What Makes a Black Box Special?
Black box theaters grew in popularity during the 20th century, particularly in the 1960s, as artists embraced smaller, flexible spaces that could be adapted for different kinds of performances. Rather than permanent scenery or a fixed space between a stage and the audience, these spaces offered something intentionally simple: a room that could become what the performance and artist need.
Seating that could move, a performance area that could shift, audiences brought closer to artists and space that could be reimagined from one production to the next...the makings of a special arts experience.
That tradition continues in the Play Circle Theater today. While the Play Circle can function as a traditional seated theater, its retractable seating and flexible performance area mean the room can become something entirely different for an occasion that calls for it.
And when the room gets smaller, in some ways the experience gets bigger for arts-goers.
There are fewer physical barriers between performer and audience. Small moments become noticeable. The energy of the crowd becomes part of the performance. Instead of simply watching something happen onstage, you can feel like you are inside the arts experience.
A Long Tradition of Performance at Memorial Union
The Play Circle is part of the Wisconsin Union’s Wisconsin Union Theater, which upholds a tradition of performing arts experiences stretching back more than a century.
From the beginning, students have also been part of making these performances happen.
Today, University of Wisconsin–Madison students serving on the Wisconsin Union Directorate Performing Arts Committee work alongside Wisconsin Union Theater staff to help bring artists to campus and create performing arts experiences for a lifetime.
Through that work, students gain real-world, hands-on experience in arts programming, event production, finance and leadership while helping shape world-class, diverse performing arts experiences.
That means a night at the Play Circle is more than an opportunity to experience an artist up close. It is also part of the Wisconsin Union’s long tradition of learning outside the classroom, of creating community, and of students helping create the experiences that make Memorial Union a gathering place.
Your Event Can Take the Stage, Too
The Play Circle isn’t only home to Wisconsin Union Theater-hosted performances.
The venue is also available to rent for personal events, performances and other gatherings. Depending on the configuration, the Play Circle can accommodate up to 184 people seated or up to 300 people during standing-room events.
Its flexibility makes it a fit for many events, including lectures, comedy, poetry, intimate wedding receptions, and more.
Whatever brings people into the room, the Play Circle offers something increasingly rare in live entertainment: the chance to be up close with the people, ideas and art you came to experience.
Step Inside the Circle
Check out a performance: Explore upcoming Wisconsin Union Theater performances and purchase tickets at union.wisc.edu/visit/wisconsin-union-theater/seasonevents.
Make the space your own: Learn more about renting Wisconsin Union Theater spaces at union.wisc.edu/visit/wisconsin-union-theater/theater-event-planners/services-and-pricing.
Gifts that support the arts: Gifts to the Wisconsin Union Theater Director’s Discretionary Fund help make performing arts experiences possible, including UW–Madison students gaining real-world skills behind-the-scenes through the Wisconsin Union Directorate Performing Arts Committee. Make your tax-deductible gift here.