Sessions
From paper to stage: How “They Marched into Sunlight” became a dance
Sunday, September 15th, 6:00 PM
Robin Becker, Ron Honsa, David Maraniss
Twenty years ago, David Maraniss published “They Marched into Sunlight,” a fascinating snapshot of the Vietnam War era told through interlocking narratives of the 1967 Dow Chemical protests on the UW-Madison campus and a brutal battle in Vietnam happening at roughly the same time. Years later, choreographer Robin Becker turned the book into a dance (“Into Sunlight”) and then award-winning documentarian Ron Honsa created a documentary about the transformation of the book to the stage. We will present the documentary and hear a talk afterward from Becker, Honsa and Maraniss. Reception precedes the session at 5 p.m.
How artificial intelligence is changing health care
Monday, September 16th, 1:00 PM
David Butler, Bob Lindner, Joel, Martin, Brad Taylor
Artificial intelligence is already reshaping the way we live our lives. In this discussion, a group of experts share how this new technology is changing the health care landscape, and look at the risks and opportunities for practitioners and patients.
One-on-one with Brandon Johnson
Monday, September 16th, 6:00 PM
Brandon Johnson, John Nichols
In conversation with the Cap Times’ John Nichols, Johnson will discuss his historic victory as Chicago’s mayor. He was the candidate of a multiracial, multiethnic coalition that made the 47-year-old one of the youngest big-city mayors in the history of the United States.
An evening with Nancy Pelosi
Monday, September 16th, 7:30 PM
Nancy Pelosi, Karen Tumulty
A discussion with the Speaker Emerita of the House of Representatives about her trailblazing career in politics and the tumultuous state of the nation just before this year’s pivotal presidential election.
Innovation from Crisis: What COVID-19 taught us about medical research
Tuesday, September 17th, 1:00 PM
Caleb Cox, Jackie Gerhart
During the COVID-19 pandemic, answering questions about the virus and how to treat it became the singular focus of the medical research community. Publishing findings quickly had the potential to save thousands of lives. To that end, Epic Research developed a novel two-team study approach, enabling them to publish research in a matter of weeks instead of months or years. Learn how they continue to apply that same process now to other pressing medical questions, accelerating the pace of medical research.
Unlocking Opportunity: How immigrants support education and the workforce
Tuesday, September 17th, 6:00 PM
Valerie Crespin-Trujillo, Karen Menendez Coller, Zong Her, Matt Kures, Francisco Soza
Immigration has not only been a catalyst in filling much needed jobs, it is also credited with strengthening the post-pandemic economy. Experts will discuss how immigrants can help fill needed roles in Dane County and bolster higher education enrollment, which is threatened by a looming demographic decline. Hosted buffet precedes the session starting at 5 p.m.
Live theater in a digital age
Tuesday, September 17th, 7:30 PM
Lindsay Christians, Jen Uphoff Gray, Samantha Newcomb, Megan Reilly, Sara Young
At a time when most people experience entertainment via screens large and small, what is the value of live theater — and how can companies continue to grow their audiences? At this panel, theater artists from around the Madison area will discuss how theater companies’ relationships to streaming changed during and after the pandemic, how theaters are using digital tools to increase accessibility and expand audiences, and the challenges and rewards of gathering people together to experience stories live in real time.
“I need space … and money:” Tips from Madison entrepreneurs of color on starting a business
Tuesday, September 17th, 7:30 PM
Jason Boatright, Josey Chu, Brian Espinosa, Cle Gray, Awa Sibi, Natalie Yahr
Wisconsin ranks last in the country for rate of business ownership among people of color. At this session, Madison-area entrepreneurs will share how they launched their businesses, and local experts will explain how their organizations can help new entrepreneurs find three important things: affordable property, low or no-interest capital and trustworthy advice. Invited resource groups that can provide funding, space and mentorship will be present before and after the session for a resource fair.
Unleashing atomic energy on cancer: Moving from Oppenheimer to theranostics
Wednesday, September 18th, 1:00 PM
Howard Bailey, Zachary Morris, Jamey Weichert, Greg Piefer
Learn how Wisconsin is becoming an international leader in theranostics (think therapy + diagnostics), which delivers highly targeted treatment to tumors, reducing the collateral damage such treatments can cause to the rest of the body. Wisconsin’s leadership in this area could prove to be an economic boon for the state.
Has the craft beer bubble burst?
Wednesday, September 18th, 6:00 PM
Chris Drosner, BIlly DuPlanty, Jessica Jones, Russ Klisch, Isaac Showaki
Recent financial troubles at high-profile Wisconsin craft breweries have clouded the future for what had been a growth industry. A group of experts takes a look ahead at the future for one of the state’s signature products.
One-on-one with Tommy Thompson
Wednesday, September 18th, 6:00 PM
John Nichols, Tommy Thompson
Tommy Thompson was Wisconsin’s governor for 14 years at the end of the 20th century, the longest-serving governor in the state’s history. He went on to serve in President George W. Bush’s cabinet and has seen the party change over time with the rise of Donald Trump. Thompson will talk with Cap Times associate editor John Nichols about the trajectory of both the party and Wisconsin just before the 2024 election.
How can we afford to live in Madison?
Wednesday, September 18th, 7:30 PM
Joe Bernard, Amani Latimer Burris, Ian Carter, Bill Connors, Allison Garfield
Rapidly rising rents and home prices in Madison are a source of great frustration for home-seekers and local leaders, who predict that the city’s population will continue to grow quickly, putting even more economic pressure on the existing housing supply. How will people be able to afford homes here? Experts discuss available solutions.
A conversation with Doris Kearns Goodwin
Wednesday, September 18th, 7:00 PM
Doris Kearns Goodwin, David Maraniss
Doris Kearns Goodwin is one of America’s most influential historians, shaping our national understanding about everything from the presidencies of Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt and Lyndon Johnson to baseball. Fellow Pulitzer Prize-winner David Maraniss will talk with her about her work, including her latest book about the turbulent 1960s.
Cooking with the Cap Times featuring Thony Clarke
Thursday, September 19th, 6:00 PM
Lindsay Christians, Thony Clarke
Join Cap Times food editor Lindsay Christians as she talks to Thony “Mangoman” Clarke the owner of Madison’s popular Café Costa Rica food cart in the latest edition of our popular three-year-old cooking series.
A Celebration of Journalism with Susan Glasser and Peter Baker
Thursday, September 19th, 7:00 PM
Peter Baker, Susan Glasser, David Maraniss
The husband-and-wife duo (he works for the New York Times, she for The New Yorker magazine) are two of the country’s leading chroniclers of Donald Trump’s presidency. David Maraniss will talk with them about their book, “The Divider, Trump in the White House, 2017-2021,” and what might come should Trump win a second term.
Midwestern politics and the future of American democracy
Friday, September 20th, 6:00 PM
Dan Balz, Samuel Freedman, Dan Kaufman
Wisconsin is seen as a pivotal state in this year’s election, but it and neighboring Minnesota have been political bellwethers for some time. In this session, Columbia University Professor Samuel Freedman, author of a new book about Hubert Humphrey and his leadership on civil rights in the 1940s, will be joined by Dan Kaufman, author of a history about the recent era of Republican domination in Wisconsin politics, to talk about the state of progressivism here and where it might be headed.
One-on-one with Liz Cheney
Friday, September 20th, 7:30 PM
Peter Baker, Liz Cheney
Liz Cheney was a top-tier leader in the Republican Party until the events of Jan. 6, 2021 led her to denounce former President Donald Trump and his role in the insurrection. She will talk with the New York Times’ Peter Baker about how she came to her decision and what a second Trump term might mean for the country.
Battleground Wisconsin: A strategic view
Saturday, September 21st, 12:30 PM
Erin McGroarty, Brian Schimming, Ben Wikler
The heads of the Democratic and Republican parties in Wisconsin talk strategy six weeks out from Election Day and debate where things will land for national and state candidates in a pivotal year.
Why health equity matters in Wisconsin
Saturday, September 21st, 1:45 PM
Amanda Dreyer, Tiffany Green, Ken Loving, Michelle Robinson
Wisconsin has historically been recognized as a leader in healthcare, consistently ranked as one of the top states in the country for producing strong health outcomes. Yet, a parallel legacy of health inequities persists across the Badger State. Our expert panel will explore dimensions of the problem and solutions for how we achieve health equity for all.
What will happen on Election Day in Wisconsin and the Midwest?
Saturday, September 21st, 3:00 PM
Dan Balz, Charles Franklin, Karen Tumulty
Charles Franklin is the director of the Marquette Law School Poll, considered the gold standard for Wisconsin polling, will discuss his latest findings about the Wisconsin electorate with journalists from the Washington Post just weeks before the pivotal 2024 election.
One-on-one with Judy Collins
Saturday, September 21st, 6:00 PM
Judy Collins, John Nichols
Collins is probably best known as a Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter, one of the most-recognized performing artists in recent American history. But she has always been deeply involved in politics, active in the civil rights and antiwar movements of the 1960s and a pioneering advocate for abortion rights. In conversation with the Cap Times’ John Nichols, she will reflect on her lifetime in music and social activism.
One-on-one with Heather Cox Richardson
Saturday, September 21st, 7:30 PM
David Maraniss, Heather Cox Richardson
Cox Richardson is a Boston College history professor whose daily digital essays (“Notes from an American”) that place current political events into historical context have gained a massive national following. In this keynote Idea Fest session, she will talk with fellow historian David Maraniss about the precedents for what we are seeing now in America’s political landscape and where we might be headed.
Past Sessions
Free to members: ‘The Lifespan of a Fact’ and authors’ Q&A
John D’Agata, Jim Fingal & Chris Murphy
September 27 @ 7 p.m.
Forward Theater is producing an innovative online version of play about a heavy exchange between a narrative-driven essayist and a fact-driven…
Smarter than You Trivia
Paul Guse
Even the pandemic can’t stop trivia. Join us for Madison’s best trivia experience — offered via Zoom — with your fully formed team or come as an individual…
How 2020 Changes Everything About Politics and Governing
Francesca Hong, Gwen Moore & John Nichols
Gwen Moore is a senior member of Congress, who has served in the Wisconsin state Assembly and Senate. Francesca Hong is a political…
Members only: The state of journalism with Cap Times staff
Cap Times reporters and editors
A chance to ask questions of reporters and editors about what it’s been like to do their jobs during the pandemic, and to offer feedback…