An Interview With Thomas Verrette, Director of "Zero Gravity"

Zero Gravity is a feature documentary by Thomas Verrette that follows a diverse group of middle-school students from San Jose, CA, who compete in a nationwide tournament to code satellites aboard the International Space Station. 

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Monmouth County Board of County Commissioners announce successful 2021 summer tourism season

(KEYPORT, NJ) -- The Monmouth County Board of County Commissioners and tourism partners concluded the 2021 summer tourism season with a press conference on Tuesday, September 21 at the Mini Park located at 55 West Front Street.

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SOPAC To Remain Closed Until December Due To Hurricane Ida Damage

(SOUTH ORANGE, NJ) -- Just days before the South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) was poised to roll out its robust 2021-2022 season, Hurricane Ida ravaged the nonprofit theatre, as well as the surrounding downtown area. In the days immediately following the storm, SOPAC announced that all September shows would be rescheduled. Now, following a more thorough assessment of the building, it has been determined that SOPAC will need to close its lobby and the Jennifer & Tony Leitner Performance Hall to the public through at least December 7.

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Engelbert Humperdinck Returns To MPAC On October 6th

(MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- Beloved crooner Engelbert Humperdinck returns to the stage at Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC) on Wednesday, October 6 at 7:30pm. In a career spanning over 50 years, Engelbert has generated sales in excess of 140 million records, including 64 gold albums and 35 platinum, four Grammy nominations, a Golden Globe, and stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Las Vegas Walk of Fame, and Leicester Walk of Fame. Tickets range from $49-$89. 

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Daniel Colalillo To Hold Piano Recital In Morristown

(MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- Daniel Colalillo, a New York based classical pianist, will play a full solo recital on Saturday, September 25 at 7:00pm at the First Baptist Church (51 Washington Street) in Morristown. The show is the return for Classical Keys, a concert series that features top musicians from NYC who bring the highest level of artistic excellence; and build a deeper appreciation and understanding of Classical Music.

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Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie Mansion presents Pause 4 Paws on October 2nd

(TRENTON, NJ) -- People and pets of all ages are invited for Pause 4 Paws, a free day of pet-friendly activities and family fun on the grounds of the Trenton City Museum in Cadwalader Park Saturday, October 2. Attendees won’t want to miss the non-denominational “Blessing of the Pets” at 11:00am followed by a day filled with activities, vendors, and special guests.

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AddamsFest Returns To Westfield In October

(WESTFIELD, NJ) -- The town-wide celebration of Westfield's own Charles Addams returns this October! As we did in 2020, the festivities will be shaped by creative approaches to gatherings that provide a safe environment while maintaining the initial spirit of the celebration.

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Scott Cook and Meghan Cary To Perform In Lincroft On October 23rd

(LINCROFT, NJ) -- The show was rescheduled twice on account of covid-19, but Scott Cook and Meghan Cary will finally get the chance to play Earth Room Concerts in Lincroft on Saturday, October 23 at 7:30pm. All audience members must be fully COVID-vaccinated, and must be masked while inside the building. Seating will also be at reduced capacity, to aid appropriate distancing.

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Fugees Celebrate 25 Years of "The Score" With World Tour

(NEWARK, NJ) -- Ms. Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean and Pras Michel of legendary hip-hop group Fugees have reunited to announce their first world tour in 25 years and first shows in 15 years to celebrate the anniversary of 1996’s The Score, one of the greatest albums of all time. Presented by Diaspora Calling and produced by Live Nation, the 12-city international tour will make stops across the globe in Los Angeles, Miami, Newark, Paris, London, and more, before finishing the tour in Africa, with the final shows taking place in Nigeria and Ghana. 

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Luna Stage To Present Bilingual Outdoor Performances Of "The Frontera Project"

(WEST ORANGE, NJ) --  Luna Stage will launch its in-person 2021-2022 Season with The Frontera Project, co-conceived by Ramón Verdugo and Jessica Bauman, performing October 7-October 16 at multiple outdoor locations in Essex County including Montclair’s Lackawanna Plaza (October 7-10) and Luna Stage’s tented outdoor space in West Orange (October 14-16). This production marks Luna Stage’s return to full in-person performances. To ensure audience safety, proof of vaccination (or negative test for those under 12) and masking will be required.

An Interview With Thomas Verrette, Director of "Zero Gravity"

Zero Gravity is a feature documentary by Thomas Verrette that follows a diverse group of middle-school students from San Jose, CA, who compete in a nationwide tournament to code satellites aboard the International Space Station. 

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Ela: Breaking Boundaries screens at the Fall 2021 New Jersey Film Festival on Sunday, September 26

An in-depth look into New Jersey-based artist Ela Shah’s life and work, Ela: Breaking Boundaries screens at the Fall 2021 New Jersey Film Festival on Sunday, September 26. Directed by Swapna Kurup, this touching documentary explores the intersections between an artist’s personal life story and her work through interviews with Ela herself as well as several friends, family members, and colleagues. Hearing from various figures at institutions such as the Montclair Art Museum, the Aljira Center for Contemporary Art, and Rutgers’ own Zimmerli Art Museum, it is clear that Ela is an important fixture in the New Jersey art community whose body of work is deeply impactful.

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“Jamming with The Coda Band Featuring The Chiclettes!” Vinnie Medugno LIVE! at the PNC Bank Arts Center

It’s a gorgeous Thursday, Sept. 8, 2021 afternoon at Holmdel, NJ’s PNC Bank Arts Center. As we make our way up to the spacious amphitheater, music lovers are already lining up for an afternoon concert by Vinnie Medugno featuring The Chiclettes and The Coda Band.

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Vivid Stage Presents World Premiere of "Portrait of the Widow Kinski " by Sara Jean Accuardi

(SUMMIT, NJ) -- Vivid Stage, formerly Dreamcatcher Repertory Theatre, will present the world premiere production of Portrait of the Widow Kinski by Sara Jean Accuardi from September 30 through October 10. All audience members will be asked to show proof of vaccination at the box office.

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Thomas Verrette’s Zero Gravity to screen at the Fall 2021 New Jersey Film Festival on September 24!

In Martin Scorsese's masterful biographical drama film, “The Aviator,” visionary film director and aviation tycoon Howard Hughes (Leonardo DiCaprio) compulsively repeats to audiences his personal mantra and reasoning that drove him to embrace aerospace innovation, declaring: “You see, it’s the way of the future. The way of the future. The way of the future…”

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New Jersey Film Festival Fall 2021 Animation Filmmakers Video Q+A

Here is the New Jersey Film Festival Fall 2021 Animation Filmmakers Q+A with Jethro Tull: Aqualung Director Sam Chegini, Invention in C Major Director Richard D. Lopez and Festival Director Al Nigrin.

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PODCAST: Growing Stage Young Playwrights Competition 2021

On Saturday, September 18, four young playwrights will present four new plays at The Growing Stage, The Children’s Theatre of New Jersey, in Netcong. They are the finalists in The Growing Stage’s first Playwriting Festival for Young Writers: Violet Baker, Maya Abraham, Maxine Ting, and Alethea Shirilan-Howlett.

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New Jersey Film Festival Fall 2021 Into Schrodinger's Box Video Q+A

Filmed during the initial hysteria and the unprecedented early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, Into Schrodinger’s Box is a daring Indie psychological thriller unlike anything before it. Here below is my video Q+A with Into Schrodinger's Box Directors Nasim Naghavi and Amir Ganjavie.

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The New Jersey State Museum -- Guarding our Treasures

When the New Jersey State Museum reopened its doors in mid-July 2021 after closing in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the public welcomed the good news. Finally having the opportunity to once again explore the museum’s vast collection in person was a reprieve to those looking to get back to normal and do something that didn’t involve binge watching television.

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Curtis Grayson III Comments on Covid-19 and Social Justice In New Exhibit At Herb + Milly Iris Gallery

(SOUTH ORANGE, NJ) -- Ushering in a new and exciting season of exhibitions at The Herb + Milly Iris Gallery in the South Orange Performing Arts Center is artist Curtis Grayson, III. His solo exhibit, Transitional Energy: Form, Shape, Color, will be on view from September 23-November 21. When creating the more than two-dozen vibrant, mixed-media works featured in this exhibition, Grayson was inspired by the effects of Covid-19 and the national social justice movement. Ninety percent of the pieces were created during the pandemic, from 2019-2021.

Top 10 Most Read Stories at New Jersey Stage For Week of September 12-18

Here's a look at the top 10 most read articles published at New Jersey Stage during the week of September 12-18, 2021.  Each week, we publish about 70 articles, including several original columns and features, along with news releases for events happening throughout the state and nearby areas like Philadelphia and New York City. This week's Top 10 was dominated by Essex County with four articles, but also includes articles involving 3 additional counties in New Jersey (Cape May, Hudson, Passaic) plus New York City.  

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Radio Jersey Shows For Week Ending 09-18-21

Here are the radio programs aired by Radio Jersey and Beyond the Palace this week. Radio Jersey shows air Monday through Friday from 6:00pm to 8:00pm on ThePenguinRocks.com and Beyond the Palace airs throughout the week. Both shows are hosted by Lee Mrowicki and are also available on demand.

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Makin Waves Song of the Week: “Modern Girl” by The Clydes

“Modern Girl” is The Clydes’ second single from an album the New Brunswick-based band will release next year on Jersey indie Mint 400 Records.  As the Makin Waves Song of the Week, the song also can be heard between 6 and 8 p.m. on Sept. 17 on “Radio Jersey” at ThePenguinRocks.com. 

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Rock On! This Week's Sound Bites...9/16/21

 "We were slammed and that's the weird thing; we all kind of joked that we couldn't wait to get back to work so we could stop working so much,” laughed Styx keyboardist Lawrence Gowan as he talked about the band’s workload during the COVID pandemic, their new album “Crash Of The Crown” and the ever changing fan base to which they’ve grown accustomed. “It  was really fun actually, because we kept ourselves extremely busy working on this record and I'm really glad that we did because it has already connected so well with people. We did a bunch of streaming things too so we could stay connected with the faithful out there throughout; let's call it, "The Break."

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Top 10 Most Read Stories at New Jersey Stage For Week of September 5-11

Here's a look at the top 10 most read articles published at New Jersey Stage during the week of September 5-11, 2021.  Each week, we publish about 70 articles, including several original columns and features, along with news releases for events happening throughout the state and nearby areas like Philadelphia and New York City. This week's Top 10 includes articles involving 6 different counties in New Jersey (Bergen, Essex, Gloucester, Mercer, Monmouth, Ocean). There was no doubt about the most read story this week...