New Jersey Stage logo
New Jersey Stage Menu



FEATURES | EVENTS | PREVIEWS | COLUMNS | LINKS | RADIO | ADVERTISE




BlowUpRadio.com's New & Notable NJ Music 4/6/26

by Lazlo

Lazlo, founder of BlowUpRadio.com (an online radio station based around New Jersey artists), shines a light on some of the many new releases from NJ based musicians each week with this column. This week Lazlo takes a look at new releases by Ali Zanders, Sam Tunkel, Brian Westervelt, Jay Ingstrup, A Halo Called Fred, Damfino, Regency Club, and Night Windows. Plus a look back at "This American Life" by Diego Allessandro.



 

Advertise here for $50-$100 per month,
click here for info




The Vogel presents Chris Pinnella & The Big Band Project

(RED BANK, NJ) -- Get ready for an electrifying afternoon of music as Chris Pinnella & The Big Band Project take the stage on Sunday, April 19, 2026 at The Vogel, delivering a high-energy, crowd-pleasing concert experience that reimagines the sound of a classic big band for today's audiences. Showtime is 3:00pm.



Krakauer & Tagg's Good Vibes Explosion comes to OCC's Grunin Center on Sunday

(TOMS RIVER, NJ) -- The Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts at Ocean County College will come alive with the energy and extraordinary sounds of Krakauer & Tagg's Good Vibes Explosion on Sunday, April 12, 2026 at 3:00pm.



Algonquin Arts Announces New Concert Series

(MANASQUAN, NJ) -- Algonquin Arts Theatre is proud to announce its newly unveiled Concert Series, an exciting lineup of dynamic live performances spanning summer 2026 through spring 2027. Featuring everything from chart-topping tribute acts and nostalgic throwbacks to immersive theatrical concerts and special event programming, this series invites audiences to experience the power of live music, storytelling, and entertainment in an intimate Jersey Shore setting.



South Jersey Jazz Association To Honor Bob Ferguson At Awards Ceremony on April 30th

(LINWOOD, NJ) -- The South Jersey Jazz Society will honor trumpeter Bob Ferguson with the 2026 George Mesterhazy Jazz Master Award at a gala event on Thursday, April 30, 2026 at Linwood Country Club. The award, named for a much-beloved local jazz pianist who made a lasting mark on the great American art form of jazz, is given to individuals who have greatly contributed to the performance of jazz both locally and nationally.



Fund for Irish Studies at Princeton University presents "After Oscar: Wilde between the li(n)es"

(PRINCETON, NJ) -- Princeton University's Fund for Irish Studies continues its 2025-26 series with a talk by Merlin Holland, the only grandson of famed writer Oscar Wilde, about his legendary grandfather on Friday, April 10, 2026 at 4:30pm in the James Stewart Film Theater at 185 Nassau Street in Princeton. Holland will draw from his extensive research, family history, and newly published book, After Oscar: The Legacy of a Scandal.



New Jersey Symphony presents Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Requiem

(NEWARK, NJ) -- With just three programs remaining on the 2025–26 season, Music Director Xian Zhang conducts Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Requiem, the composer's final composition last performed by New Jersey Symphony in 2018, from April 16-19, 2026. Mysteriously commissioned and incomplete at the time of Mozart's death, the Requiem is widely regarded as one of the composer's most accomplished works. Written for a funeral Mass, the music is intensely emotional, ranging from powerful drama to languid sorrow to serene tenderness.



Freehold Jewish Center presents NJ Premiere Reading of "The Silence of Our Friends" by Gary Morgenstein

(FREEHOLD, NJ) — The Freehold Jewish Center (Congregation Agudath Achim) will present the New Jersey premiere reading of award-winning playwright Gary Morgenstein's provocative new play The Silence of Our Friends on Sunday, April 26, 2026 at 2:00pm as a special fundraising event with all ticket proceeds going to the synagogue.



Trailblazing Media Executive and Former New York Secretary of State Rossana Rosado to Headline VOCES Latino Thought Leaders Series at Montclair State University on April 30th

(MONTCLAIR, NJ) -- Latinos of Montclair presents trailblazing media executive, former New York Secretary of State, and author Rossana Rosado in Montclair on Thursday, April 30, 2026 at 6:30pm as part of VOCES to discuss her new memoir, Bronx Attitude. Moderated by labor organizer and political leader Dr. Patricia Campos-Medina.



43rd Ellarsie Open Announces Juror Adam Welch: Accepting Submissions Until May 6th

(TRENTON, NJ) -- Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie announces the 2026 juror and the Call for Art for its annual Ellarslie Open juried art show. Adam Welch, Executive Director of the Arts Council of Princeton, will jury the 2026 show. Artists are invited to submit artwork online, from April 1 through May 6, 2026 for consideration by the juror.



The Princeton Folk Music Society presents Simple Gifts on April 17th

(PRINCETON, NJ) -- The Princeton Folk Music Society presents Simple Gifts on Friday, April 17, 2026 at Christ Congregation Church. Two women plus ten instruments equal one good time when the award-winning duo of Linda Littleton and Karen Hirshon take the stage. Showtime is 8:00pm.



Bergen Institute for the Creative Arts at Bergen Community College presents Back to Bergen on April 16th

(PARAMUS, NJ) -- The Bergen Institute for the Creative Arts at Bergen Community College presents Back to Bergen, a new live music concert series featuring none other than the college's own music program graduates performing original music and classics. Held Thursday, April 16, 2026 at the college's Ciccone Theater, the inaugural installment will showcase the program's success at producing top notch musicians across a variety of genres from classical and jazz to R&B, pop and rock.



MPAC presents The String Queens on April 24th

(MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- Praised for its authentic, soulful, and orchestral sound, The String Queens (TSQ) is a dynamic trio that creates stimulating musical experiences that inspire diverse audiences to love, hope, feel, and imagine! The String Queens come to Mayo Performing Arts Center, Friday, April 24, 2026 at 8:00pm.



Be Amazed by the Golden Age of Radio at the Toms River Branch of the Ocean County Library

(TOMS RIVER, NJ) -- Return to the era when families gathered around the wireless set for "theater of the imagination." The Toms River Branch of the Ocean County Library will host a live presentation by WREP: When Radio Entertained People on Wednesday, April 15, 2026 from 7:00pm to 8:30pm. A trivia game will take place before the show at 6:30pm. The performance will begin at 7:00pm. Join them for an evening "broadcast" of skits from the Golden Age of radio, performed live by WREP's veteran actors.



Prudential Center presents Sergio George: Festival "Ataca Sergo"

(NEWARK, NJ) -- Following the resounding success and unforgettable energy experienced at the Kaseya Center, renowned producer, musician, and visionary Sergio George raises the bar once again, taking his Festival ¡Ataca Sergio! to the next level. This time, the concept returns as a birthday celebration set for Saturday, May 30, 2026 at the iconic Prudential Center in Newark. Showtime is 8:00pm.



Sold-Out Cabaret Returns: The Light Between – A Modern Cabaret Comes to Lincroft on April 25th

(LINCROFT, NJ) -- After selling out 200 seats in just days, The Light Between – A Modern Cabaret returns for a special encore performance Saturday, April 25, 2026 at The Earth Room at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Monmouth County. Created and performed by PJ Casbar and Tom McCormack, the show blends original music, musical-theater favorites, and modern pop into a character-driven cabaret evening that moves between humor, storytelling, and moments of theatrical surprise. Showtime is 7:30pm.



Theatre Horizon presents "Ain't Misbehavin'" - The Fats Waller Musical Show

(NORRISTOWN, PA) -- Theatre Horizon the award-winning professional theater nestled in Norristown's Arts Hill District, presents Ain't Misbehavin', The Fats Waller Musical Show, the Tony Award-winning production. The production is directed by Amina Robinson, a three-time Barrymore Award winner who returns to Theatre Horizon for the first time since winning for Outstanding Direction of a Musical for The Color Purple in 2018. Ain't Misbehavin' runs from April 29 through May 17, 2026.



Ballet Arts and Adelphi Orchestra Present Coppélia for Ballet Arts' 50th Anniversary Season

(RIVER EDGE, NJ) -- Ballet Arts marks its 50th anniversary season this spring with a joyful new production of Coppélia, presented in collaboration with the Adelphi Orchestra. Performances will take place May 2 and 3, 2026, at River Dell High School in Oradell, featuring live orchestral accompaniment, guest artists, and a multigenerational cast of local dancers and students.



Noyes Arts Garage Exhibits Highlight College Students' Work and Contributions of Immigrants and Migrant Laborers

(ATLANTIC CITY, NJ) -- The Noyes Arts Garage of Stockton University presents "Monuments to Migration and Labor" and "Emerging Visions: Southern New Jersey University and College Visual Arts Student Showcase". The first honors the contributions of immigrant and migrant laborers and the second features artwork by college students. Both will be on display until June 27, 2026.



Loew's Jersey Theatre Unveils Vision for Revitalized Cultural Landmark, Including Official Renderings and New Venue Logo

(JERSEY CITY, NJ) -- The historic Loew's Jersey Theatre unveiled a first look at its future as a reimagined, multi-purpose cultural destination, releasing new architectural renderings and designs that highlight the venue's transformation into a year-round hub for entertainment.



NJ Rep presents "Sins of the Mother" by Israel Horovitz

(LONG BRANCH, NJ) -- New Jersey Repertory Company (NJ Rep) will present Sins of the Mother by acclaimed playwright Israel Horovitz, directed by Evan Bergman, weekends from April 10 through May 3, 2026. Set in the tight-knit fishing town of Gloucester, Massachusetts, this play follows Douggie, a young man returning home to prove his roots among a group of rugged, fiercely loyal locals who live by their hands—and sometimes by violence.



New Jersey's Premier Film Expo Returns to East Rutherford April 30th

(EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ) -- On Thursday, April 30, 2026, the Screen Alliance of New Jersey (SANJ) will host its second NJ Film Expo at Meadowlands Arena in Rutherford. Building on the strong success of its inaugural year, the expo returns on an even larger scale with several panels, hundreds of vendors, live music and food trucks to showcase New Jersey's expanding role in film and television.










EVENT PREVIEWS

ART | COMEDY | DANCE | FILM | MUSIC | THEATRE | COMMUNITY | KIDS

To narrow results by date, categories,
or region of New Jersey click here.

Chain Theatre presents the World Premiere of "The Pushover" by John Patrick Shanley

(NEW YORK, NY) -- Chain Theatre presents the world premiere production of ​John Patrick Shanley's The Pushover, directed by Kirk Gostkowski, from April 6-26, 2026. The Pushover is a play about three bad-ass women who collide and collude at a spa in New Mexico, and a bare-bones Asian restaurant in Queens.


Emerging Artists Theatre's Spark Theatre Festival NYC Celebrates 20th Anniversary

(NEW YORK, NY) -- Award-winning Emerging Artists Theatre (EAT) returns with their bi-annual Spark Theatre Festival NYC, on Monday, April 6 and runs until April 26, 2026 at The 28th Street Theatre (TADA). The three-week festival will showcase over 60 new works in progress, including musicals, plays, solo performances, storytelling, and dance. Theatre luminaries such as TV comedy icon Joyce Bulifant, Tony Award nominee Christopher Sieber, and Emmy Award winner Dorothy Lyman will take part in the Spring Spark Theatre Festival NYC.


NJPAC presents a Spring Season of Jazz

(NEWARK, NJ) -- New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) presents a Spring Season of Jazz with free monthly jazz jams at Clement's Place and two special concert events inside the Victoria Theater. This series, running from September through June, is co-presented by NJPAC's Jazz Advisory Committee and Rutgers University–Newark's Institute of Jazz Studies (IJS). Immerse yourself in the relaxing sounds of jazz music that stimulate the players’ and listeners' minds.


Morven Museum & Garden's Grand Homes & Gardens returns with a new series for America's 250th

(PRINCETON, NJ) -- Morven Museum & Garden's popular speaker series Grand Homes & Gardens returns for 2026. Coinciding with the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Freedom at Home: Telling the Full Story of America's Founding Homes and Gardens examines four estates belonging to five signers of the Declaration: William Paca, Richard Henry Lee, Francis Lightfoot Lee, Thomas Jefferson, and Arthur Middleton.


Faith and Frosting Collide in "The Cake" at Bergen County Players

(ORADELL, NJ) -- Enjoy a touching and topical dramedy as love clashes with conscience in Bergen County Players' (BCP) production of The Cake. The play, written by Bekah Brunstetter, producer/writer for the hit TV series This Is Us, is directed by Carol Fisher of Teaneck. It opens March 14 and runs through April 11, 2026 at the Little Firehouse Theatre in Oradell.


Morven Museum & Garden's Annual Plant Sale is Open Through April 7

(PRINCETON, NJ) -- Each year, plant lovers look forward to Morven Museum & Garden's annual plant sale, which features a diverse selection of in-demand, unique, and hard-to-find items, including seedlings from the historic garden! Now through April 7, Morven hosts their annual online plant sale, an affordable selection of flowers, vegetables, herbs, trees, shrubs, and more.


October Ensemble presents the World Premiere of "Oh Sh*t, Sherlock!"

(OCEAN GROVE, NJ) -- October Ensemble presents the World Premiere of Oh Sh*t, Sherlock! weekends from March 20 to April 12, 2026 at The Jersey Shore Arts Center. The actor playing Sherlock has never seen the script. Hilarity ensues as the rest of the cast tries to keep the mystery on track!







LATEST FEATURES

ART | COMEDY | DANCE | FILM | MUSIC | THEATRE | COMMUNITY | KIDS

New Jersey Symphony presents Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Requiem
(NEWARK, NJ) -- With just three programs remaining on the 2025–26 season, Music Director Xian Zhang conducts Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Requiem, the composer's final composition last performed by New Jersey Symphony in 2018, from April 16-19, 2026. Mysteriously commissioned and incomplete at the time of Mozart's death, the Requiem is widely regarded as one of the composer's most accomplished works. Written for a funeral Mass, the music is intensely emotional, ranging from powerful drama to languid sorrow to serene tenderness.



MPAC presents The String Queens on April 24th

(MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- Praised for its authentic, soulful, and orchestral sound, The String Queens (TSQ) is a dynamic trio that creates stimulating musical experiences that inspire diverse audiences to love, hope, feel, and imagine! The String Queens come to Mayo Performing Arts Center, Friday, April 24, 2026 at 8:00pm.




Sold-Out Cabaret Returns: The Light Between – A Modern Cabaret Comes to Lincroft on April 25th

(LINCROFT, NJ) -- After selling out 200 seats in just days, The Light Between – A Modern Cabaret returns for a special encore performance Saturday, April 25, 2026 at The Earth Room at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Monmouth County. Created and performed by PJ Casbar and Tom McCormack, the show blends original music, musical-theater favorites, and modern pop into a character-driven cabaret evening that moves between humor, storytelling, and moments of theatrical surprise. Showtime is 7:30pm.




New Release Review - "The Mortuary Assistant"

After decades of failures, video game adaptations are suddenly a hit at the box office, with screen translations of such heavy hitters as Super Mario Bros, Sonic the Hedgehog and Minecraft among the biggest earners of recent years. Just as there are cult movies, there are cult video games. Take The Mortuary Assistant, in which the player takes on the icky job of the title and attempts to finish their night shift at a morgue while evading demons. With another cult horror game, Five Nights at Freddy's, spawning two hit movies, it's no surprise that The Mortuary Assistant has now received a cinematic adaptation.




Titus Andronicus – Revenge is Served

It is said that Titus Andronicus is Shakespeare's bloodiest and goriest play. There are schools of thought that this was his first tragedy and one that is not based on historic precedents or sources. Instead, it is an original play with a double revenge narrative. One can picture an audience in the late 1500's coming to the theater to see this play and how they might be entertained by all of this. Remarkably, elements of what make up the story are still very much in our world today. It is just that we might represent it differently than Shakespeare did in his writing.




Rick Wakeman LIVE! at bergenPAC

Spotlight Central and Love Imagery have photos and a recap of Wakeman and Son at bergenPAC on March 25, 2026.




Bassist Martin Wind Adds Piano to His Gravity Trio for Area Performances

German-born bassist and composer Martin Wind has built an extensive résumé with more than 20 albums as a leader or co-leader and performance credits with legends such as clarinetist Buddy DeFranco, guitarist Pat Metheny, alto saxophonist Phil Woods, harmonicist Toots Thielemans, and many others. He has regularly performed at some of the top jazz venues in the world. Upcoming performances include release performances for his newest record September (2026, Laika Records) with his Gravity Trio and special guest Glenn Zaleski on piano -- April 9 at Smalls Jazz Club in New York; April 10 at the Puffin Cultural Forum in Teaneck, NJ; and at the Deer Head Inn in Delaware Water Gap, PA, April 11.




PHOTOS from "1776" at Paper Mill Playhouse

(MILLBURN, NJ) -- Paper Mill Playhouse celebrates our nation's 250th anniversary, and history comes to life in 1776, the Tony Award-winning musical that brings the story behind the creation of the Declaration of Independence to the stage with witty satire, compelling drama, and a thrilling score. The production runs now through May 2, 2026. Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade was on hand to take photos.










UPCOMING EVENTS
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 




LATEST COLUMNS
The Makin Waves Song of the Week is "Promises" from Jersey Shore-based roots rocker Dave Vargo's latest album, "Ghost Towns."



Rock On! This Week's Sound Bites... 04/02/2026

"Yeah, we are looking forward to it," said guitarist Johnny A of The Johnny A Trio just prior to their recent New York City Iridium appearance.



Winifred McNeill: "Between Air and Earth"

Any good cook will tell you that reducing something doesn't always mean diminishing it. Sometimes it's the best way to intensify its personality. Size, we've learned in the era of streaming entertainment on tiny phone screens, does not determine how clearly a thing communicates. If it fills our senses, it can slip right into our bloodstream.


* Events This Week in New Jersey

* This Week in Music

* This Week in Theatre

* Top 15 Most Read Stories
from the Past Week



DAILY EDITION

Here is a look at the articles published over the weekend. The Daily Edition comes out Monday through Friday.


New Jersey Stage

© 2026 by Wine Time Media, LLC
PO Box 811, Belmar, NJ 07719
[email protected]

Nobody covers the Arts
throughout the
Garden State
like New Jersey Stage!

Images used on this site have been sent to us from publicists, artists, and PR firms. If there is a problem with the rights to any image, please contact us and we will look into the matter.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and on our RSS feed

Art | Comedy | Dance | Film | Music | Theatre | Advertising | About Us | Pitch a Story | Links | Radio Shows | Privacy Policy