Here's a look at the top 15 most read articles published at New Jersey Stage from February 5-11, 2023. 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 15 includes articles from 8 counties in New Jersey (Burlington, Camden, Essex, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, and Somerset).
1) PHOTOS from "The Secret Garden" at Music Mountain Theatre - (LAMBERTVILLE, NJ) -- Music Mountain Theatre is presenting The Secret Garden weekends now through February 19. The enchanting classic of children’s literature is reimagined in brilliant musical style. The Secret Garden sees Mary, an 11- year-old living in British India, forced from her home by tragedy. Photographer John Posada was on hand to take photos.
2) Man Fire Clay New Jersey Film Festival Filmmaker Interview - Al Nigrin, Executive Director and Curator of the New Jersey Film Festival, sits down to talk with Michael Callas, Director of Man Fire Clay, for a filmmaker interview.
3) Makin Waves with Taylor Simon King: 'Crushing the Avenue' - Taylor Simon King, a celebration of the three American troubadours James Taylor, Carly Simon, and Carole King, is produced by Jersey Shore musical power couple Lisa Sherman and Franke Previte, an Oscar winner for the 1987 classic “Dirty Dancing.” Their production will be coming to Franke’s hometown of New Brunswick on March 25 with a performance at the grand New Brunswick Performing Arts Center.
4) Algonquin Arts Theatre Creates Game to Guess 2023-24 Broadway Series - (MANASQUAN, NJ) -- Algonquin Arts Theatre released a series of eight images on February 7th for fans to try and guess their 2023-2024 Broadway Series titles. The theatre will randomly chose a winner of two tickets for their May production of Hello Dolly! from their social media platforms among fans that can guess at least one of the productions.
5) Interview with Hunter Foster, Director of "Parade" at American Theater Group - (BASKING RIDGE, NJ) -- American Theater Group is thrilled to have Tony Award-nominated actor Hunter Foster directing their upcoming production of the critically-acclaimed musical Parade, written by Alfred Uhry (Driving Miss Daisy) with a score by Jason Robert Brown (The Bridges of Madison County). Parade runs March 2-5 at the Sieminski Theater in Basking Ridge and March 9-11 at the JCC MetroWest in West Orange.
6) iPlay America Announces New Executive Chef at The Loaded Spoon - (FREEHOLD, NJ) -- iPlay America has announced the hiring of Executive Chef John Dougherty as part of its new dining experience, The Loaded Spoon, set to open in early 2023. Chef John studied Culinary Arts at the prestigious Johnson & Whales University. Launching his career at Brickwall Tavern, he then spent 9 years at Brando’s Citi Cucina in Asbury Park and aided in the openings of several New Jersey restaurants. Having competed on Food Networks Chopped, Chef John is no stranger to challenges as he excitingly takes on cultivating the culinary vision at The Loaded Spoon.
7) McDonald's Gospelfest returns to Prudential Center on May 13th - (NEWARK, NJ) -- The Annual McDonald's Gospelfest returns to Prudential Center on Mother's Day Weekend Saturday, May 13, 2023, for the biggest and best gospel event of the year. This year's event will celebrate the 40th Year Anniversary of McDonald's Gospelfest. Live performances to help celebrate the anniversary are Hezekiah Walker and Love Fellowship Choir, the Legendary Clark Sisters and so many more!
8) Rock On! This Week's Sound Bites...2/9/23 - “We change things up from night to night so that people get some different stuff but we're covering music from across the catalogue. We're doing stuff from earlier records all the way up to the later records and a cross section of both vocal and instrumental materials. So, if you're into the really insane, ridiculously complex instrumental compositions or if you're into the more straight ahead rocking vocal songs; you'll definitely get both. We just play hard; we really bring a lot to the songs; we're not kidding around.”
9) Bonnie J. Monte Announces Her Departure from Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey - (MADISON, NJ) -- Bonnie J. Monte, who has been at the helm of the renowned Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (STNJ) since late 1990, has announced that 2023 will be her final season as the company’s Artistic Director. T. Randolph Harris, STNJ’s Board Chair, said, “For 33 years, Ms. Monte has provided exemplary leadership – and I have had the privilege of working with her for 31 of them. She has transformed what was a small, struggling company into a vibrant, major player in the classic theatre arena, moving the company into a new era of growth and fiscal and organizational health. From the very start, she redefined the institution’s mission, placing a strong and equal focus on arts education, diversity, and artist training. Over the course of her long tenure, she has made STNJ one of the nation’s best teaching theatres, and has expanded its reach and impact beyond all expectations.”
10) The Ritz Theatre Company presents "The Color Purple," a Modern Musical Masterpiece - (HADDON TOWNSHIP, NJ) -- The Ritz Theatre Company has a special treat in store for theatre, literature, and culture enthusiasts throughout the month of February, as the organization gets set to present a stirring production of The Color Purple. A musical adaptation of Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, the show is hailed as an inspiring story of hope, a testament to the healing power of love, and a celebration of life featuring a joyous score of jazz, ragtime, gospel, and blues. Directed by Kyrus Keenan Westcott, the production runs at The Ritz from February 10th through February 26th.
11) Mayor Baraka Announces Newark Exceeded Its Goal of Housing 539 Homeless Individuals With the Partnership of HUD, Stakeholders - (NEWARK, NJ) -- On February 8th, Mayor Ras J. Baraka announced that Newark successfully housed 539 formerly homeless individuals in partnership with U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Marcia L. Fudge, states, municipalities, and tribes through HUD's House America initiative.
12) Lake Street Dive to Perform at NJPAC with special guest Monica Martin - (NEWARK, NJ) -- See Lake Street Dive at New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) in Newark, New Jersey, on Sunday, February 5, 2023 at 7:00pm for an easy going, semi-acoustic evening. Concertgoers can sing along as the band performs a revue of their 18-year catalog of songs. Join the band in their most relaxed, basement couch setting for deep cuts, fan favorites and maybe some works in progress. Also performing as a show opener is acclaimed singer-songwriter special guest: Monica Martin.
13) Prudential Center presents Marc Anthony - (NEWARK, NJ) -- Cardenas Marketing Network and MAGNUS announced Marc Anthony’s VIVIENDO Tour will continue in 2023. The tour, which is adding multiples shows, will make a stop at Newark’s Prudential Center on Saturday, February 11, 2023. The “VIVIENDO Tour” will play in the United Stated after his successful tour in Latina America and USA in the most prestigious arenas.
14) M. Night Shyamalan Returned to South Jersey to Film "Knock at the Cabin" - (BURLINGTON COUNTY, NJ) -- M. Night Shyamalan returned to South Jersey to film his upcoming apocalyptic horror film Knock at the Cabin, which just wrapped. The film marks the 15th feature film produced and directed by Shyamalan, with Jarin Blaschke as cinematographer. Produced by Binding Edge Pictures and Universal Pictures, Knock at the Cabin will be released by Universal on February 3, 2023. The principal photography was done in Burlington County.
15) "The Best Man: The Final Chapters," Filmed In Jersey, Premiered on Peacock on December 22 - (NEWARK, NJ) -- The latest installment of the popular and successful The Best Man franchise returned to New Jersey for the filming of its conclusion. The Best Man: The Final Chapters will bring viewers up-to-date on the lives of its endearing characters Lance (Morris Chestnut), Shelby (Melissa De Sousa), Harper (Taye Diggs), Candy (Regina Hall), Quentin (Terrence Howard), Robyn (Sanaa Lathan), Jordan (Nia Long), and Julian (Harold Perrineau). Relationships evolve and past grievances resurface in the unpredictable stages of midlife crisis meets midlife renaissance.
Event previews are always one of the most popular areas of the website. Event previews get noticed when we first publish them and then get noticed again when they are brought back to the main area of the site the week the event takes place - sometimes even several months later. Make sure your events get previewed by sending press releases to us at info@newjerseystage.com - for even more promotion, check out our ad rates which run $50-$100 for an entire month of targeted advertising which includes events listed in our online calendar. Or you have your events listed in the calendar for $10 per event.
