NEWS | FEATURES | PREVIEWS | EVENTS

originally published: 03/05/2023

Here's a look at the top 15 most read articles published at New Jersey Stage from February 26 to March 4, 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 9 counties in New Jersey (Atlantic, Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Mercer, Monmouth, Morris, Somerset, and Union).

1) REVIEW: "Disney's Hercules" at Paper Mill Playhouse - There’s a fine line with Disney’s adaptations of its animated musicals to the stage.  Of the cannon, only “Lion King” has successfully fully made the leap from two dimensional.  Paper Mill Playhouse and Disney’s stab at updating the big screen version of “Hercules” has wonderful elements, many strong performances, a solid book, but feels under baked in battle for audience dollars.  There's clear appeal for families, especially boys which is admirable.

2) The Weeknd's After Hours Til Dawn Stadium Tour: A Wild Excursion Into the Unknown - On July 16, 2022, The Weeknd performed at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ.  The show was opened by Mike Dean and Kaytranada.  Jennifer Petrics was there to cover the show and take photos.

3) New Jersey State Council on the Arts Grants Nearly $2 Million to NJ Artists and Announces Funding for Arts Compensation Data Survey - (TRENTON, NJ) -- The New Jersey State Council on the Arts held its first public meeting of 2023 on February 28, where nearly $2 million was awarded to 140 New Jersey artists through the Council’s Individual Artist Fellowship program.

4) Algonquin Arts Theatre Announces Cast and Creative for "Kinky Boots" - (MANASQUAN, NJ) -- Algonquin Arts Theatre (Pamela Ward-Executive Director) is proud to announce the cast and creative team for its spring musical, Kinky Boots. The show will run at Algonquin Arts Theatre from March 24-April 2.  Kinky Boots is the winner of every major Best Musical award, including the Tony, the Grammy and London's Olivier Award. Based on the 2005 film of the same title and true events, this huge-hearted hit tells the story of two people with nothing in common - or so they think!

 

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5) Joe Satriani Art Exhibition Comes to The Area - (ATLANTIC CITY, NJ) -- Joe Satriani, the legendary world-renowned guitarist, is planning two additional outings as a touring visual artist with showings coming to two Wentworth Gallery locations in March, 2023 - specifically, Saturday, March 11th at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City and Sunday March 12th at the King of Prussia location. Satriani will be performing a private, intimate concert for Wentworth clients at the end of each show.

6) Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Carlos Santana to Play Newark and Atlantic City - (NEWARK, NJ) -- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame guitarist Carlos Santana will hit the road with his band across North America this summer for the 1001 Rainbows Tour. Throughout, Santana will perform high-energy, passion-filled songs from their fifty-year career, including fan favorites from Woodstock to Supernatural and beyond.

7) Eric LeGrand & Brian Axelrod Launch Bourbon Line with Portion of Sales benefitting The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation - (JERSEY CITY, NJ) -- Eric LeGrand, former college football defensive tackle, now turned businessman and inspiration to all, is launching his first-ever whiskey brand, Eric LeGrand Kentucky Straight Bourbon. In 2010, Eric LeGrand’s life changed when he became paralyzed after a tackle while playing football for Rutgers University. Through his ongoing rehabilitation journey, Eric has been inspired to appreciate the finer things in life which led him to team up with spirits entrepreneur, Brian Axelrod to create a whiskey that can be enjoyed by all. The dynamic duo is also committed to supporting those living with and impacted by paralysis by finding the cure for spinal cord injuries. This motivated them to make the promise to donate $5.20 of every case sold of Eric LeGrand Bourbon to the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation.

8) Vanguard Theater Awarded a 2023 Community Grant Through Michael Jordan and Jordan Brand's Black Community Commitment - (MONTCLAIR, NJ) -- To mark the 60th birthday of NBA legend Michael Jordan on February 17, NJ nonprofit Vanguard Theater was awarded a community grant by Michael Jordan and the Jordan Brand. Vanguard was the only NJ based organization to receive such news, and one of only two theater companies. Co-Founded in 2015 by NJ based theater-maker Janeece Freeman Clark, Vanguard challenges social and cultural narratives through professional theater dedicated to DREAM: Diversity, Reciprocity, Education, Activism, and Mentorship.

9) PHOTOS from "Drop Dead!" at WHATCo - (WEST HUDSON, NJ) -- The West Hudson Arts & Theater Company (WHATCo) is celebrating their Main Stage 2023 season with the debut of the comedy farse Drop Dead! by Billy Van Zandt and Jane Milmore, and with a much-anticipated move to a new performance space in Harrison, NJ.  Productions of this potboiler murder mystery continue Friday and Saturday, March 3rd and 4th at 7:00pm.  Photographer John Posada was on hand to take photos.

10) Princeton University Art Museum Appoints Jun Nakamura as Assistant Curator of Prints and Drawings - (PRINCETON, NJ) -- The Princeton University Art Museum has announced the appointment of Jun Nakamura as Assistant Curator of Prints and Drawings. Nakamura joins the Museum from the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where he was the Suzanne Andrée Curatorial Fellow in the Department of Prints, Drawings, and Photographs. He began his appointment at Princeton on February 20.

11) 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!

12) PHOTOS from Disney's Hercules at Paper Mill Playhouse - (MILLBURN, NJ) -- Paper Mill Playhouse is presenting Disney’s Hercules through March 19. It’s a terrific twist of fates! The inspired Disney animated film is now a mythical new musical adventure. Hercules is the divinely funny story of an honest-to-Zeus hero on a quest to discover who he is and where he belongs. Is love a possibility too? Oh, Hades, yes! The roof-raising score features all the hits you love from the film, including the Oscar-nominated song “Go the Distance,” as well as “Zero to Hero” and “I Won’t Say (I’m in Love),” along with new songs written for the stage.

13) Wharton Arts Awards Two Local Teens with Accolades - (BERKELEY HEIGHTS, NJ) -- On February 24, Wharton Arts announced that two local teens have received awards from the Garden State’s leading performing arts education organization. Aadhitya Raam Ashok of Edison is the winner of the inaugural Wharton Arts Annual Choral Composition Competition and Nina Park of Basking Ridge is the winner of the 2023 New Jersey Youth Symphony Concerto Competition.

14) Somerville High School presents: Disney's "Newsies, The Musical" - (SOMERVILLE, NJ) -- Somerville High School presents: Disney's Newsies, The Musical with performances from March 2-4, 2023. Based on the real-life Newsboy Strike of 1899, this Disney musical tells the story of Jack Kelly, a rebellious newsboy who dreams of a life as an artist away from the big city. After publishing giant Joseph Pulitzer raises newspaper prices at the newsboys’ expense, Kelly and his fellow newsies take action. With help from the beautiful female reporter Katherine Plumber, all of New York City soon recognizes the power of “the little man.”

15) Review of Weyes Blood's Homecoming Show at Union Transfer in Philadelphia - I finally got to see Weyes Blood play at a sold-out Union Transfer show in Philadelphia last night after three cancellations due to COVID. It was well worth the wait. Weyes Blood (whose name was derived from Flannery O’Connor’s astonishing and haunting novel Wise Blood) is Natalie Mering’s alter-ego where she channels her impressions of a world in crisis due to love lost, climate change and the pandemic.

 

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