New Jersey Stage logo
New Jersey Stage Menu



 

Top 15 Most Read Stories
At New Jersey Stage
from May 11-17, 2025

originally published: 05/18/2025

Here's a look at the top 15 most read articles published at New Jersey Stage from May 11-17, 2025. 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 (Atlantic, Essex, Hudson, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean).

Make sure your events are part of our weekly columns by sending press releases to us at [email protected]. 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.  We also run weekly columns promoting events, music, and theatre shows taking place for the week. These columns include our featured event previews and event listings along with all of our event previews of the week. Your events can stand out for as low as $10! Many times, they are among the most read stories of the week. There is no cost for us to run your press releases!

1) Glen Burtnik Talks About Revisiting the Music of Styx at The Basie - (RED BANK, NJ) -- Glen Burtnik has lined up a great group of musicians to play songs by Styx at the Count Basie Center for the Arts on Friday, May 30, 2025.  It's a show I've got to admit I didn't see coming, but one that long-time fans of Glen should get a ticket for.

2) Under Cover Music Fest to Take Place May 31st in South Orange - (SOUTH ORANGE, NJ) -- South Orange Downtown presents its signature event, Under Cover Music Fest, on Saturday, May 31, 2025 from 2:00pm to 10:00pm.  The event takes place at the Sloan Street Parking Lot (12 Sloan Street). It features eight cover bands, a beer garden, and food vendors. Admission is free.

3) Steampunk Alchemy Fest Returns to Morris County in June - (BUDD LAKE, NJ) -- Steampunk Alchemy Fest returns June 6-8, 2025 to Budd Lake for its fourth year of celebrating the creativity and innovation of steampunk culture. Steampunk Alchemy Fest, which will be held on the spacious outdoor grounds of Vasa Park (1 Vasa Drive), combines the steam-powered Victorian Era energy of the classic science fiction genre with unique activities and entertainment.




Follow New Jersey Stage on social media
Facebook, Threads, Instagram, Twitter, Bluesky



4) Paper Mill Playhouse Hosts Private Developmental Reading In NYC This Week for "Bull Durham" - (MILLBURN, NJ) -- Paper Mill Playhouse will present a private reading of the new musical Bull Durham, previously announced to open the theater’s upcoming 2025-2026 season, on Friday, May 16, 2025 in New York City.

5) Raanan Hershberg and Kasaun Wilson to Headline 2025 Jersey City Comedy Festival - (JERSEY CITY, NJ) -- Art House Productions has announced Raanan Hershberg and Kasaun Wilson as the 2025 Jersey City Comedy Festival headliners. The festival takes place June 10-14 at Art House Productions and The Laugh Tour Comedy Club at Dorrian's Red Hand.

6) New Jersey Symphony's The Music of Led Zeppelin LIVE! at STNJ - Spotlight Central and Love Imagery have photos and a recap of New Jersey Symphony performing The Music of Led Zeppelin at State Theatre New Jersey on May 4, 2025.

7) Albert Music Hall presents the Made in Memphis Show - (WARETOWN, NJ) -- On Saturday, May 17, 2025, Albert Music Hall will present a special "Made in Memphis" show celebrating the rich musical legacy of Memphis. Building on the success of last year's Elvis Show, this year's event expands its focus to honor a broader range of artists who helped shape American music.

8) Events This Week in New Jersey from May 13-19, 2025 - Here is a look at upcoming events taking place from May 13-19, 2025 along with our featured listings. New Jersey Stage offers previews of events throughout the Garden State as well as select shows in New York City and Philadelphia areas.

9) McCarter Theatre Center to Hold Costume Sale; May 16–18 - (PRINCETON, NJ) -- From beautifully crafted period pieces to whimsical fantasy looks, McCarter Theatre Center's Costume Sale offers the public a rare opportunity to own a piece of theatrical history. Running May 16 through May 18, 2025 from 10:00am to 6:00pm daily, the sale will take place at 755 Alexander Road in Princeton.

10) Billy Walton Band releases "Knife In My Back" single - The Billy Walton Band, regarded as one of Southern New Jersey's most dynamic, popular live acts, release the soulful, rockin' new single, "Knife In My Back." 




Follow New Jersey Stage on social media
Facebook, Threads, Instagram, Twitter, Bluesky



11) REVIEW: "The Shark Is Broken" at George Street Playhouse - (NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) — In the film, Jaws, the main star was a shark that wasn’t even seen until the movie’s 80th minute.  In The Shark is Broken at George Street Playhouse, the main star is a boat that is among the most impressive set designs I’ve ever seen. It not only looks incredible, but moves around and provides the 3D effect that Jaws 3 wishes it had.  My first thought was that it’s such a shame that this will likely be taken apart following the run.

12) Two from New Jersey among winners of 2024-25 Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge for High School Students - (WASHINGTON, DC and NEW YORK, NY) -- The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) are excited to announce the winners of the 2024-2025 Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge. This program provides high school students with an unparalleled opportunity to develop and showcase original musical compositions that could potentially become part of full-scale musical theater productions. The winning songwriters will come to New York City this June to work with mentors and refine their songs for a special concert on Monday, June 16, 2025 at 7:30pm, at New World Stages and available to watch at arts.gov/songwriting and namt.org/challenge.

13) Hard Rock Atlantic City Announces Action-Packed Summer Including A-List Entertainment, Anniversary Celebrations, New Dining Venue and More! - (ATLANTIC CITY, NJ) -- /PRNewswire/ -- Ahead of the summer season, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City announces its plans for a jam-packed summer offering A-list entertainment, exciting anniversary promotions, a new Indian dining venue, along with luxury beach amenities, and more.

14) The Music Box at Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa presents The Allman Betts Band with special guest Mattie Schell - (ATLANTIC CITY, NJ) -- The Music Box at Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa presents The Allman Betts Band with special guest Mattie Schell on Saturday, June 21, 2025. Showtime is 8:00pm.

15) PHOTOS from "Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Musical" at Growing Stage - (NETCONG, NJ) -- The Growing Stage: The Children's Theatre of New Jersey is presenting Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Musical weekends from May 2-18, 2025.  Based on the book by Mo Willems and published by Hyperion Books for Children, the musical features a script and lyrics by Mo Willems and music by Michael Silversher. It tells the story of Trixie, her father and her favorite stuffed bunny as they set off on a trip to the Laundromat. Photographer John Posada was on hand to take photos.​​​​​​



Want your events to stand out? Check out our ad rates which start at just $50 for an entire month of targeted advertising and includes events listed in our online calendar. Or you can have your events listed in the calendar for $10 per event (shows with multiple performances get every show listed for just $10). Either way your events will be featured in the weekly columns. NJ Stage keeps our rates low so they are affordable to arts organizations of all sizes. We are proud to be an independent media company. Nobody covers the Arts throughout the Garden State like New Jersey Stage!​​​​​​


EVENT PREVIEWS

(MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC)'s annual Sustainability Series returns for 2026 with a free presentation of National Geographic Live! - The Rise of T.rex on Wednesday, April 15 at 7:30pm. Tyrannosaurus Rex is the most famous dinosaur out there, but few people know the true story of this species. This event is made possible through the generous sponsorship of BASF.
Manayunk StrEAT Food Festival to Take Place April 19th

Manayunk StrEAT Food Festival to Take Place April 19th

(MANAYUNK, PA) -- The largest food event in Philadelphia - and one of the largest food truck festivals in America - is back and bigger than ever! StrEAT Food Festival returns to Manayunk on Sunday, April 19, 2026, from 11:00am to 5:00pm. Over 85+ of the region's top food trucks and food vendors will line historic Main Street for the day, serving up menus that range from savory BBQ and global street food to decadent desserts and sweet treats.
Passage Theatre to host 41st Anniversary Gala at Trenton War Memorial on April 25th

Passage Theatre to host 41st Anniversary Gala at Trenton War Memorial on April 25th

(TRENTON, NJ) -- To celebrate the culmination of their forty-first season, Passage Theatre, the only professional theatre company in the city of Trenton, will host their annual fundraiser gala on Saturday, April 25, 2026 at the Trenton War Memorial. The event begins at 5:00pm.
Roselle Park Arts Festival returns April 25th

Roselle Park Arts Festival returns April 25th

(ROSELLE PARK, NJ) -- The Roselle Park Arts Festival, a free community-wide celebration of the arts, will return Saturday, April 25, 2026, bringing artists, live music and family-friendly activities to downtown Roselle Park.
U.S. Olympic Gold Medalists Headline 2026 Stars on Ice Tour

U.S. Olympic Gold Medalists Headline 2026 Stars on Ice Tour

(NEWARK, NJ) -- U.S. Figure Skating returns from Milan with one of the most decorated American teams in Winter Olympic history. The 2026 Stars on Ice tour will bring the opportunity to celebrate their achievements to Newark on Friday, May 1, 2026 for a 7:00pm performance at Prudential Center.
2026 Down & Derby Wine Festival: A Day of Wine, Music, and Derby Fun in South Jersey

2026 Down & Derby Wine Festival: A Day of Wine, Music, and Derby Fun in South Jersey

(CAMDEN, NJ) -- South Jersey's most anticipated wine festival is back! The Fourth Annual Down & Derby Wine Festival will take place on Saturday, May 2, 2026, from 2:00pm – 7:00pm at Veterans Island in Cooper River Park. Hosted by the Camden County Board of Commissioners and Visit South Jersey, this exciting event will bring together the finest local wineries, live entertainment, delicious food, and derby-themed festivities.
RVCC presents Bill Blagg

RVCC presents Bill Blagg's Magic in Motion

(BRANCHBURG, NJ) -- Local audiences will have the opportunity to explore how physical science creates magic when the Theatre at Raritan Valley Community College presents Bill Blagg's Magic in Motion on Wednesday, May 6, 2026 at 11:00am.
Visual Arts Center of New Jersey to Celebrate Spring Exhibitions with a Community Day on June 6th

Visual Arts Center of New Jersey to Celebrate Spring Exhibitions with a Community Day on June 6th

(SUMMIT, NJ) -- On Saturday, June 6, 2026, the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey will celebrate its spring exhibitions with a Community Day event. The day, which will feature artist-led walks around Summit, a live podcast recording, and drop-in workshops, will run from 10:00am to 2:00pm.
2026 Princeton Festival to Take Place June 5-21 at Morven Museum & Garden

2026 Princeton Festival to Take Place June 5-21 at Morven Museum & Garden

(PRINCETON, NJ) -- The Princeton Symphony Orchestra (PSO) is pleased to announce that world-renowned bel canto soprano Sondra Radvanovsky and The Bacon Brothers, Michael and Kevin, are scheduled to perform at the 2026 Princeton Festival. At the core of the Festival, there is live opera with Festival veteran and current Met Opera star Toni Marie Palmertree returning to sing the title role in Puccini's Madama Butterfly. These major stars typify the quality of musical offerings to be found at this year's Festival which runs from June 5-21 on the grounds of Morven Museum & Garden.

 

MORE EVENTS

Click on the listing to bring up its webpage