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Showing results: From 1726 to 1736





 

Gothic folktale Anda screens at the New Jersey Film Festival on Sunday, January 25!

by Logan Ward
published 2026-01-24

ANDA is the directorial debut of Jayendra Ganta. Despite it being his first film, he showed no fear in taking on something extremely conceptual and outlandish. There are really only about five set locations, yet the movie feels drastically bigger due to the surrealist ideas and some of the visuals. It, in short, follows an older woman, Norma, who has reconnected with her mother for the first time since her teenage years. This is hard to discern at first due to her mom appearing much younger than she should, even younger than Norma herself. It is revealed throughout the film how this is achieved with a special serum that involves a strange form of sacrifice, tied to Norse culture. Seemingly, a weird alien mummy is the key to procuring this elixir, and after a while of caring for it, one can sap it of the goo. This looks to be grown from a bird that is fed a certain diet to allow this, birds are a common image in the film. A story is told by Norma’s mother about a master who wanted control and got a bird, this did not work quite as expected so he ended up clipping the wings off of it, which made it more subservient to him. This is likely as it knew that even if it were let out of the cage, it still would never truly be free.



Jazz Room & WP Presents Branford Marsalis Quartet

(WAYNE, NJ) -- Jazz Room & WP Presents Branford Marsalis Quartet on Thursday, February 26, 2026 at Shea Center for Performing Arts. Showtime is 7:30pm. Saxophonist Branford Marsalis is one of the most influential and revered figures in contemporary music.



Middletown Arts Center presents "Meant to Be" group exhibition

(MIDDLETOWN, NJ) -- The Middletown Arts Center presents its February exhibition, Meant to Be, a group show exploring themes of connection and unity, featuring work by more than 25 artists across a wide range of media. Curated by Eleanor James and Jennifer Watson, the show will be on view February 2-27, 2026.



Outpost in the Burbs presents Rhett Miller of Old 97's

(MONTCLAIR, NJ) -- Outpost in the Burbs presents Rhett Miller on Saturday, April 25, 2026 at 8:00pm. Rhett is a revered singer-songwriter known for his more than three decades fronting the popular rock band Old 97's who were honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award during the 2025 Americana Awards at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium.








New Jersey Youth Chorus Presents Winter Concert Featuring Young Talent on February 1st

(BASKING RIDGE, NJ) -- The New Jersey Youth Chorus (NJYC), a program of Wharton Arts, invites the community to its Winter Concert on Sunday, February 1, 2026 at 4:00pm at The Pingry School in Basking Ridge. Now in its 34th season, NJYC continues its tradition of musical excellence with a program that brings together young singers in a richly expressive and globally inspired performance.



Premiere Stages at Kean University Announces 2026 Bauer Boucher Playwriting Award Winners

(UNION, NJ) -- Premiere Stages, the professional theatre company in residence at Kean University, has named the Kean University students and alum who have won the 2026 Bauer Boucher Playwriting Awards. This year Premiere Stages recognizes the work of four student playwrights, Goodness Kehinde (Class of '26), Samantha Pugliese (Class of '26), Layla Welsh (Class of '28) and Alexandra Wuethrich (Class of '26). Alumnus Sahirah Z. Johnson (Class of '17) is the winner of the Alumni Playwriting Award.



Emily Mann to Receive Inaugural Roger S. Berlind Award at McCarter Theatre Center Gala

(PRINCETON, NJ) -- McCarter Theatre Center has announced that former Artistic Director and Resident Playwright Emily Mann will receive the inaugural Roger S. Berlind Award at its annual gala on June 12, 2026.



Fairmont honors drummer with first single from "Everything is Fleeting"

January 3rd would have been Andy Applegate's 44th birthday. He was the drummer in Fairmont from 2003 until he had health problems later in his life. To honor him, the band's founder Neil Sabatino released "Buy More Records" as the first single from what is likely the last album by Fairmont, "Everything is Fleeting."



Algonquin Arts Theatre presents "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest"

(MANASQUAN, NJ) -- Algonquin Arts Theatre continues its powerful 2025–2026 season with Ken Kesey's electrifying stage adaptation of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, running for four performances only from February 14-21, 2026. A gripping and deeply human drama, the play is set inside a state mental institution where individuality clashes with authority.







 

EVENT PREVIEWS

MPAC

MPAC Announces Free Summer Concert Lineup for 2026

(MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- Mayo Performing Arts Center's Arts in the Community free summer concert schedule for 2026 has been announced. MPAC will present six free concerts between June and August. The lineup includes the return of three of their most popular events – Bollywood Dance Party, Country Line Dancing and Salsa at Sunset, as well as singer-songwriters, and more.



Classic

Classic American Tales' presents Tales at the Dormer House every Thursday

(CAPE MAY, NJ) -- From June 4 through October 15, 2026 (except for July 2), Classic American Tales (CAT) once more presents Tales at the Dormer House in which guests are treated to lemonade and tasty treats while listening to stories written by noteworthy authors, read by a variety of performers. The schedule is 4:00pm every Thursday at the historic Dormer House Bed and Breakfast (800 Columbia Avenue) in Cape May, NJ. Performances are on the front porch, weather permitting.



East

East Lynne Theater Company presents "Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years" by Emily Mann

(CAPE MAY, NJ) -- The reimagined East Lynne Theater Company opens its Season Forty-Six with the extraordinary, real-life story Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years by Emily Mann, running June 18 to July 19, 2026 at the Clemans Theater for the Arts at the Allen AME in Cape May.



Princeton

Princeton Summer Theater presents "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown"

(PRINCETON, NJ) -- Princeton Summer Theater's 2026 Children's Show is You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, which runs weekends from June 20 to August 1, 2026. A beloved musical since its premiere in 1967, Clark Gesner brings Charles M. Schulz's "PEANUTS" characters to the stage. The musical ventures through the highs and lows of young life, from baseball and homework to young love and friendship. With an empathetic and whimsical eye, You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown reminds us of the importance of connection and joy.



2026-27

2026-27 Season Preview: Split Level Concerts at Jersey Shore Arts Center

(OCEAN GROVE, NJ) -- Split Level Concerts at the Jersey Shore Arts Center (JSAC) in Ocean Grove has announced the full concert lineup for its third season. All shows will take place beginning at 8:00pm in JSAC's Palaia Theater. The season lineup includes Willie Nile, John Gorka, Dan Bern, Catie Curtis and Band, Stephen Kellogg, Abbie Gardner, Heather Maloney and Band, and Kim Richey. As they have done in prior years, artists from the Asbury Park music scene will open many of the shows.












LATEST COLUMNS


BlowUpRadio.com's New & Notable NJ Music 7/6/26

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 with this column. This week Lazlo takes a look at new releases by Loose Panic, Max Rauch, Madeline Fung, Bike Routes, and 9fm. Plus a look back at "The Communist Song" by The KumQuats.




Makin Waves Song of the Week: "Sick About It" by The Orangutwins

The Makin Waves Song of the Week is "Sick About It" from The Orangutwins' recently released EP, "We Are A Genius."




Rock On! This Week's Sound Bites... 07/02/2026

Overheard conversation today, July 2, 2026:








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