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Showing results: From 315 to 325



 

Two amazing shorts Bottom Feeder and Impivaara screen at the 2026 New Jersey International Film Festival on May 29!

by Philip Thompson
published 2026-05-23

We are always being watched, always being seen, always looking. But where are we? Who are we looking at? What are we seeing? Is it all a dream? Who’s dream is it? ‘Bottom feeders’ are the lowest form of species on the pyramid at the bottom of the deep, dark, and unexplored sea. Sometimes, if you pay attention, ‘bottom feeders’ take shape in the lowest form of human beings at the bottom of the deep, dark, and unexplored subconscious. Bottom Feeder is a black and white experimental film, shot on 16mm film in a square 4x3 format. Vito Trabucco is a Los Angeles based filmmaker, is known for his award-winning films Charlie Christ (2024), Britney Lost Her Phone (2023), and Kevin Can Wait (2020). In Bottom Feeders, Trabucco brings you on a dream-like journey with a woman, the aptly named Pageant (an uncommon name historically associated with theatrical spectacles), who by way of nature, explores her own dream and the meanings behind her visions, both in her head and what she sees. A front door, fractured. A home, for whom? A doll, draped in desire. A sunset, alone but for how long? A reflection, a gaze. A location, unknown



New Release Review - "Obsession"

by Eric Hillis, TheMovieWaffler.com
published 2026-05-23

After gathering a sizeable following on YouTube with a series of short comedy skits, Curry Barker used that platform to self-release his feature film debut, 2024's found footage thriller Milk & Serial. Available to watch for free, that movie has racked up over two million views. It's no surprise then that Hollywood knocked on Barker's door, but what is perhaps surprising is how much the Blumhouse-backed Obsession feels like an indie movie rather than a Hollywood production. With an intimate cast and just a handful of locations, you suspect Barker would have made Obsession himself if the House of Blum hadn't thrown money in his direction. Unlike so many other filmmakers who have been rendered soulless by the studio system, Barker has maintained his vision here, and he even casts Milk & Serial's Cooper Tomlinson in a major supporting role.



Makin Waves Song of the Week: "Shine" by Helen O'Shea feat. Michelle Moore

by Bob Makin
published 2026-05-22

The Makin Waves Song of the Week is "Shine" by Princeton singer-songwriter Helen O'Shea. The song from Helen's latest album, "Songs in the Key O," features E Street Band backing vocalist Michelle Moore.



New Jersey Stage: Daily Edition 05-22-26

Here is the morning update from New Jersey's arts newswire. We regularly publish between 8-15 new articles and news reports each day. Nobody covers the Arts throughout the Garden State like New Jersey Stage!










Lemar Kim presents First U.S. Solo Exhibition "HELLO WORLD" at ACC Gallery

(TENAFLY, NJ) -- Visual artist Lemar Kim will present her first U.S. solo exhibition, HELLO WORLD, at ACC Gallery from May 26 through June 6, 2026. This exhibition brings together her signature character works and paintings, featuring a diverse range of artworks including paintings, digital print editions, and installation elements that showcase the breadth of her artistic expression.



Montclair Art Museum Names Kate Kraczon Chief Curator

(MONTCLAIR, NJ) -- The Montclair Art Museum (MAM) has announced the appointment of Kate Kraczon as Chief Curator, effective June 15, 2026, marking a significant step in the Museum's vision for its next chapter. A nationally respected curator with more than two decades of experience leading contemporary art institutions, Kraczon will help shape an ambitious curatorial program centered on artistic excellence, contemporary relevance, and meaningful community connection.



NJ State Council on the Arts Announces New Partnership with NJ Department of Veterans Affairs through National Arts Grant

(TRENTON, NJ) -- During a New Jersey State Council on the Arts public meeting on May 19, 2026, the Council announced a new partnership with the New Jersey Department of Veterans Affairs focused on serving older adult residents of veterans homes through high quality arts learning programs. Evidence shows that creative engagement improves health outcomes, strengthens social bonds, and increases quality of life — all driving factors behind the competitive national grant program supporting this work.



Jersey Arts Podcast: Assimilation, Immigration, and the Dance-Nation within West Side Story

by Gina Marie Rodriguez, JerseyArts.com
published 2026-05-21

(MILLBURN, NJ) -- "West Side Story" is making its way to the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn this May and we could not be more excited. If you're unfamiliar with the classic tale, we suggest you buckle up and get ready for an evening of music you’ll be singing all the way home, and likely for the foreseeable future.



Maurer Productions to Hold Auditions for "Midnight at the New Dawn" June 6-7

(WEST WINDSOR, NJ) -- Maurer Productions OnStage and the newly formed Maurer TheaterWorks have announced a special co-production partnership — in association with Kelsey Theatre — for the world premiere of Midnight at the New Dawn. The ensemble comedy, written and directed by Dan Maurer, will hold open auditions on June 6-7, 2026.







 

EVENT PREVIEWS

Arden

Arden Theatre Company presents "Dear Evan Hansen"

(PHILADELPHIA, PA) -- Arden Theatre Company brings the Tony Award-winning musical, Dear Evan Hansen, to the F. Otto Haas Stage this spring. Featuring a book by Steven Levenson and music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, the production is directed by Terrence J. Nolen and co-conceived by Jorge Cousineau and Nolen. Performances begin May 21, the show opens May 27, and runs through July 5, 2026.



Paper

Paper Mill Playhouse presents "West Side Story"

(MILLBURN, NJ) -- Paper Mill Playhouse presents West Side Story, the final production of Paper Mill's 2025-2026 season, from May 28 through June 28, 2026. An enduring masterpiece based on a conception of Jerome Robbins, West Side Story reimagines Romeo and Juliet in 1950s New York, where young lovers Tony and Maria dare to dream of a future together as rival gangs the Jets and the Sharks clash for control of the streets.



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.



Cape

Cape May Stage presents "What the Constitution Means to Me"

(CAPE MAY, NJ) -- Cape May Stage presents What the Constitution Means to Me by Heidi Schreck from June 3-28, 2026. Fifteen-year-old Heidi earned her college tuition by winning constitutional debate competitions across the country. In this electrifying and deeply personal play, she revisits that teenage self to explore how the U.S. Constitution has shaped her life — and how it continues to shape all of ours.



Two

Two River Theater and Deaf West Theatre Announce Taylor Iman Jones to Star in new musical "Elephant Shoes" alongside Daniel Durant and James Olivas

(RED BANK, NJ) -- Two River Theater and Deaf West Theatre are thrilled to announce Taylor Iman Jones (Six The Musical, Head Over Heels) will star as Roxy in the world premiere co-production of Elephant Shoes, alongside Daniel Durant (Spring Awakening, CODA) and James Olivas (Evita, American Idiot).












LATEST COLUMNS


Makin Waves Song of the Week: "Western Shores" by Renee Maskin

In November, Multiple Makin Waves Award-winning Asbury Park singer-songwriter Renee Maskin will release her latest solo album, "If the World Is Ending." The LP's first single, "Western Shores," is the Makin Waves Song of the Week.




Rock On! This Week's Sound Bites... 06/25/2026

There are differences and then there is different and as it may have been written before when Dave Vargo records are reviewed; the differences are few but this time around, something is definitely "Different."




Makin Waves Song of the Week: "I Will Walk You Home” by Wiser Time

Wiser Time, aka Central Jersey singer-songwriter-guitarist Carmen Sclafani, just dropped his latest album, "There’s A Change A-Comin'," on his own Wiser Time Music. The closing focus track, "I Will Walk You Home," is the Makin Waves Song of the Week.








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