Here's a look at the top 10 most read articles published at New Jersey Stage during the week of January 2-8, 2022.  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 10 includes articles involving 4 counties in New Jersey (Bergen, Essex, Monmouth, Passaic) and New York City.

1) Professional Bull Riders Return to Madison Square Garden This Week - (NEW YORK, NY) -- For the 15th time in history, PBR (Professional Bull Riders) will buck into “The World’s Most Famous Arena,” as the toughest sport on dirt holds one of the initial events of the 2022 season for the elite PBR Unleash The Beast, invading the Big Apple on January 7-8 for the Monster Energy Buck Off at the Garden, presented by Ariat. For two nights only, 40 of the best riders in the world will square off against the rankest bucking bulls in the nation, the ultimate showdown of man vs. beast, seeking to be crowned the event champion and earn crucial points towards the world standings. 

2) "A Case Of Blue" - A Very NJ/NY Film Is Available Now - A Case of Blue, a feature film starring Stephen Schnetzer (Another World, Homeland, ATWT, Days, OLTL ) and Annapurna Sriram (Billions, Feral) was released for renting and purchasing on most streaming platforms on October 19, 2021.  The film which asks "is it possible to relive a long-lost romance?" has a heavy New Jersey / New York presence and was filmed mostly in Ridgewood using many local actors.

3) Makin Waves with Taylor Simon King: Sweet Celebration - The latest production of the dynamic husband-and-wife team of Jersey Shore Broadway talent Lisa Sherman and Oscar-winning songwriter Franke Previte celebrates three iconic American troubadours: James Taylor, Carly Simon and Carole King. Taylor Simon King’s clever musical arrangements and unforgettable, carefully chosen songs take audiences through decades of the legendary singer-songwriters’ individual careers and beloved music.

4) Ali Wong to film Netflix comedy special at Count Basie Center On November 21st - (RED BANK, NJ) -- Comedian Ali Wong's Milk & Money Tour stops at the Count Basie Center’s Hackensack Meridian Health Theatre on Sunday, November 21 at 5:00pm and 8:00pm.  The shows will be filmed for an upcoming Netflix comedy special. Tickets, priced from $49.50 are on sale through theBASIE.org, the Basie Center box office and Ticketmaster.

5) Celebrating Frank Wess - His colleagues called Frank Wess “Magic,” an appropriate sobriquet in view of the exceptionally consistent artistry and professionalism he brought to every project with which he was involved throughout a career spanning 70 years. His saxophone approach was lyrical, soulful, swinging and a unique, genre-defying blend of influences including Johnny Hodges, Lester Young, Ben Webster, and Benny Carter, yet informed by bebop harmonies. Assuming the flute mantle from Wayman Carver of the 1930s Chick Webb orchestra, Wess was a pioneer on the instrument in the early 1950s, helping secure its rightful place in modern jazz. He would also prove himself to be an accomplished composer, arranger, teacher, and mentor to many aspiring musicians.

6) Pro Wrestling Returns To the Prudential Center on January 5th - (NEWARK, NJ) -- The two hottest shows in professional wrestling, “AEW: Dynamite” and “AEW: Rampage,” return to the Prudential Center on Wednesday, January 5, 2022, for a high octane evening of bell-to-bell action.  This marks AEW’s second visit to the state-of-the-art arena in downtown Newark, following the wildly popular, sold-out “AEW: Dynamite” and “AEW: Rampage” shows on September 15, 2021.  

7) Rock On! This Week's Sound Bites...1/6/22 -  As 2021 begins to shrink in our collective rearview mirrors; this space thought it would be enlightening and informative to publish some thoughts, musings and what some of our indie artists both locally and abroad have in store for 2022.

8) Steven Spielberg's "West Side Story" Uses New Jersey As Its Backdrop - (NEWARK, NJ) -- Steven Spielberg's reimagining of the legendary "West Side Story" was filmed on location on the streets of Paterson and Newark. The film, already garnering positive reviews from critics, marks Spielberg's musical debut and his third time filming in New Jersey.

9) Light of Day Winterfest 2022 Is Officially Postponed - With health and safety remaining a top priority, the Light of Day Foundation has postponed WinterFest 2022 shows and events scheduled for January 7-17. Bob's Birthday Bash ("The Main Event"), scheduled for January 14 at the Count Basie Center in Red Bank, NJ, will now take place on Saturday, March 12, 2022.

10) WBGO Celebrates The Career Of Michael Bourne Ahead Of His Retirement - (NEWARK, NJ) -- After thirty-eight years on the air, Michael Bourne, current host of Singers Unlimited and Blues Break as well as previous host of Afternoon Jazz, will retire from WBGO at the end of 2021. A live, star-studded radio program on Sunday, January 2, Michael's last as a WBGO employee, will cap a month-long celebration of his legacy on WBGO.

As you can see by this list, 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 [email protected] - for even more promotion, check out our ad rates which run $50-$100 for an entire month of advertising. It's the best deal around!