NEWS | FEATURES | PREVIEWS | EVENTS

originally published: 06/30/2022

Here's a look at the top 15 most read articles published at New Jersey Stage from January 1, 2022 to June 30, 2022.  This is our first time taking a look at the most read articles over a six month time frame.  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. Among the top 15 for the first half of the year are articles about comedy, film, music, theatre, and community events through original features and reviews, event previews, and industry news. It includes articles from 7 counties in New Jersey (Burlington, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Morris, Passaic, and Union).

1) Plays-in-the-Park returns for their 60th season to Middlesex County this summer with three popular Broadway musicals - (EDISON, NJ) -- Middlesex County’s Plays-in-the-Park is returning to the stage this summer, with performances of Something Rotten!, The SpongeBob Musical, and A Chorus Line at the Stephen J. Capestro Theatre in Edison, part of Plays-in-the-Park’s 60th season.

2) Lisa Marie Is One Funny Wife & Mom - Staten Island-based, Brooklyn-bred Lisa Marie is one funny wife and mom. And her family gives her plenty to make folks laugh. 

3) Paper Mill Playhouse Announces 2022-2023 Season - (MILLBURN, NJ) -- Paper Mill Playhouse has announced its 2022-2023 season, including a gripping murder mystery, a Disney hero of mythic proportions, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s beloved final musical, the Tony-nominated story of two Latin music icons, and the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical that defined a generation.

4) Review of "The Wanderer" at Paper Mill Playhouse - Biographical jukebox musicals follow an established path – heroic artist is especially talented; challenged by demons (bad relationships or addiction); defy barriers and the adoring crowd stands soaking in hit from a bygone time.  Michael Wartella firmly joins the pantheon of supremely talented theatrical performers who embody a real-life rocker and slays with an iconic performance.  At the Paper Mill Playhouse, he owns the theater as doo wop/rocker Dion in a new production “The Wanderer.” 

 

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5) Mother's Day Good Music Festival at Prudential Center features The Isley Brothers, Keith Sweat, Monica, and SWV - (NEWARK, NJ) -- SJ Presents The Mother’s Day Good Music Festival with multi-platinum and Grammy Award-Winning iconic performers The Isley Brothers, Keith Sweat, Monica, and SWV at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on Friday, May 6 at 8:00pm. 

6) 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.

7) Dion, "The Wanderer" and a Memorable Story from Rock and Roll History - The Paper Mill Playhouse is dark and funeral-like quiet. All of a sudden, as loud and thumping as it can be comes the music.

8) Pegasus Theatre Company Moves To Bordentown - (BORDENTOWN, NJ) -- Professional theatre company, Pegasus Theatre Company, will make its Bordentown City debut this fall, offering a full season of productions starting in October 2022 and a summer camp starting as early as August of 2022.  

9) 7th Annual Roselle House Music Festival - (ROSELLE, NJ) -- Back after a two-year hiatus, it's the 7th Annual Roselle House Music Festival!  The festival returns to historic Warinanco Park for a one-day family-friendly electronic dance music celebration of New Jersey's soulful homegrown brand of deep house music. Enjoy dance and food with their vendors. Join Mayor Donald Shaw, the Roselle Borough Council and the Roselle Department of Recreation for the 2022 Roselle House Music Festival on Saturday, July 9, 2022 live in beautiful Warinanco Park from 11:00am to 10:00pm. Co-sponsored by the Union County Board of County Commissioners. 

10) PHOTOS from Empanada Festival in Clifton - On Saturday, June 25th, the County of Passaic, Friends of Passaic County Parks, Inc, and MegaBite Events hosted another Food Truck Festival – this year’s theme was the Northern New Jersey Empanadas. The event took place at Weasel Brook Park in Clifton, New Jersey.  It featured approximately 20 food trucks and vendors along with offerings of New Jersey craft beer, wine, hard seltzers and soft drinks as well. Photographer John Posada was on hand to take photos.

11) Amazing Animation Film Unforgotten Screens At The 2022 New Jersey International Film Festival On June 4! - Unforgotten is a deeply effectual animated short by Sujin Kim telling stories of the harrowing plights of comfort women enslaved by the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. The film uses other-worldly imagery and symbolism as various tales of being a comfort woman are told. The stories are devastating, detailing the harsh truths of being stolen and exploited. The animation is beautifully executed, simultaneously being impressive and impactfully haunting. Unforgotten is a wonderfully put-together, impactful collage that poignantly conveys the nightmare of being a comfort woman.

12) WBGO and City of Newark Partner to Rename Street in Honor of Wayne Shorter - (NEWARK, NJ) -- On April 29 at 5:00pm, WBGO, Newark Public Radio, will celebrate the renaming of the street on which the station resides in honor of one of Newark's own, legendary jazz musician and composer Wayne Shorter. Founded in 1979, WBGO sits at the center of the ever growing arts district in Newark - the Central Ward. Earlier this year, the Newark City Council unanimously approved WBGO's proposal to rename Park Place after NEA Jazz Master, Kennedy Center Honoree, multiple Grammy Award Winner, and Newark native, Wayne Shorter. 

13) MPAC Releases “You Will Be Found” Video To Spread A Message Of Hope - (MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- The MPAC Performing Arts Company has released a video of the group singing “You Will Be Found” from the Broadway show Dear Evan Hansen remotely from their homes. It was directed by Cathy Roy, MPAC Director of Education. Musical Director is Darius Frowner. The video was edited by Dayna Grayber.

14) Lincoln Park Music Festival Kicks Off Season With Mike Phillips on Thursday - (NEWARK, NJ) -- Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District (LPCCD) presents the official 15th Anniversary of its long-running and highly attended Lincoln Park Music Festival, which will return to its outdoor home in Lincoln Park over multiple dates in July and August 2022.  Lincoln Park Music Festival has evolved over the past 15 years into a full umbrella season of music, arts, culture and wellness from April to October annually.

15) 2022 Jersey City Jazz Festival - (JERSEY CITY, NJ) -- The Jersey City Jazz Festival is back for a two-day celebration the weekend of June 4th and 5th in the Powerhouse Arts District. The free-to-the-public annual event will feature fourteen bands on two stages, food trucks, a full bar, and a VIP experience at the 107 Morgan Street lot in Jersey City. The event is produced by the Jersey City-based non-profit Riverview Jazz and presented by Exchange Place Alliance. The 2022 festival will coincide with another beloved annual event - Bike JC’s Ward Tour, Sunday, June 5th, which will culminate at this year’s jazz festival. There will also be an after-party jam session at Moore’s Place on Monticello Ave.  

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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 info@newjerseystage.com - for even more promotion, check out our ad rates which run $50-$100 for an entire month of targeted advertising which includes events listed in our online calendar. 

 

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