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!
If your arts organization sends out press releases, make sure you have [email protected] on your media list for coverage.
theatre
PHOTOS from "The Secret Garden" at Music Mountain Theatre (LAMBERTVILLE, NJ) -- Music Mountain Theatre is presenting The Secret Garden weekends now through February 19. The enchanting classic of children’s literature is reimagined in brilliant musical style. The Secret Garden sees Mary, an 11- year-old living in British India, forced from her home by tragedy. Photographer John Posada was on hand to take photos.
PHOTOS from "The Play That Goes Wrong" at Bergen County Players (ORADELL, NJ) -- Bergen County Players (BCP) presents the hilarious Tony Award-winning hit Broadway comedy The Play That Goes Wrong. In this play, the ‘Cornley University Drama Society’ is putting on a production of 'The Murder at Haversham Manor' and, like the title suggests, a myriad of things go wrong. Performances run from Saturday, February 18 through Saturday, March 11 at the Little Firehouse Theatre in Oradell.
The Ritz Theatre Company presents "The Color Purple," a Modern Musical Masterpiece (HADDON TOWNSHIP, NJ) -- The Ritz Theatre Company has a special treat in store for theatre, literature, and culture enthusiasts throughout the month of February, as the organization gets set to present a stirring production of The Color Purple. A musical adaptation of Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, the show is hailed as an inspiring story of hope, a testament to the healing power of love, and a celebration of life featuring a joyous score of jazz, ragtime, gospel, and blues. Directed by Kyrus Keenan Westcott, the production runs at The Ritz from February 10th through February 26th.
Jersey City Theater Center presents "The Potential of Song" a Masterclass with Thomas Richards (JERSEY CITY, NJ) -- “The Potential of Song,” a Masterclass led by Thomas Richards, theater director and former Artistic Director of the Workcenter of Jerzy Grotowski and Thomas Richards in Pontedera, Italy, and assisted by members of Theatre No Theatre, will introduce each participant to an exploration of work on songs of tradition will take place at Jersey City Theater Center, 165 Newark Avenue (entrance on Barrow Street), Jersey City, NJ from February 14 through February 16, 2023. For more information or to register visit https://jctcenter.org.
Algonquin Arts Theatre presents "Wait Until Dark" (MANASAQUAN, NJ) -- Algonquin Arts Theatre presents its winter thriller, Wait Until Dark by Frederick Knott. The show will run from February 18 through February 26. Murder, secret identities, and a switchblade named Geraldine set the stage for this white-knuckle thriller that will have you sleeping with the lights on.
music
Makin Waves with Taylor Simon King: 'Crushing the Avenue' Taylor Simon King, a celebration of the three American troubadours James Taylor, Carly Simon, and Carole King, is produced by Jersey Shore musical power couple Lisa Sherman and Franke Previte, an Oscar winner for the 1987 classic “Dirty Dancing.” Their production will be coming to Franke’s hometown of New Brunswick on March 25 with a performance at the grand New Brunswick Performing Arts Center.
Monmouth University Center for the Arts presents An Evening with Cowboy Junkies (WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ) -- Monmouth University Center for the Arts presents An Evening with Cowboy Junkies on Saturday, May 6, 2023 at 8:00pm. The show takes place in the Pollak Theatre. Tickets range from $38-$58.
Musicians on a Mission and Special People United to Ride present "Come To Your Senses" (LINCROFT, NJ) -- Musicians on a Mission and Special People United to Ride present "Come To Your Senses" on February 26, 2023, from 5:00pm to 9:30pm at The Gallery at Thompson Park, 805 Newman Springs Road in Lincroft, NJ. This jam-packed evening will provide a "feast" for all five senses, including art, music, food, drink, fragrant soaps & candles from Brielle Soap and massage, plus a chance to win beautiful raffle baskets!
StocktonPAC presents the World-Famous Harlem Gospel Choir (GALLOWAY, NJ) -- The World-Famous Harlem Gospel Choir is slated to sing, stomp and praise all night long at Stockton University’s Performing Arts Center on Friday, February 17. Showtime is 7:30pm.
NJ Artist Sean Faust Releases "Live Volume Four - 50/Fifty" On February 3rd, 2023, New Jersey songwriter Sean Faust released the latest in his "Live" album series, "Volume Four - 50/ Fifty." Originally broadcast on BlowUpRadio.com, this is Sean's full set recorded on 9/18/2022 that includes his popular single "Gin Asylum", a return to prog-rock form with his epic "As It Grows", and a solo version of his band MONEY FOR THE TOLL's "Balance".
Bruce Springsteen And The E Street Band Back on Tour With First U.S. Show In Seven Years Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band launched their 2023 international tour on February 1st at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida - offering fans a high-energy 28-song set that included live staples like "Dancing In The Dark" and "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out" alongside new material from Springsteen's most recent studio albums Letter To You and Only The Strong Survive. This return to the road marked Springsteen and The E Street Band's first live performance together since the conclusion of The River Tour in 2017, and first in North America since 2016.
Makin Waves Song of the Week: "In the Night" by Project 18 featuring Dave Vargo Project 18, featuring Monmouth County-based singer-songwriter Dave Vargo, has released a four-song EP, the opener of which, “In the Night,” is the Makin Waves Song of the Week.
comedy
NJPAC presents Valentine's Day All-Star Comedy Show (NEWARK, NJ) -- New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) and SJ Presents bring a Valentine’s Day All-Star Comedy Show at NJPAC's Prudential Hall. See Newark’s own Bill Bellamy coined the phrase “booty call” and has appeared in countless TV shows and movies, including Def Comedy Jam, Who’s Got Jokes? Last Coming Standing, Any Given Sunday, and Issa Rae’s Insecure, Bellamy will be the evening’s host, introducing comedians Adele Givens, Eddie Griffin, and Smokey Suarez. They will take to the big stage on Saturday, February 11, 2023 for two performances, 7:00pm and 9:30pm.
film
Captivating feature Junho screens at the Spring 2023 New Jersey Film Festival on Saturday, February 11! Junho, a narrative feature film by David Soek Hoon Boo, will be playing at the New Jersey Film Festival on February 11, 2023, online for 24 hours and in person at 7 pm. The film follows Junho, a Korean actor who flees to San Francisco after his acting troupe is shaken by a sexual assault.
Exceptional experimental short Revelation to the Disembodied screens at the New Jersey Film Festival on February 10, 2023! André Silva’s exceptional experimental short film Revelation to the Disembodied will be shown at the New Jersey Film Festival on February 10, 2023, online for 24 hours and in person at 7 pm. The film will be one of six in the festival’s shorts program. Revelation to the Disembodied is an alluring commentary on the multidimensionality of human existence. André Silva captures the complexity of man’s evolution of intelligence and tells the story of this evolution through the lens of a post-modern dream. In Silva’s dream world, he explores the implications of a world that has become hyper-technological while drawing upon Christian mythology to form an unlikely comparison. This duality makes for a beautifully complex depiction of the equally complex human experience.
Chris Lane’s Excellent Feature Ocean City Monster Building screens at the Spring 2023 New Jersey Film Festival TODAY Saturday, February 4 Ocean City Monster Building by Chris Lane (playing all day online at the Spring 2023 New Jersey Film Festival) focuses on a small sleepy town in upstate New York in 1984. The former mayor of the city is found dead on the backseat of his car with a local 15-year-old girl. In the aftermath, his wife of 30 years and his adopted daughter have to make sense of this difficult situation, while a detective from out of town is sent in to try to solve the case together with local law enforcement.
Here is my interview with Ocean City Monster Building director Chris Lane:
Oscar Nominated Live-Action Shorts and Documentary Short Films to Screen in Spring Lake (SPRING LAKE, NJ) -- If you’d like to see this year's Oscar Nominated short films before the 95th annual awards are broadcast on March 12th, here’s your chance. Of the three categories open for nomination—Live-Action, Documentary and Animation—Spring Lake Theatre will host Lighthouse International Film Society’s screening of the Live-Action nominees on Friday evening, February 17, and Documentaries on Saturday, February 18.
Bean and the Babysitter screens at the Spring 2023 New Jersey Film Festival on Friday, February 3 Bean and the Babysitter is a twenty-minute short film directed by Jason Michael Roberts and written by Jimmy Barker. A young college student Pam (Katelin Dirr) is hired to babysit a young boy Bean (Liam Eddy) while his parents go out for the evening. Initially Pam is resistant to bond with Bean to focus on her biology homework, but their relationship takes a turn when Bean’s parents don’t return from their night out. The two of them are stuck at the family farmhouse, far from civilization and have no way to communicate with the outside world. Isolated and scared, Pam and Bean are forced to confront their internal struggles, and each other.
Mysterious short Duplicitous Minds screens at the New Jersey Film Festival on Friday, February 3 Duplicitous Minds is written and directed by Robert Rippberger. The seventeen-minute short film tells the story of the deceitful exploits of three unnamed characters, The Magician (Matthew Palumbo), his assistant (Catalina Yue), and The Artist (Rob LaColla Jr.). An ominous monologue opens up the film, hinting at the deceptive nature of what’s to come. While performing a show, The Magician is heckled by The Artist. After the performance, The Artist goes backstage and blackmails The Magician to steal for him, or The Artist will give up video footage of a previous heist. The Magician agrees, but little does The Artist know what he has gotten himself into.
art
Black Women's Mural Raises Awareness About Black Suffragists, Celebrates Black Voices, and Sparks Community Pride Ida B. Wells-Barnett was a prominent journalist and activist who fought tirelessly for women’s right to vote even though she is often left out of historical conversations about the women’s suffrage movement. Today her image graces a mural located in the heart of downtown Englewood, New Jersey, on the east-facing wall of the Women's Rights Information Center building at 108 W. Palisades Avenue. The painting was inspired by the 100th year anniversary of the 19th Amendment. “The Black Women’s Mural: Celebrating Black Suffragists and Black Women in Englewood” is meant to celebrate the achievements of Black women who paved the way for civil and women’s rights as well as serve as a beacon of pride and hope for young girls, Black women and the community-at-large in Englewood.
poetry
Princeton Makes and Ragged Sky Press Second Sunday Poetry Reading featuring Vida Chu and Bill Wunder (PRINCETON, NJ) -- Princeton Makes, a Princeton-based artist cooperative, and Ragged Sky Press, a local publisher focused on poetry, will host a Second Sunday Poetry Reading on Sunday, February 12 at 4:00pm. The readings will take place at the Princeton Makes store in the Princeton Shopping Center. The February reading will feature Vida Chu and Bill Wunder. Their readings will be followed by an open mic available to up to 10 audience members who would like to read their original poetry.
community
Top 15 Most Read Stories at New Jersey Stage from January 29 to February 4, 2023 Here's a look at the top 15 most read articles published at New Jersey Stage from January 29 to February 4, 2023. 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 (Bergen, Burlington, Essex, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, and Union).
sports
The Monmouth County Park System to Hold E. Murray Todd Half Marathon on March 12th (LINCROFT, NJ) -- The Monmouth County Park System will hold its annual E. Murray Todd Half Marathon on Sunday, March 12. This 13.1-mile race takes runners through Lincroft, Holmdel and Colts Neck. The race begins at 8:30am at Brookdale Community College, 765 Newman Springs Road, Lincroft.
FEATURED EVENTS
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EVENT PREVIEWS
The Chatham Community Players presents Reading of "In The Next Room or The Vibrator Play" by Sarah Ruhl
November 16, 2025
The Glorious Sounds of Brass to Take Place in Trenton
November 16, 2025
Vivid Stage Brings Pop-Up Theatre: Fiona's Café to Serra Doce in Summit
November 18, 2025
The Newton Theatre presents Colt Ford
November 20, 2025
Jersey City Theater Center to Open 20th Anniversary Season with Brent Birckhead Jazz at White Eagle Hall
November 20, 2025
StocktonPAC presents Swift Nation - Taylor Swift Tribute
November 20, 2025
Chartertech High School for the Performing Arts Hosting Open House on November 20th
November 20, 2025
NJPAC presents Carlos Varela with special guest Diana Fuentes
November 21, 2025
Jonas Brothers, David Bryan, and The Isley Brothers among New Jersey Hall of Fame Class of 2025
November 21, 2025
The Newton Theatre presents Yesterday, A Tribute to The Beatles
November 21, 2025
