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
Dreams of Any Kind – Cold or Warm – Are Good Ones So, they went and turned a perfectly good summertime play, A Midsummer Night's Dream, into a wintry play, A Midwinter Night's Dream. It opened - brrrrrrrrrr - at the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, at Drew University, Madison, on December 6th.
PHOTOS from "Ella Enchanted" at The Growing Stage (NETCONG, NJ) -- The Growing Stage: The Children's Theatre of New Jersey is presenting a holiday production of Ella Enchanted weekends until December 17, 2023 on Saturdays and Sundays. Written by Karen Zacarias with music by Deborah Wicks La Puma, Ella Enchanted is adapted from the book by Gail Carson Levine and introduces us to Ella of Frell, who is given the "gift" of obedience by Lucinda, her misguided Fairy Godmother. Photographer John Posada was on hand to take photos.
music
Count Basie Center for the Arts presents Enjoy Every Sandwich: The Music of Warren Zevon (RED BANK, NJ) -- On Thursday, May 23, 2024, the Count Basie Center for the Arts presents Enjoy Every Sandwich: The Music of Warren Zevon. It's been 20 years since the world lost one of its most gifted, respected, and haunted musicians. Warren Zevon bravely battled a rare form of cancer, writing, recording, and performing his music, right up to the last day of his 'Dirty Life and Times'.
The Newton Theatre presents Samantha Fish (NEWTON, NJ) -- The Newton Theatre presents Samantha Fish on Sunday, March 17, 2024 at 7:00pm. Samantha Fish is known first and foremost for her fretwork, Fish's secret weapon is her astute and nuanced storytelling and ultra-vivid detail from carefully honing her craft.
NJPAC Celebrates the Songs of Peggy Lee and Frank Sinatra with All-Star Tribute (NEWARK, NJ) -- New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) will celebrates the songs of Peggy Lee and Frank Sinatra, a pair of close friends and Capitol Records labelmates—who just happened to be two of the 20th century's most essential and influential singers on Thursday, February 8, 2024 at 7:30pm. The lineup includes Aloe Blacc, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Paula Cole, Bettye Lavette, Christian McBride, Rachael Price, Brian Stokes Mitchell, and the Christian McBridge Big Band & Strings.
New Jersey Symphony Announces Cone Institute Call for Compositions (NEWARK, NJ) -- The New Jersey Symphony is accepting applications for the tenth annual Edward T. Cone Composition Institute. This fully immersive, tuition-free program gives four emerging composers the opportunity to hear their music rehearsed and performed by the New Jersey Symphony, as well as participate in sessions with industry leaders on topics like getting their works published and performed.
Passage Theatre Company presents Please Baby Come Home - A Motown Holiday Singalong (TRENTON, NJ) -- Passage Theatre Company presents Please Baby Come Home - A Motown Holiday Singalong featuring David B. Ross on Saturday, December 16, 2023 at the Mill Hill Playhouse. Join Passage favorite David B. Ross as he leads a group singalong of time-honored motown holiday hits! Showtime is 7:30pm.
Blue Hawk Records releases "Chapter XXIII" (WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ) --"Chapter XXIII" from Blue Hawk Records is available now on all streaming platforms, as well as on CD and vinyl. The line-up for their 23rd compilation album includes Angela An, Michael Anthony Rocks, Abby Garcia, Ruaa Khalifa, Amani Lillian and The Blackouts.
Kean Stage presents three Holiday Shows (UNION, NJ) -- Kean Stage presents three holiday shows this December that are sure to delight audiences of all ages at Kean University’s Enlow Recital Hall (215 North Avenue, Hillside) and Wilkins Theatre (1000 Morris Avenue, Union). Shows include A Classic Christmas by Frisson, Christmas in Killarney, and a performance by Ana Gasteyer.
Makin Waves Song of the Week: "Christmas Must Be Tonight" by The New Bardots The New Bardots' new holiday single, a cover of The Band's "Christmas Must Be Tonight," is the Makin Waves Song of the Week.
film
ACME Screening Room presents "Lambertville Hearts Oaxaca: How a Small Town Got to Know Their Mexican Neighbors" (LAMBERTVILLE, NJ) -- On Sunday, December 17, 2023 at 3:00pm, the ACME Screening Room presents "Lambertville Hearts Oaxaca: How a Small Town Got to Know Their Mexican Neighbors". This free end-of-the-year community celebration features the first look at the film created from footage at the August Oaxaca Festival hosted by the Lambertville Free Library. Along with special guests and residents who participated, they will have a post screening discussion, followed by a lively, treat-filled reception.
The 2024 NYC Indie Theatre Film Festival to Take Place in February (NEW YORK, NY) -- The NYC Indie Theatre Film Festival (NYCITFF), formerly a program of the New Ohio Theatre, will take place February 15-18, 2024 at the Jeffrey and Paula Gural Theatre at the A.R.T./New York Theatres, located at 502 West 53rd Street. The festival, led by Executive Director and Programmer Marc Weitz, and Producer and Programmer Allyson Morgan, is now in its 8th year.
Theater to Go presents "White Christmas" Sing Along at Kelsey Theatre (WEST WINDSOR, NJ) -- The audience will be the star and join a cast of Hollywood legends when Theater to Go hosts the "White Christmas Movie Sing Along," one night only on on Saturday, December 16, 2023 at the Kelsey Theatre on Mercer County Community College’s (MCCC) West Windsor Campus. Showtime is 8:00pm.
dance
The Nutcrackers Are Back and the Memories of Childhood Return It is the holiday season and so the Nutcracker ballet, that timeless gem of Christmas, is back, too. There are a thousand fascinating stories to tell about the Nutcracker, now and in the past, and this is one of them – that of Ethan Stiefel, artistic director of the American Repertory Ballet, when he was a kid.
State Theatre New Jersey Presents The Hip Hop Nutcracker (NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- State Theatre New Jersey presents The Hip Hop Nutcracker on Friday, December 29, 2023 at 8:00pm. This is Tchaikovsky's 130-year-old ballet reimagined as a holiday dance spectacle, will travel to STNJ this holiday season while celebrating the show’s 10th season. Tickets range from $39-$69.
art
ACC Gallery presents Hangul Challenge 2023 Gala Art show (TENAFLY, NJ) -- ACC Gallery in Tenafly presents Hangul Challenge 2023 Gala Art show from December 14 through January 6, 2024. Hangul, the remarkable Korean writing system created by King Sejong the Great, is a central focus of the CIA CIA Hangul USA Foundation. At the forefront of their efforts is the Hangul Challenge, a meticulously designed flagship project spotlighting the unique attributes of Hangul. This groundbreaking program empowers individuals with no prior knowledge of the script to read and write proficiently in just eight hours of training.
Final Weeks to See Two Concurrent Exhibitions Comprising the Inaugural Perspectives Series at Grounds for Sculpture (HAMILTON, NJ) -- Two Artist Led, Community Driven exhibitions focused on storytelling from the individual and community perspectives are entering their final weeks and will close on January 7, 2024. The exhibitions, now on view in Grounds For Sculpture's Domestic Arts Building, were developed to highlight and deepen relationships in New Jersey, specifically with the Indian and Trenton communities.
community
Top 15 Most Read Stories At New Jersey Stage From December 3-9, 2023 Here's a look at the top 15 most read articles published at New Jersey Stage from December 3-9, 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 9 counties in New Jersey (Atlantic, Bergen, Gloucester, Hudson, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, and Sussex).
Arts Council of Princeton Receives Funding to Establish the Timothy M. Andrews Artistic Directorship (PRINCETON, NJ) -- The Arts Council of Princeton (ACP) is the grateful recipient of a funding courtesy of philanthropist Timothy M. Andrews to establish the Timothy M. Andrews Artistic Directorship. The gift will further cement the title of Arts Council of Princeton Artistic Director as a position central to the cultural strength of our community, and comes on the heels of Tim's commitment earlier this year to generously continue his support for the Anne Reeves Artist-in-Residence program for another five years.
books
Ellen Stagg to Sign Copies of "Free to Be Naked" Photography Book at Parlor Gallery in Asbury Park (ASBURY PARK, NJ) -- Ellen Stagg is headed to Asbury Park for an in-store signing event in celebration of her latest photo hardcover, Free to Be Naked, at the Parlor Gallery on Saturday, December 16, 2023, from 5:00pm to 7:00pm.
