Here's a look at the top 15 most read articles published at New Jersey Stage from May 12-18, 2024. 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 6 counties in New Jersey (Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Monmouth, and Ocean).
1) Newark Academy Wins First Place in Jazz at Lincoln Center's 29th Annual Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition and Festival - (NEW YORK, NY) -- Jazz at Lincoln Center (JALC) announced the three top-placing high school jazz bands in the nation plus more than 100 individual and section awards in the prestigious 29th Annual Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition and Festival - held May 9-11, 2024 at Frederick P. Rose Hall, home of Jazz at Lincoln Center and the hallmark program for the largest jazz education network in the world. The competition is part of the organization's festival of events celebrating the 125th birthday of Duke Ellington, one of music's most influential composers, musicians, and bandleaders; and Jazz at Lincoln Center's lodestar since the organization's founding in 1987.
2) Todd Rundgren's "ME/WE" Tour LIVE! at BergenPAC - Hundreds of devoted music fans saw the light on Thursday, May 2, 2024 when musician Todd Rundgren made a “ME/WE” concert tour stop at Englewood, NJ’s BergenPAC.
3) Blackmore's Night Returns to the Sherman Theater on June 22 - (STROUDSBURG, PA) -- Blackmore's Night returns to the Sherman Theater in Stroudsburg, PA with special guests The Wizard's Consort on Saturday, June 22, 2024. Legendary guitarist formerly of Deep Purple and Rainbow, Ritchie Blackmore, and award winning vocalist Candice Night created a new genre of music for all ages..., inspired by many melodies of the Renaissance period, and Blackmoreized into contemporary music. They call it Renaissance/Folk/Rock. This is the sound of Blackmore’s Night.
4) PHOTOS from "Grease" at Algonquin Arts Theatre - (MANASQUAN, NJ) -- Grease is definitely still the word as the classic musical being presented at Algonquin Arts Theatre is one of the hardest tickets to get right now. The production runs May 10-19, 2024, but nearly every performance is sold out. Photographer John Posada was on hand to take photos.
5) PHOTOS from "Pride & Prejudice: A Comedic Play" at October Ensemble - (FORKED RIVER, NJ) -- October Ensemble is having an incredibly successful year—and it's only May! Following two hit murder mysteries and a story-inspired Broadway cabaret, they produced yet another unique and immersive show to sold out crowds: Pride & Prejudice: A Comedic Play by Kate Hamill. Photographer John Posada was on hand to take photos.
6) 2024 Hoboken Spring Arts & Music Festival to take place on Sunday - (HOBOKEN, NJ) -- The 2024 Hoboken Spring Arts & Music Festival will take place on Sunday, May 19 from 11:00am to 6:00pm. It takes place on Washington Street between Observer Highway and Seventh Street. The free festival features displays and sales by over 250 artists, crafters, food vendors, and local businesses.
7) New Bell Theater Opens with "East Carson Street" - New Jersey has a new professional theater that is now open and active. The Bell Theater is located in Holmdel’s Bell Works complex. it is a part of the Axelrod Performing Arts Center.
8) 11th Annual Jersey City Jazz Festival to Take Place May 29th to June 2nd - (JERSEY CITY, NJ) -- Riverview Jazz has been bringing all varieties of jazz music to the residents of Jersey City and Hudson County for well over ten years. This year's Jersey City Jazz Festival is not only expected to be the largest event ever, featuring 40 performances over 5 days with upwards of 20,000 patrons expected, but it is the most musically diverse to date.
9) Makin Waves Album of the Month: "Little Miss Lost" by The Cynz - Well, here’s a marriage made in rock ‘n’ roll heaven: veteran New Brunswick rockers The Cynz have released their label debut LP for longtime Central Jersey-based Jem Records. Both have been around a while, but “Little Miss Lost” marks their first time working together.
10) Events This Week in New Jersey: May 14-21, 2024 - Here is a look at upcoming events taking place from May 14-21, 2024 along with our featured listings. New Jersey Stage offers previews of events throughout the Garden State as well as select shows in New York City and Philadelphia areas.
11) Surflight Theatre Announces 75th Season Lineup - (BEACH HAVEN, NJ) -- With beginnings from the great showman, Joseph P. Hayes, when he started his Surflight Ampitheatre in a very large tent in Beach Haven Crest ( large as in over 2000 seats), Surflight Theatre has been able to stand the test of time and make it to 2024 with their Broadway at the Beach. The theatre will celebrate its 75th anniversary with a season that includes Million Dollar Quartet. South Pacific, Footloose, Titantic, Head Over Heels, Stardust Road, The Great American Trailer Park, Steel Magnolias, Daddy Long Legs, and Miracle on 34th Street. Plus comedy nights, musical concerts, and an assortment of shows for the kids.
12) Where Music Lives Awards Show and Lakehouse Block Party to Create One Unforgettable Weekend in Asbury Park - (ASBURY PARK, NJ) -- Asbury Park Music Foundation and Lakehouse Music Academy will present two major music events in Asbury Park May 17-18, 2024. All proceeds will benefit the nonprofit Asbury Park Music Foundation and Music Saved My Life program.
13) Debra Devi, Dean Shot, Eric Heilner at SOPAC Blues in the Loft on Sunday - (SOUTH ORANGE, NJ) -- Find out why American Blues Scene calls Jersey City blues/rock artist Debra Devi "one of today’s top female blues-rock guitarists" at SOPAC Blues in the Loft in South Orange, NJ on Sunday, May 19, 2024. Doors open at 6:30pm, showtime is 7:00pm. The show opens with exciting blues/rock pianist Eric Heilner, followed by fiery blues guitarist Dean Shot, and Debra Devi.
14) 2024 Lighthouse International Film Festival Preview - (LONG BEACH ISLAND, NJ) -- The 2024 Lighthouse International Film Festival (LIFF) takes place June 5-9, on beautiful Long Beach Island. In addition to watching films, festival goers can rub shoulders with producers and directors, attend filmmaker panels, master classes, and party into the night at special events. The festival will screen more than 110 documentary, narrative, short, horror, thriller, and surf films.
15) Carteret PAC Announces 2024 Central Jersey Marquee Award Nominations - (CARTERET, NJ) -- The URSB Carteret Performing Arts & Events Center has announced the nominations and honorable mentions for the 2024 Carteret PAC Central Jersey Marquee Awards, Honoring Excellence in Middlesex and Somerset Counties High School Musical Theatre. The Marquee Awards will take place on Wednesday, May 15, 2024 at 7:30pm, at the new Carteret Performing Arts and Events Center.
Make sure your events are part of our weekly columns by sending press releases to us at [email protected]. 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. We also run weekly columns promoting events, music, and theatre shows taking place for the week. These columns include our featured event previews and event listings along with all of our event previews of the week. Many times, they are among the most read stories of the week. There is no cost for us to run your press releases!
For even more promotion, check out our ad rates which run $50-$100 for an entire month of targeted advertising and includes events listed in our online calendar. Or you can have your events listed in the calendar for $10 per event (shows with multiple performances get every show listed for just $10). Either way your events will be featured in the weekly columns. NJ Stage keeps our rates low so they are affordable to arts organizations of all sizes.
