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
Inside the Rehearsal Room for "Steel Magnolias" at Bell Theater 
(HOLMDEL, NJ) -- Take a peek inside the rehearsal room of Steel Magnolias, opening Friday, July 25 at Bell Theater in Bell Works. Robert Harling's beloved heartwarming comedy gets a cast of Broadway icons, with a host of Broadway credits, Tony Nominations, and Drama Desk Nominations between them. This timeless story of friendship, love, laughter, and family runs though August 10, 2025.
Surflight's Children's Theater presents "The SpongeBob Musical: Youth Edition" 
(BEACH HAVEN, NJ) -- Surflight children's theater has been eagerly waiting to take you down to the Bikini Bottom in The SpongeBob Musical: Youth Edition. Performances take place July 23-27 & August 13-17, 2025 at 6:00pm each night.
Two River Theater Announces New Board Members: Courtney McCormick, Adriana Medina Gomez, and Sean O'Connell 
(RED BANK, NJ) -- Award-winning Two River Theater has announced three new Board Members highlighting a distinguished and versatile group of individuals dedicated to advancing the artistic mission, vision and services of the theater. Joining Two River's Board of Directors are Courtney McCormick, Senior Vice President, Audit, Enterprise Risk and Compliance at PSEG; Adriana Medina Gomez, Community Engagement Coordinator of the Borough of Red Bank; and Sean O'Connell, Director of Medical Writing at Kyowa Kirin. Along with Two River's existing Board Members, their collective vision and commitment will ensure the continued growth and vitality of the theater's cultural programming.
music
Thomas Rhett Brings Heart, Hits, and Honky-Tonk Heat to New Jersey with his Better in Boots Tour 2025 
Julie Hoffman has photos and a recap of Thomas Rett at PNC Bank Arts Center supported by Dasha and Tucker Wetmore on July 10, 2025.
Bergen County Parks Department presents Music At The Barn 
(PARK RIDGE, NJ) -- Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco and the Board of Commissioners invite the public to attend a free music concert featuring The Matt Chertkoff Trio and Houston Person on Sunday, July 27 from 4:00pm – 6:30pm at the Wortendyke Barn Museum, a County Historic Site (13 Pascack Rd, Park Ridge). This is the first concert in the 2025 music series.
Makin Waves with Dean DeLeo: 'One More Satellite' 
When I was kid going to Point Pleasant Beach High School in the late '70s and early '80s, there was a band that made us feel like we had our own personal rock stars: Wonderspace. They were an amazing band, kind of like a cross between the pop of The Beatles, the progressive rock of Yes, and the swagger of Led Zeppelin.
art
"Envisioning Our Future" 
We have thoughts about the Sixth Street Embankment. It would be odd if we didn't. Anything that heavy is bound to leave an impression on sensitive souls. The great stone sleeper has dozed for years, unperturbed, as the rest of the town has changed around it. Court cases, environmental studies, and action plans from transportation agency aside, our ongoing reluctance to change the Embankment has a superstitious quality about it. Do we see it as a giant paperweight, without which the entire Downtown will fly away into the turbine of international capitalism? Or does the long black wall feel more like the body of a beast, a serpent from a Hudson County version of Midgard, inviolable and primordial, and too dangerous to touch?
community
Champions of Generosity: AFP New Jersey Announces 2025 Excellence in Philanthropy Honorees 
(EDISON, NJ) -- The New Jersey Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP-NJ) announced its 2025 Excellence in Philanthropy Award honorees, an inspiring group of individuals and organizations whose work has changed lives, shaped communities, and strengthened the culture of giving across the Garden State.
Daisy expands to New Jersey through franchise conversion of NJ Smart Home & Theater, high-end residential smart home player with expertise in video walls 
(HO-HO-KUS, NJ) /PRNewswire/ -- Daisy, the fastest growing national home and small business technology installation and services company, extends its services to New Jersey homeowners and small businesses, with the franchising of NJ Smart Home & Theater, a long-time leader in luxurious residential upgrades. The addition marks Daisy's continued expansion into the Northeast, adding to its presence in Fairfield County, CT.
Stockton Volunteers with N.J. Osprey Project to Monitor Nests on Mullica River 
(PORT REPUBLIC, NJ) -- When Stockton University's R/V Skimmer drifted to an osprey nesting platform on the edge of the marsh, an adult took flight from the wooden box that had lost most of its nesting material in a storm the previous night.
books
Charlie Sheen to Talk About "The Book of Sheen" at NJPAC 
(NEWARK, NJ) -- Actor Charlie Sheen will share his story, his way at New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) on Thursday, September 18, 2025 at 8:00pm. During a moderated conversation, Charlie will discuss his new memoir, The Book of Sheen, which will be released on Tuesday, September 9th where all books are sold.
