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
Vanguard Theater presents "Topdog/Underdog" 
(MONTCLAIR, NJ) -- Vanguard Theater presents Topdog/Underdog from October 9–26, 2025. Experience the Pulitzer Prize–winning drama by Suzan-Lori Parks that redefined American theater. A darkly comic and deeply moving story of brotherhood, rivalry, and survival, this landmark play is a must-see for theater lovers and anyone drawn to powerful, intimate storytelling.
Ocean County College Repertory Theatre Company presents "Dracula" 
(TOMS RIVER, NJ) -- The Ocean County College Repertory Theatre Company will perform Dracula from October 17-19 and 24-26, 2025 in the Black Box Theater at the Grunin Center for the Arts, located on the main campus of Ocean County College in Toms River. This thrilling new adaptation by Steven Dietz restores the suspense and seduction of Bram Stoker's classic novel to the stage.
music
Monmouth String Quartet presents Stranger Strings: A Ghostlight Concert 
(LONG BRANCH, NJ) -- Monmouth String Quartet presents Stranger Strings: A Ghostlight Concert at The Whitechapel Projects on Thursday, October 23, 2025. Step into the shadows this Halloween and experience the eerie beauty of music like never before. Performances take place at 6:00pm & 8:00pm.
Atlantic Brass Band presents "Midwest Bound" at Rowan 
(GLASSBORO, NJ) -- Atlantic Brass Band is proud to open its 2025–2026 season with Midwest Bound on Sunday, October 12, 2025 at Rowan University's Pfleeger Concert Hall. This is a thrilling preview of the program they will present later this year at the world-renowned Midwest Clinic International Band and Orchestra Conference in Chicago. Showtime is 2:00pm.
Rock On! This Week's Sound Bites...10/2/25 
"I'm in Stockholm, I'll be stateside in a couple of weeks, I've been here pretty much since the beginning of the year. I don't own a place anywhere, I'm pretty much a straight up nomad these days. I did a couple of European tours earlier in the year, I've done a little bit of holidaying over here and I've just kind of been hanging out until my European visitor visa has run out. So, now it's time to go back to the States and do some touring over there."
Hard Rock presents Stevie Van Zandt's Party at the Pony 
(ASBURY PARK, NJ) -- Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Stevie Van Zandt, founder of the innovative music education program TeachRock, will host Hard Rock Presents Stevie Van Zandt's Party at the Pony, a special benefit event at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ on Sunday, October 26, 2025 at 6:00pm. The event will include the presentation of the TeachRock Star Teacher Award to Asbury Park public school teacher Casey Miles, recognition of Spring-Nuts founders Julie and Howie Chazanoff, and a celebration of the birthdays of Stevie Van Zandt and his wife, Maureen.
Kean Stage presents Soweto Gospel Choir 
(UNION, NJ) -- Kean Stage is thrilled to open it's 2025-2026 season with the SOWETO GOSPEL CHOIR on Sunday, October 5, 2025 in Wilkins Theatre (1000 Morris Avenue, Union, NJ). Showtime is 7:00pm.
film
New Jersey Film Festival Fall 2025 Filmmaker Interview with Welcome to Japan Director Noé Benifla 
Here is New Jersey Film Festival Fall 2025 Zoom Filmmaker Interview with Welcome to Japan Director Noé Benifla, Festival Assistant Director Morgan Kalmbach and Festival Director Al Nigrin:
Teaneck International Film Festival Announces 20th Anniversary Lineup 
(TEANECK, NJ) -- The Teaneck International Film Festival unveils its 20th anniversary roster! A project of The Puffin Foundation Ltd., the 20th anniversary festival will be held November 6-13, 2025, featuring over 25 films, panel discussions, awards, and parties with filmmakers, actors, elected officials and industry guests attending.
New Release Review - "One Battle After Another" 
Most movies take place in either the real world or a fantasy world. Some filmmakers like to blur the two, like how Tarantino's movies play out in his own version of reality, or how the Conjuring series and its spinoffs imagine a version of our world where Ed and Lorraine Warren weren't con artists but actually battled paranormal forces of evil for real. Loosely inspired by Thomas Pynchon's 1990 novel 'Vineland', Paul Thomas Anderson's One Battle After Another takes place in a version of America that overlays the 1970s on top of our current times. In Anderson's world, the organised left-wing revolutionaries of the Nixon era still operate, freeing migrants from detainment camps, pulling off bank robberies in the manner of the Symbionese Liberation Army, and blowing up federal buildings like the far right militia of '80s America.
books
Morristown Festival of Books welcomes Jake Tapper in Conversation with Maggie Haberman for Special Free Closing Event 
(MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- The Morristown Festival of Books is thrilled to welcome Jake Tapper, the lead Washington, D.C., anchor and chief correspondent for CNN and bestselling author, as the featured guest at this year's exciting free Closing Event on Saturday, October 11, 2025. Tapper will appear in conversation with Maggie Haberman of The New York Times to discuss his powerful new investigative nonfiction, Race Against Terror, which explores true crime and terrorism.
