Here's a look at the top 15 most read articles published on New Jersey Stage from November 30 to December 6, 2025. Each week we publish at least 70 articles, including original columns and features, promoting events and covering arts news taking place 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 (Atlantic, Bergen, Camden, Cumberland, Essex, Mercer, Morris, and Ocean) and includes coverage of art, community, dance, film, music, and theatre.
1) American Repertory Ballet and Princeton Ballet School has appointed Samantha Dunster as Artistic Director - (PRINCETON, NJ) -- American Repertory Ballet (ARB) | Princeton Ballet School (PBS) has appointed Samantha Dunster as its next Artistic Director, effective November 2025.
2) Jackson Arts Ministry Presents Anastasia, The Broadway Musical, and Frozen Jr. - (JACKSON, NJ) -- Jackson Arts Ministry (JAM) presents their Fall 2025 productions, Anastasia, the Broadway Musical, and Frozen Jr., at the Jackson Memorial Fine Arts Auditorium from Friday, December 5th, through Sunday, December 7th.
3) Events This Week in New Jersey from December 2-8, 2025 - Here is a look at upcoming events taking place from December 2-8, 2025 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.
4) The Landis Theater presents Mysterious Ways - The U2 Christmas Experience - (VINELAND, NJ) -- The Landis Theater presents Mysterious Ways – The U2 Christmas Experience on Friday, December 12, 2025 at 8:00pm. The band brings a special holiday twist to the iconic sound of U2! This festive performance blends the spirit of Christmas with the passion and energy of one of the greatest bands in rock history.
5) The Princeton Folk Music Society presents Michael Gabriele and Spook Handy on December 12th - (PRINCETON, NJ) -- The Princeton Folk Music Society, celebrating its 60th anniversary, presents a double feature on folk music history, with an emphasis on New Jersey on Friday, December 12, 2025 at Christ Congregation Church. The program opens with a presentation by Michael Gabriele, the author of New Jersey Folk Revival Music: History & Tradition (Arcadia Publishing, 2016). New Jersey-based folk musician and Pete Seeger collaborator Spook Handy follows up with a concert in the second half. Showtime is 8:00pm.
6) Surflight Theatre presents "Elf, The Musical" - (BEACH HAVEN, NJ) -- The ever popular holiday production of Elf The Musical, back for the first time since 2018, opened at Surflight Theatre on November 29th and runs through December 21, 2025. Elf The Musical is based on a motion picture of the same name with a score by Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin. The book is adapted by Bob Martin and Thomas Meehan from the 2003 film.
7) Guitarists Frank Vignola and Vinny Raniolo Bring Their 'Joyful Jamming' to Madison - In the 1970s and '80s, the New Jersey Jazz Society held summer festivals at Waterloo Village in Stanhope, NJ, sometimes as part of a New Jersey arm of the Newport Jazz Festival in New York. Guitarist Frank Vignola remembers playing there 40 years ago, as a 19-year-old, with such guitar giants as Bucky Pizzarelli and Tal Farlow. "There were also other legends," he recalled, "like (pianist) Jay McShann and (bassist) Milt Hinton. So, I sort of got my start with the New Jersey Jazz Society."
8) Quilt Show to Open Trenton City Museum's 2026 Exhibition Season - (TRENTON, NJ) -- Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie will begin its 2026 art exhibition season with the quilt show byCONTRAST: Apparent Contradictions. A New Jersey and New York regional juried exhibition presented in coordination with Studio Art Quilt Associates NY+NJ, the show opens Friday, January 9, 2026, with an artists and members reception Saturday, January 10. It will remain on view through February 9, with related programs to be announced.
9) Renault Winery's Vintner Wonderland Open Now Through January 19th - (EGG HARBOR CITY, NJ) -- Renault Winery presents Vintner Wonderland now through January 19, 2026. The South Jersey winery has been transformed into a scene from a Hallmark movie with the entire estate decked out for the holiday season - and beyond. America's Most Historic Winery invites families from the tri-state region and East Coast to experience centuries-old European holiday traditions, reimagined across Renault's sprawling vineyard estate, with festive vibes and decor around every turn.
10) 20th Anniversary of Teaneck International Film Festival is a Wrap - (TEANECK, NJ) -- It all began 21 years ago with an idea and planning, and this November the Teaneck International Film Festival, a project of The Puffin Foundation, Ltd., celebrated its 20th anniversary of presenting films and programs that bring people together as a community and foster a commitment to caring and involvement. This year's festival was marked by feelings of pride and gratitude on the part of the TIFF committee, Executive Director Jeremy Lentz, and the many sponsors who have been supporters from the earliest days.
11) New Jersey Symphony returns with its holiday tradition: Handel's Messiah - (PRINCETON, NJ) -- New Jersey Symphony will present three performances of George Frideric Handel's Messiah. The Symphony will perform all three parts of the oratorio. The performances will take place Friday, December 19, 2025 at 7:30pm and Saturday, December 20, 2025 at 7:30pm at Richardson Auditorium in Princeton; and Sunday, December 21, 2025 at 7:00pm at Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark.
12) The Garden State Wine Growers Association Invites You To Visit NJ Wineries This Holiday Season - (HADDONFIELD, NJ) -- The Garden State Wine Growers Association – a coalition of 60+ wineries and vineyards across New Jersey – invites you to indulge the state's flourishing wine country through unique events and experiences happening every week, but most importantly, during the holiday season!
13) PHOTOS from Opening Night of "Frozen" at Paper Mill Playhouse - (MILLBURN, NJ) -- Paper Mill Playhouse is presenting Disney's Frozen now through Sunday, January 11, 2026. This musical transforms the magic of the beloved animated film to the stage in an enchanting adventure. When sisters Elsa and Anna are torn apart by a mysterious secret power, they each set out on their own journey of courage, self-acceptance, and discovery of love in all its forms. Photographer Rebecca J. Michaelson was on hand to take photos of opening night.
14) The Ma'ayanot H.S. Drama Society & Black Box Studios presents "Fiddler On The Roof" - (TEANECK, NJ) -- The Ma'ayanot Yeshiva High School Drama Society, in ongoing partnership with Black Box Studios, presents three performances of Fiddler On The Roof from December 27-30, 2025 at Ma'ayanot Performing Arts Center. Winner of nine Tony Awards when it debuted in 1964, this musical is the brainchild of Broadway legends, Jerome Robbins and Harold Prince; songwriters, Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick; and bookwriter, Joseph Stein. Touching audiences worldwide with its humor, warmth and honesty, this universal show is a staple of the musical theatre canon.
15) [TIE] Roxey Ballet's 30th Anniversary Production of "The Nutcracker" Enters Final Week of Performances - (EWING, NJ) -- Roxey Ballet proudly announces the successful opening weekend of its 30th Anniversary production of The Nutcracker, delighting audiences with breathtaking dancing, stunning new costumes, and heartwarming holiday magic. This milestone year marks three decades of tradition, community engagement, and world-class artistry brought to life on stage.
15) [TIE] This Week in Music: Previews for Concerts from December 2-8, 2025 - Here is a look at shows taking place from December 2-8, 2025 along with our featured listings and a look at some upcoming shows. New Jersey Stage offers previews of concerts throughout the Garden State as well as select shows in New York City and Philadelphia areas.
Following decades of experience in public relations and writing for the arts, New Jersey Stage was created to serve as the state’s arts newswire and provide affordable advertising for the arts (from $50-$100 per month). The site has been redesigned around its Event Calendar and event preview articles. The vast majority of these articles come from a monthly schedule that lets us cover every arts genre and region of the state on a regular basis with original coverage. These event preview articles get noticed when we first publish them and then get noticed again the week the event takes place. Our articles and event calendar pages are picked up by search engines and resources like Google News. We also accept press releases sent to [email protected]
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