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
Mile Square Theatre presents "The Young King" 
(HOBOKEN, NJ) -- Mile Square Theatre presents The Young King, an imaginative, immersive adaptation of Oscar Wilde's beloved fairy tale, re-envisioned for young audiences and families weekends from February 19 – March 8, 2026. It was adapted by Nicki Bloom and directed by Misti B. Wills. The Young King invites audiences to step inside the story, encouraging reflection and dialogue among children, families, and educators alike.
VIP Theatricals presents the World Premiere of "CURTSEY – A Royal Comedy" 
(NAVESINK, NJ) -- VIP Theatricals presents the World Premiere of CURTSEY – A Royal Comedy by David J. V. Meenan. Polite society takes a spectacular tumble in this fast, fizzy period farce set in the spring of 1939 at the impeccably proper — and wildly unprepared — Woman's Club of Red Bank, New Jersey. Performances take place across two weekends from February 21 to March 1, 2026 at The Navesink Library Theatre.
Centenary Stage Company presents Dial "M" for Murder 
(HACKETTSTOWN, NJ) -- Centenary Stage Company presents Dial "M" for Murder, running February 20 through March 8, 2026 in the Sitnik Theatre of the Centenary University campus. Adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher from the original by Frederick Knott, this is a new version of the celebrated murder mystery that inspired Alfred Hitchcock's cinematic masterpiece.
Luna Stage presents Shakespeare's Hamlet (Abridged!) 
(WEST ORANGE, NJ) -- Luna Stage presents Shakespeare's Hamlet (Abridged!) in new 90-minute adaptation by Rajesh Bose from February 12 - March 8, 2026 on the MainStage. The play features 5 actors playing 16 roles, highlighting the humor and urgency of this taut, intimate, heartbreakingly political tragedy.
The Theater Project to present staged reading of three short plays by Rosemary Parrillo 
(CRANFORD, NJ) -- The Theater Project's 2026 New Play Readings series will present a staged reading of three short plays by Rosemary Parrillo on Saturday, February 21, 2026 at Cranford Community Center's theater. Admission is free, with no registration required. The event begins at 2:00pm. Following the reading, the audience will be able to engage in conversation with the playwright, cast, and director.
music
Lily Vakili to Release Live In-Studio EP, "Live Wire" 
(NEW YORK, NY) -- Building on the success of her 2025 full-length release Oceans Of Kansas and tour, comes Lily Vakili's first live EP, Live Wire out May 8, 2026, an in-studio, live audio and video recording of songs named for what fans and critics alike say is a perfect description of her charismatic performance style.
The Dryden Ensemble presents "In Praise of Tears: Why Dowland and Schubert Still Move Us" on Saturday 
(PRINCETON, NJ) -- When The Dryden Ensemble presents Lachrimæ: In Praise of Tears on Saturday, January 31, 2026, audiences will be invited into a deeply expressive musical world shaped by two master songwriters separated by two centuries, John Dowland and Franz Schubert.
Mnozil Brass Brings Strau$$ to Rowan's Marie Rader Series in Rare U.S. Performance 
(GLASSBORO, NJ) – After 20 years, Rowan University is thrilled to welcome back Mnozil Brass on Saturday, February 28, 2026 as part of a limited, 9-day U.S. tour. A group with fans around the globe, described as "Canadian Brass Meets Monty Python," Mnozil Brass will perform their latest stage sensation: Strau$$. Showtime is 7:30pm.
comedy
Old York Cellars Launches 11th Season of Wine & Comedy Nights 
(RINGOES, NJ) -- Old York Cellars is bringing the laughs back to Hunterdon County as the award-winning winery kicks off the 11th season of its popular Wine & Comedy Nights. The popular event pairs nationally touring stand-up comedians with Old York Cellars wines and chef-driven cuisine in an intimate setting inside the winery's heated vineyard tent.
film
Documentary on mystery man Shoshani screens at the 2026 New Jersey Film Festival on Sunday, February 1! 
The Shoshani Riddle is a true international movie. Opening his investigation in France, director Michael Grynszpan traveled the globe from Israel to Uruguay, tracking the life of the mysterious Mr. Shoshani. Overdubbing a dramatized animation of Shoshani walking the streets of 1950s France, the film introduces its mysterious star. Shoshani was a great scholar and nomad throughout the mid 20th century. It was reported he spoke over 30 languages and had a perfect memory of the Torah, Talmud, Tanakh, and more. Earning the nickname “The Jewish Socrates,” Shoshani was a figure devoted to inquiry yet steeped in mystery. On his grave it is written, “His birth and his life are sealed in enigma.” While most audiences might be unfamiliar with Shoshani, his students include Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel, who authored the mysterious epitaph of Shoshani’s tombstone.
community
State Theatre New Jersey's DiscoveryTix Program provides Arts Access for All with Support from Johnson & Johnson 
(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- State Theatre New Jersey is proud to announce that its flagship DiscoveryTix Program returns for the 2026 season through a new collaboration with Johnson & Johnson.
Monmouth Arts Awarded NJEDA Grant to Support Cultural Celebration in Long Branch 
(RED BANK, NJ) -- Under the leadership of Executive Director Teresa Staub, Monmouth Arts, the County's leading nonprofit arts organization, has received a grant from the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) to bring Culture Around the Corner to Long Branch. This three-day celebration transforms overlooked public spaces, activates local businesses, and invites the community to experience art at every turn.
MPAC to put tickets on sale for An Evening with Alton Brown; Menopause, The Musical 2: Cruising Through 'The Change'; and UB40 
(MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC) will put tickets on sale Friday, January 30, 2026 for An Evening of Alton Brown (April 10), Menopause The Musical 2: Cruising Through 'The Change'(R) (April 30), and UB40: The Unstoppable Tour 2026 (September 26). Tickets will be available for purchase starting at 10:00am.
Stockton Partners with A.C. Casinos to Light Up Yellow for Holocaust Awareness Day 
(ATLANTIC CITY, NJ) -- For the second year in a row, the Sara and Sam Schoffer Holocaust Resource Center at Stockton University partnered with the Casino Association of New Jersey (CANJ) to light up Atlantic City yellow to commemorate International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
