Published by New Jersey Stage
originally published: 02/09/2026
(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- The Devil is back! That's right, friends, it's time to get Dirty! Again! After their sold-out performance in November, The Devil & Daisy Dirt returns to New Brunswick Performing Arts Center (NBPAC) for five shows from February 20-22, 2026. With a bigger budget and loftier goals.
Experience the timeless magic of what audiences are calling "NJ E.T." For the first time or the fifth. Kevin Smith, Smodcastle Cinemas, and Weird NJ present The Devil & Daisy Dirt: A Garden State Gothic Event.
"A night of theater you will never forget!" - Kevin Smith (Dogma, Chasing Amy)
Wait, what the Devil is this? It's a folk horror fairy-tale about the Jersey Devil with live music and an 8' puppet. A gothic mix of storytelling, theater, vaudeville, back porch session. Think Pine Barrens "Our Town" meets bluegrass E.T., with a shoulder-shot cryptid instead of a stranded extraterrestrial, deer hunters instead of federal agents, and a portal that opens above the Apple Pie Hill fire tower after a midnight lightning strike instead of an alien mothership shaped like a Christmas tree ornament. Plus magic meat, woodland witches, an enchanted bullet, and an annual appetite contest with supernatural rewards. All backed by a high lonesome sound.
Tickets are available for purchase online. New Brunswick Performing Arts Center (NBPAC) is located at 11 Livingston Avenue in New Brunswick, New Jersey.
A percentage of the proceeds will go to the Pinelands Preservation Alliance, helping them ensure the forests, rivers, and swamps that inspired the legend of the Jersey Devil remain protected for future generations of believers.
Trust me, friends, you don't want to miss this. But don't take our word for it. Here's what some other fine folks have said: "Spellbinding!" (Kevin Smith, Dogma, Chasing Amy); "haunting!" (The Philadelphia Inquirer); "weird and wonderful!" (Daniel Kraus, The Shape of Water w. Guillermo del Toro): "a mesmerizing, Pine Barrens fever dream!" (Asbury Park Press); "NJ's hottest theater ticket!" (94.3, The Point); "a BADASS (caps theirs) vaudeville show that marries music, theater, and gnarly monster effects!"(Rue Morgue Magazine); and "the most original, Jersey-centric and downright weird presentation in our state’s theatrical history!” Weird New Jersey
"Sits on the border of legends and tall tales. Somewhere between a DIY show and Kneehigh’s production of The Wild Bride. The result is absolutely stunning." - Tobias Carroll, Reactor
"There is no one remotely like Alex Dawson in Gothic New Jersey or anywhere else. A riveting, one-of-a-kind storyteller." - Joyce Carol Oates
New Brunswick Performing Arts Center (NBPAC) is a transformational project that has propelled New Brunswick’s Downtown Cultural Arts District into the spotlight as the region’s most exciting and dynamic performing arts center. NBPAC features two state-of-the-art theatrical venues in the Elizabeth Ross Johnson and Arthur Laurents Theaters, dedicated rehearsal studios, collaborative work spaces for arts organizations across the region, as well as 207 residential rental apartments and public parking.
With an investment of more than $170 million, the public-private partnership between DEVCO, the City of New Brunswick, Middlesex County, Pennrose, NJEDA, New Brunswick Cultural Center, Rutgers University, and New Brunswick Parking Authority is one of the most significant urban development initiatives in New Jersey.
You can have your events appear here,
whenever someone reads an article about
New Brunswick
click here for more information
EVENT PREVIEWS
ArtYard presents a performance of "You, Me and the Algorithmic Sea on Thursday"
(FRENCHTOWN, NJ) -- ArtYard presents a performance of You, Me and the Algorithmic Sea on Thursday, July 23, 2026 at 7:00pm. This is a sharp, funny, and slightly unnerving live performance from NYC duo Xn0rmL, poet Mark Svenvold and musician/producer Ted Sabety.
The Montclair Theater Festival takes place on Saturday
(MONTCLAIR, NJ) -- The Montclair Theater Festival takes place Saturday, July 25, 2026 from 2:00pm to 8:00pm in Brookdale Park. Step into a day of theater magic, live performances, and community fun! Presented by Vanguard Theater, this vibrant one-day event features family-friendly shows like Suessical: The Musical and Shakespeare’s The Tempest, alongside performances from local artists, food trucks, and hands-on activities for all ages.
Nutley Little Theatre presents "The Worst Fairy Tale Ever"
(NUTLEY, NJ) -- The Narrator is ready to start the show, but how is that supposed to happen when nobody else in the cast has read the script and the costumes haven't even arrived yet? Children, families, and the young at heart will find out when Nutley Little Theatre presents The Worst Fairy Tale Ever by Todd Wallinger July 25-26, 2026.
The Theater Project presents Kaleidoscope Kabaret
(UNION, NJ) -- Kaleidoscope Kabaret (that's Kabaret with a K), The Theater Project's annual festival of live music and short comedic plays, will liven up the stage of DMK Black Box Theatre in Union Township's new Arts Center from July 24-26, 2026.
Aspire Performing Arts presents Disney's "Descendants: The Musical"
(MONTVILLE, NJ) -- Aspire Performing Arts Company, an award-winning performing arts company based in Wayne, will present Disney's Descendants: The Musical from July 24-26, 2026 at the Barn Theatre in Montville. The production features two casts of young performers and is directed by Joey Nasta with musical direction by Shannen Lynn and choreography by Charlize Dominguez.
Mile Square Theatre presents "Urinetown: The Musical"
(HOBOKEN, NJ) -- Mile Square Theatre (MST) is proud to present its first-ever Pre-Professional Theatre Program production, Urinetown: The Musical, book and lyrics by Greg Kotis, music and lyrics by Mark Hollmann. The entire production is led by a team of professionals - the assistants and cast are all young artists ages 18 to 25, based in Hudson County and from across North and Central New Jersey. The production runs from Friday, July 24 through Sunday, July 26, 2026.
Country Gate Players presents "The Addams Family Musical" (Youth Production)
(BELVIDERE, NJ) -- Country Gate Players presents The Addams Family Musical (Youth Production) from July 24-26, 2026. This is the spectacular culminating production of their 2026 Summer Youth Performance Workshop.
Award-Winning "5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche" Returns for One-Day Fundraising Preview Before Edinburgh Fringe Debut
(GARWOOD, NJ) -- Before taking their award-winning production to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland this August, Cheese Platter Productions will present one final hometown performance, and one final opportunity for audiences to help send the company overseas.
Woodbridge Community Players present "9 to 5, The Musical"
(WOODBRIDGE, NJ) -- The Woodbridge Community Players present 9 to 5, The Musical from July 23-26, 2026 at The Theater at Woodbridge Middle School. Three unlikely friends take control of their office and learn there is nothing they can't do, even in a man's world.
The 1964 Civil Rights Act Takes Center Stage with "All The Way" at Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey on July 27th
(MADISON, NJ) -- The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (STNJ) continues its acclaimed Revolutionary Voices play reading series with Robert Schenkkan's Tony Award-winning drama All the Way on Monday, July 27, 2026 at 7:30pm at the F. M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre on the campus of Drew University. This special one-night-only event brings together an exceptional cast to dramatize one of the most pivotal periods in American history.
