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
Faith and Frosting Collide in "The Cake" at Bergen County Players 
(ORADELL, NJ) -- Enjoy a touching and topical dramedy as love clashes with conscience in Bergen County Players' (BCP) production of The Cake. The play, written by Bekah Brunstetter, producer/writer for the hit TV series This Is Us, is directed by Carol Fisher of Teaneck. It opens March 14 and runs through April 11, 2026 at the Little Firehouse Theatre in Oradell.
Jersey Arts Podcast: Theresa Rebeck, Marisa Smith, and NJ Rep's Theatrical Sandbox by the Jersey Shore 
Theater aficionado's will likely be familiar with the plays of Theresa Rebeck—the most Broadway-produced female playwright of our time and creator of the hit TV show, Smash. For the upcoming show, Samantha Inside Out at New Jersey Repertory Company, though, Rebeck is not the writer, but the director— a role she has increasingly enjoyed over the last several years.
Upcoming Staged Reading of "In Equal Measure" at Puffin Cultural Forum to Spark Community Dialogue Rooted in Teaneck's History 
(TEANECK, NJ) -- Puffin Cultural Forum, a project of the Puffin Foundation, Ltd., will present a special staged reading of In Equal Measure on Saturday, March 21, 2026 at 7:00pm, followed by a facilitated community discussion on police accountability, communal grief, and the moral consequences when justice systems fail. The play centers on a father grappling with the death of his son at the hands of police and the emotional fallout when accountability does not come.
The Murder Mystery Co. presents "I Love the 80’s to Death" at Brookdale PAC 
(LINCROFT, NJ) -- The Murder Mystery Co. presents I Love the 80’s to Death, a totally rad evening of intrigue and laughter coming to the Brookdale Community College Performing Arts Center on March 7, 2026. Showtime is 7:00pm.
music
State Theatre New Jersey presents Brit Floyd - The Moon, The Wall and Beyond 2026 
(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- State Theatre New Jersey presents Brit Floyd – The Moon, The Wall and Beyond 2026 on Wednesday, March 4, 2026 at 7:30pm. This monumental new production celebrates two of the most iconic and influential albums in rock history—Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall—with a breathtaking show that captures the spirit, sound, and spectacle of the legendary band.
Montclair Jazz Festival Selected by Smithsonian Institution as a Collaborating Festival for "Of The People: The Smithsonian Festival of Festivals" to Commemorate the United States Semiquincentennial 
(MONTCLAIR, NJ) -- The 17th annual Montclair Jazz Festival has been selected by the Smithsonian Institution as a collaborating festival to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the nation's founding. For this occasion, the Smithsonian is taking its oldest and largest public event—the annual Folklife Festival—on the road to communities across the country and making a stop in New Jersey at the Montclair Jazz Festival, the region's largest outdoor summer jazz fest.
Rock On! This Week's Sound Bites... 02/19/2026 
"I appreciate that, that means a lot," smiled the very excited, extremely talented and current contestant of this season's "American Idol," Jake Thistle.
North to Shore festival to take place June 13-28 
(NEWARK, NJ) -- North to Shore will take place June 13-28, 2026 with another extraordinary season of world-class performances, comedy acts, film screenings, community events, and artistic collaborations at venues across Newark and Asbury Park.
comedy
Spring Improv Classes Begin March 9th at Vivid Stage 
(SUMMIT, NJ) -- Vivid Stage, in residence at Oakes Center at 120 Morris Avenue in Summit, is enrolling its spring session of improv classes for adults. This session runs March 9 through April 29, 2026. Classes offered this session include the Joy of Improv introductory class, the advanced Scene Study and Performance Workshop classes, and an Open Improv Jam.
film
2026 United States Super 8 Film + Digital Video Festival Line-up 
The 2026 United States Super 8 Film & Digital Video Festival, which is part of the Spring 2026 New Jersey Film Festival, takes place online and in-person on Saturday, February 21 and Sunday, February 22.
Check out the Festival schedule and more info at this link:
https://watch.eventive.org/newjerseyfilmfestivalspring2026
View the winning films and digital videos of the International United States Super 8 Film & Digital Video Festival, selected by a jury of filmmakers, Rutgers University student interns, and media professionals. The festival--now in its 38th year—will feature finalist works by independent filmmakers from the United States and around the world. Co-sponsored by Pro 8mm!
dance
Carolyn Dorfman Dance Returns To White Eagle Hall on March 7th 
(JERSEY CITY, NJ) -- Jersey City Theater Center presents a multidisciplinary experience that bridges continents, cultures, and generations: Where Deep Waters Cross, featuring Carolyn Dorfman Dance in collaboration with Jersey City Poet Laureate Rashad Wright. The rescheduled performance takes place Saturday, March 7, 2026 at White Eagle Hall. Showtime is 7:30pm.
community
Dr. Michael Kim Appointed Dean of Mason Gross School of the Arts 
(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- Dr. Michael Kim, a distinguished concert pianist, scholar, and dean of Western University's Don Wright Faculty of Music, has been named the next dean of the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University. When Kim begins his tenure on July 1, 2026, he will become the fifth dean in the school's 50-year history.
The Salvation Army Camden Kroc Center hosts a celebration of Black History, Mind, Body & Soul on Saturday 
(CAMDEN, NJ) -- The Salvation Army Camden Kroc Center hosts a celebration of Black History, Mind, Body & Soul on Saturday, February 21, 2026 from 12:00pm to 3:00pm. Join them as they journey through Black History with artifacts, historical displays, and artistic performances. Admission is free.
books
Book Portals and Journeys of Literary Magic with Author Kate Quinn 
(TOMS RIVER, NJ) -- Join in on a virtual conversation with acclaimed author Kate Quinn about her latest fantastical work, The Astral Library on Thursday, March 12, 2026 presented by the Ocean County Library. The event begins at 7:00pm.
