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
2026 Jersey Shore Young Playwrights Festival to Take Place April 25th 
(TOMS RIVER, NJ) -- Stargazer Performing Arts is proud to announce the plays and playwrights for the 2026 Jersey Shore Young Playwrights Festival. This is the second year for the festival which showcases original plays written by students ages 13 to 18. Staged reading of the plays will premiere on Saturday, April 25 in the Gia Maione Prima Black Box Theatre at the Grunin Performing Arts Academy in Toms River.
music
2026 Jersey City Jazz Festival to Take Place May 29-31 
(JERSEY CITY, NJ) -- The Jersey City Jazz Festival returns in 2026 with its biggest event yet, inviting music fans of all ages to experience jazz from across the spectrum including straight-ahead, Latin jazz and more throughout an unforgettable three-day celebration. Presented by Exchange Place Alliance, the free event runs from Friday evening, May 29 through Sunday, May 31 along the Hudson River waterfront at Exchange Place Plaza, offering sweeping views of lower Manhattan.
Music at Bunker Hill presents Trio Zimbalist 
(SEWELL, NJ) -- Music at Bunker Hill presents Trio Zimbalist in their first appearance on their series on May 10, 2026 at 3:00pm. Trio Zimbalist has been celebrated for its "highly charged performances" (The Strad) and its "liveliness and vigor of playing" (Athinorama).
João Bosco Quartet - 80th Birthday Celebration of Brazilian Music Legend João Bosco to take place at McCarter Theatre on April 25th 
(PRINCETON, NJ) -- McCarter Theatre Center presents the João Bosco Quartet in a special performance celebrating the legendary Brazilian artist's 80th birthday and more than five decades of groundbreaking music-making on Saturday, April 25, 2026 at 7:30pm. Presented in association with Brazil LAB, this performance celebrates João Bosco’s extraordinary career.
Broadcast Legend Sid Mark to be Remembered at Ocean Grove Event on June 7th 
(OCEAN GROVE, NJ) -- Sid Mark, the popular and iconic radio host, sadly passed away four years ago, on April 18th, 2022. Sid’s son Brian Mark, Executive Producer of Orange Productions' nationally syndicated radio program The Sounds of Sinatra with Sid Mark, will be a very special host/guest speaker, at a musical event which will highlight the legacy of his father and celebrate the 70th Anniversary of The Sounds of Sinatra broadcast program.
Makin Waves Song of the Week: "Once I Wake Up" by Sam Tunkel 
The Makin Waves Song of the Week is "Once I Wake Up" from "The Sting of the Blade," the recently released sophomore full-length from Central Jersey singer-songwriter Sam Tunkel.
dance
American Repertory Ballet to Close Out Season with "Americana" 
(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- American Repertory Ballet's 2025/26 season finale at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center (NBPAC) will shine bright with Americana — a vibrant mixed-repertoire performance that celebrates the spirit of our country in honor of its 250th anniversary. Presented May 1-3, 2026, this dynamic program features two iconic works by George Balanchine - Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux and an excerpt from Stars and Stripes - plus World Premieres by ARB Company Dancer Michelle Quiner and ARB's acclaimed Artist in Residence, Ethan Stiefel.
Step Into Social Dancing at West Windsor Arts 
(PRINCETON JUNCTION, NJ) -- This spring, West Windsor Arts is offering a series of dance lessons—just in time for wedding season—on Sunday nights starting on May 3, 2026.
community
Garden State Wine Growers Association presents SIPS, STARS & STRIPES: A NJ Wine Revolution on May 30th 
(TRENTON, NJ) -- The Garden State Wine Growers Association (GSWGA) presents SIPS, STARS & STRIPES: A NJ Wine Revolution, an exciting and immersive wine event taking place on Saturday, May 30, 2026, at the historic War Memorial in Trenton. In partnership with the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, the NJ wine community is ready to celebrate America 250 at this truly historic moment.
books
Bestselling Author Marjan Kamali to Discuss Courage, Turmoil, and the Transformative Power of Love during Virtual Talk 
(TOMS RIVER, NJ) -- Be part of an exciting conversation with internationally acclaimed author Marjan Kamali on her New York Times bestselling novel, The Lion Women of Tehran, during a virtual author talk on Thursday, May 7, 2026. The event presented by the Ocean County Library begins at 7:00pm.
