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
The Theater Project presents a Staged Reading of "House Rules" by Jack McGrath on May 16th 
(CRANFORD, NJ) -- The Theater Project's 2026 New Play Readings series will present a staged reading of Jack McGrath's House Rules on Saturday, May 16, 2026 at Cranford Community Center's 110-seat theater. The play tells the story of Bobby Ray – a man who has walked across America to return "home" to try and avert a family tragedy. The problem is that the family he returns to refuses to recognize him, and his homecoming has come 10 years too late.
music
Lily Vakili to Celebrate Release of "Live Wire" EP on Wednesday 
(NEW YORK, NY) -- Lily Vakili will celebrate the release of her Live Wire EP on Wednesday, May 6, 2026 at The Francis Kite Club. Doors are at 8:00pm; Showtime is 8:30pm.
Lighty's Corner: April 30, 2026 
The second episode of Lighty’s Corner is live! This is a bi-weekly recorded radio show presenting new rock music from around the globe. Each of the 15 new tracks played were received via email within the last two weeks - a practice I hope to continue each time.
Centenary Stage Company presents Double Vision: The Foreigner Experience on May 23rd 
(HACKETTSTOWN, NJ) -- Centenary Stage Company in partnership with the Hackettstown Rotary Club presents Double Vision: The Foreigner Experience on Saturday, May 23, 2026 at 8:00pm. The performance will take place in the Sitnik Theatre of the Lackland Performing Arts Center with proceeds in part to benefit the many initiatives of the Hackettstown Rotary Club.
Grounds For Sculpture and Third Way Cultural Alliance to Present an Intimate Evening of Art and Music on July 18th 
(HAMILTON, NJ) -- Grounds For Sculpture (GFS) and Third Way Cultural Alliance announce a special evening celebrating the power of creative freedom through music, art and conversation. "Creative Freedom: A Salon Experience featuring Marshall Allen, Salvador Jiménez-Flores and Jamaaladeen Tacuma," will take place on Saturday, July 18, 2026 from 7:00pm to 10:00pm.
Cape May Music Festival opens with "WCCat;100: The Westminster Choir Looks Forward" on May 9th 
(CAPE MAY, NJ) -- Performing a program celebrating the rich history of choral music, Cape May MAC (Museums+Arts+Culture) welcomes the renowned Westminster Choir of Westminster Choir College in New Jersey to open the 37th Annual Cape May Music Festival, Saturday, May 9, 2026 at the Episcopal Church of the Advent (712 Franklin Street) in Cape May. Showtime is 7:00pm.
film
New Release Review - "The Mummy" 
Hitchcock's Psycho is often cited as the first slasher movie but the tropes of that sub-genre go right back to the 1930s. The likes of Michael Myers and Jason Vorhees are essentially descendants of Kharis, the shambling antagonist of Universal's Mummy series of the '30s and '40s. In recent decades Universal has taken their Mummy property out of the horror genre and into the realm of blockbuster action, in a series of hit films starring Brendan Fraser and a flop headlined by the usually reliable Tom Cruise.
art
Art House Productions presents "Playing Favorites" 
(JERSEY CITY, NJ) -- Art House Productions presents Playing Favorites, curated by Andrea McKenna, on view at the Art House Gallery from Saturday, May 2nd through Sunday, May 31st, 2026. This is an intimate and revelatory solo exhibition by Bryant Small. Bringing together a selection of the artist's most cherished works—many of which have never been exhibited publicly—this presentation offers a rare glimpse into the personal logic and emotional resonance that shape Small's evolving practice.
books
Reshape Your Beliefs and Unlock Your True Potential with Bestselling Author Nir Eyal 
(TOMS RIVER, NJ) -- What if the only thing standing between you and the seemingly impossible was belief? This is the question posed by bestselling author Nir Eyal in his newest book, Beyond Belief, which he will discuss on Tuesday, May 19, 2026 during a virtual discussion presented by the Ocean County Library. The event begins at 2:00pm.
Rialto Spotlight Series Welcomes Bestselling Editor and Author Wendy Loggia 
(WESTFIELD, NJ) -- The Rialto's Spotlight Series continues this spring with Publishing Prose and Pop Biographies: Wendy Loggia, an evening exploring the craft of writing, storytelling, and publishing. The program takes place on Thursday, May 14, 2026 at The Rialto Center for Creativity. The event begins at 7:00pm.
