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!
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theatre
This Week in Theatre: Previews for Plays Taking Place May 5-11, 2026 
Here are previews of plays taking place from May 5-11, 2026 including a look at productions currently being presented and those coming soon. New Jersey Stage covers Equity, community, college, and high school theatre. Check back every week for the weekly theatre preview.
Surflight Theatre presents Rodgers and Hammerstein's "A Grand Night for Singing" 
(BEACH HAVEN, NJ) -- Surflight Theatre presents Rodgers and Hammerstein's A Grand Night for Singing weekends from May 23 through June 7, 2026. Taste and imagination, the two key ingredients for a first-rate revue, abound in this fresh take on the Rodgers & Hammerstein canon, conceived by Tony Award winner Walter Bobbie.
Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey presents "Private Lives" 
(MADISON, NJ) -- The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey presents Private Lives by Noël Coward from May 16 to June 7, 2026 in the F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre. A razor-sharp comedy of manners, Private Lives crackles with Coward's signature wit and elegance.
Cape May Stage presents "What the Constitution Means to Me" 
(CAPE MAY, NJ) -- Cape May Stage presents What the Constitution Means to Me by Heidi Schreck from June 3-28, 2026. Fifteen-year-old Heidi earned her college tuition by winning constitutional debate competitions across the country. In this electrifying and deeply personal play, she revisits that teenage self to explore how the U.S. Constitution has shaped her life — and how it continues to shape all of ours.
Ritz Theatre Company presents "Porgy and Bess" 
(HADDON TOWNSHIP, NJ) -- The Ritz Theatre Company presents Porgy and Bess from May 1-24, 2026. Set in the 1930s in Catfish Row, a Black community in Charleston, South Carolina,the musical tells the story of Porgy, a kind but disabled beggar, and Bess, a woman trying to escape her violent lover Crown and the seductive pull of drugs offered by Sportin' Life. The production is directed by Darryl Thompson, Jr.
Somerset Valley Players presents "Crimes of the Heart" 
(HILLSBOROUGH, NJ) -- Somerset Valley Players presents Crimes of the Heart weekends from June 5-21, 2026. Warmhearted, irreverent, zany and brilliantly imaginative, Beth Henley's Pulitzer Prize-winning play examines the plight of three young Mississippi sisters betrayed by their passions.
Chatham Players presents "Things I Know to Be True" 
(CHATHAM, NJ) -- Chatham Players presents Things I Know to Be True by Andrew Bovell across two weekends from June 5-14, 2026. In the play, Bob and Fran Price have worked their fingers to the bone, and with their four children grown and ready to fly the nest, it might be time to relax and enjoy the roses. But, as each season brings changes, it becomes clear that life never works out as planned.
Pioneer Productions presents "Merrily We Roll Along" 
(MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- Pioneer Productions presents Merrily We Roll Along, the groundbreaking musical by Stephen Sondheim with a book by George Furth. Based on the 1934 play by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart, the musical premiered in 1981 and has since become one of Sondheim's most daring and emotionally resonant works. The show will run weekends from June 19-June 28, 2026 at The Stage at Fellowship Hall, located inside the Morristown United Methodist Church.
First Avenue Playhouse presents "Old Love" 
(ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS, NJ) -- First Avenue Playhouse presents Old Love by Norm Foster across three weekends from May 15-30, 2026. This love story spans three decades with half a dozen meetings between Bud, a salesman, and Molly, his boss's wife.
Middlesex County's Plays in the Park presents "All Shook Up" 
(EDISON, NJ) -- Middlesex County's Plays in the Park kicks off its season with All Shook Up from June 17-27, 2026. Loosely based on Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, it's 1955, and into a square little town rides a guitar-playing young man who changes everything and everyone he meets.
Bear Tavern Project and the 2026 Tomato Patch Jr Students present "Cosmic Campfire Chronicles" 
(WEST WINDSOR, NJ) -- Bear Tavern Project and the 2026 Tomato Patch Jr Students present Cosmic Campfire Chronicles across two weekends from May 23-31, 2026 at the Kelsey Theatre. It takes place one quiet night deep in the forest, a group of children gathers around a flickering campfire, swapping ghost stories under a sky ablaze with stars. Suddenly, the stars begin to move.
ShowKids Invitational Theatre presents "Disney's Frozen, The Broadway Musical" 
(GLEN GARDNER, NJ) -- ShowKids Invitational Theatre (SKIT) presents Disney's Frozen, The Broadway Musical, from May 2-10, 2026 in the Voorhees High School Auditorium. Based on the Academy Award-winning animated feature film, this musical includes all the film's beloved songs by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, along with new music written exclusively for the stage.
music
This Week in Music: Previews for Concerts from May 5-11, 2026 
Here is a look at shows taking place from May 5-11, 2026 along with our featured listings and a look at some upcoming shows. New Jersey Stage offers previews of concerts throughout the Garden State as well as select shows in New York City and Philadelphia areas.
Outpost in the Burbs presents The Lone Bellow on Saturday 
(MONTCLAIR, NJ) -- Outpost in the Burbs presents The Lone Bellow on Saturday, May 9, 2026 at the First Congregational Church of Montclair. Eli Kollman will open the night. Showtime is 8:00pm.
2026 Cape May Exit Zero Jazz Festival to take place May 15-17 
(CAPE MAY, NJ) -- The Cape May Exit Zero Jazz Festival takes place May 15-17, 2026. Twice a year, the festival takes over the historic seaside town, transforming it into a music village that welcomes an impressive array of cultures and musical styles, including blockbuster jazz, NEA Jazz Masters, Grammy-winning legends and crowd favorites.
WBGO Presents All That Jazz at UCPAC's Hamilton Stage featuring saxophonist Eric Darius on Saturday 
(RAHWAY, NJ) -- WBGO Presents All That Jazz at UCPAC's Hamilton Stage featuring saxophonist Eric Darius on Saturday, May 9, 2026. With a trademark jump and crowd-captivating energy throughout his live show, the New Jersey born artist is breaking the mold of modern jazz. He will perform shows at 5:00pm and 8:00pm. Limited tickets remain.
MPAC presents The Doo Wop Project on Saturday 
(MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC) presents The Doo Wop Project on Saturday, May 9, 2026 at 8:00pm. Limited tickets remain.
community
Events This Week in New Jersey from May 5-11, 2026 
Here is a look at upcoming events taking place from May 5-11, 2026 along with our featured listings. New Jersey Stage offers previews of events throughout the Garden State as well as select shows in New York City and Philadelphia areas.
Inaugural Taste of French Street at NBPAC to take place on Saturday 
(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- The New Brunswick Performing Arts Center presents the Inaugural Taste of French Street at NBPAC on Saturday, May 9, 2026 from 1:00pm to 5:00pm. The event is free, but a reserved ticket is required.
