Published by New Jersey Stage
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
Emily Mann's Career Was Celebrated At McCarter's Annual Gala 
(PRINCETON, NJ) -- On June 12, 2026, McCarter Theatre Center concluded its 2025–2026 Season with a memorable Gala honoring Emily Mann, who served as McCarter's Artistic Director and Resident Playwright for 30 years, and presenting her with the inaugural Roger S. Berlind Award.
Liberty Arts Theatre presents "The America 250 USO Tour" featuring a star-studded cast from Abraham Lincoln to Thomas Jefferson with music, dance, comedy and after party! 
(LEONIA, NJ) -- Liberty Arts Theatre will keep us all rockin' in the free world with the high-octane celebration America 250 USO Tour - where Vaudeville meets American history – featuring a star-studded cast from Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson to George Patton, a live orchestra, song-and-dance numbers and comedy sketches. The America 250 USO Tour will march into the American Legion Post #1 (399 Broad Street) in Leonia on Thursday, July 2, 2026 at 7:00pm.
music
The 2026 Sourland Mountain Fest to Take Place July 25th 
(RINGOES, NJ) -- The Sourland Mountain Fest is back for its 21st year on Saturday, July 25, 2026. It promises a summer afternoon of soulful talent, tasty bites, refreshing drinks and meaningful dialogue on why the Sourland Region is so important to Central Jersey, and why it's more important than ever to protect it. Performers include Gravity Hill, The Swiss Guard, Hickory, Jake Thistle, and headliners The Harrisons and Company.
Jack Flowers and the Petal Tones Head Off On Their First Tour 
(MONTCLAIR, NJ) -- On the heels of their radiant debut album girl clothes and recent social media virality, New Jersey punk scene darlings Jack Flowers and the Petal Tones are setting off on their first tour. Known for their euphoric stage presence and transcendent, cyber-fueled melodies, the Petal Tones are sure to foster riotous, unapologetic joy and a memo of radical self-acceptance on each stage they grace.
If We Don't Label AI Music Now, We'll Lose What "Songwriting" Means 
I've spent my life doing the thing people now casually imitate with a prompt.
Mahwah Museum Hosts "Unlock the Fretboard" Guitar Workshop with Mark Sganga on July 25th 
(MAHWAH, NJ) -- Guitar players of all levels are invited to "Unlock the Fretboard," a hands-on guitar workshop taking place on Saturday, July 25, from 11:00am to 2:00pm, with a short break included, at The Mahwah Museum. The workshop will be taught by Mark Sganga, an International Fingerstyle Guitar Champion, bringing expert instruction and high-level musicianship to this special event. Designed to help players better understand the fretboard through a system of caged chords and scales, the workshop offers practical strategies that participants can apply immediately in their playing.
Wharton Arts Announces Leadership Transition with Helen H. Cha-Pyo Stepping Down as Artistic Director 
(BERKELEY HEIGHTS) -- Wharton Arts has announced that Helen H. Cha-Pyo will step down from her role as Artistic Director at the conclusion of the 2025–2026 season, completing a transformative eight-year tenure during which she helped establish Wharton Arts as a nationally recognized leader in performing arts education. She will continue to serve as Music Director and Conductor of the New Jersey Youth Symphony (NJYS), a program of Wharton Arts.
film
"An Evening With Dan and Laura" - A Behind the Scenes Look at Vivid Stage's First Feature Film 
(SUMMIT, NJ) -- Vivid Stage, in residence at the Oakes Center, will host "An Evening with Dan and Laura" on Saturday, July 18, 2026 at 8:00pm. The evening will offer a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of Vivid's feature film: A Relative Comedy. Director Laura Ekstrand and Composer Dan Crisci will talk about what went into making the company's first feature.
art
Jersey Arts TV: A Walk Through the New Exhibition at Grounds For Sculpture 
What would you do if given the chance to choose the artwork set to inspire hundreds of thousands of museum guests? Opening the Vault: A Look Inside the GFS Collection, the latest exhibition at Grounds for Sculpture, seeks to answer that question.
