The Penguin Rocks logo
The Penguin Rocks Menu



 

It's Time For The Wag's Christmas Spectacular

Published by New Jersey Stage
11/23/2022

(LAKEWOOD, NJ) -- If it's December, it must be time for The Wag's Christmas Spectacular! This year they've got performances at The Strand in Lakewood and the Middletown Arts Center. There's nothing like a good old-fashioned holiday special, and The Wag's Christmas Spectacular is just that!

Steeped in the traditions of holiday TV shows of the past, The Wag brings back the memories of these specials while putting their own unique stamp on them. Their show has all of the holiday songs that you know and love, plus dance numbers, costume changes, and comedy sketches, along with some fun surprises - including a few original Christmas/Holiday songs!

The Wag’s sense of humor and their homemade props and costumes are worth the price of admission alone. The show also features a running theme of “Christmas Around the World”. There will be holiday songs and sketches from Ireland, Germany, Spain, & more! The Wag's Christmas Spectacular is sure to please the entire family. 

Saturday, December 10: The Wag's Christmas Spectacular at The Strand Theater, 400 Clifton Ave, Lakewood, NJ.  Doors at 6:00pm, show at 7:00pm.  Ticket price is $20.00 plus service fee.  Tickets are available for purchase online.

Saturday, December 17: The Wag's Christmas Spectacular at The Middletown Arts Center, 36 Church Street, Middletown, NJ.  Doors at 6:00pm, show at 7:00pm.  Ticket price is $15.00.  Proceeds will be donated to The Monmouth County SPCA.  Tickets available for purchase online.





 

New Jersey Stage provides affordable advertising for the arts



The band consists of Brian Ostering (Bass and vocals); Alicia Van Sant (Keyboards, vocals, percussion, some flute, occasional guitar); Don Lee (Guitar and vocals); and Joshua Van Ness (Drums, percussion, guitar and vocals).  

Got songs? Got harmonies? Got fun and unbridled enthusiasm? Then you’ve got The Wag! Hailing from the Bayshore area of New Jersey, this four-piece unit has been entertaining and moving audiences for over 24 years, but still sounds as fresh as it did on Day One. With four lead vocalists, catchy melodies, and sophisticated harmonies, they will take you on a delightful holiday journey!  

PHOTO BY John Posada


 



Your shows can be listed here for just $10. Click here to learn more.

Don

Don McLean & Lee Greenwood

Sunday, November 15, 2026 @ 7:00pm
Mayo Performing Arts Center
Morristown, NJ

Two iconic singers perform their hits and celebrate America’s 250 birthday! Singer/songwriter Don McLean is best known for the classic hit “American Pie,” as well as “Vincent” and “Castles in the Air.” Country superstar Lee Greenwood has seven top charting singles, including “I.O.U,” “It Turns Me Inside Out,” and the patriotic favorite, “God Bless the U.S.A.”

 

Song

Song of the Meadowlark

Sunday, November 15, 2026 @ 2:30pm
Highland Design Farm
Hopewell, NJ

A meditative rock odyssey weaving reimagined contemporary songs, stream-of-consciousness poetry and live painting.

 

The

The Nick Moss Band featuring Dennis Gruenling

Wednesday, November 18, 2026 @ 7:30pm
Lizzie Rose Music Room
Tuckerton, NJ

Blues guitar virtuoso Nick Moss and harmonica wizard Dennis Gruenling have been on a winning streak since they first joined forces in 2016. With relentless nonstop touring and the release of their Alligator Records debut, The High Cost Of Low Living, in 2018, The Nick Moss Band Featuring Dennis Gruenling has been playing for wildly enthusiastic fans and winning over critics and radio programmers worldwide. 

 

Michael

Michael McDermott

Thursday, November 19, 2026 @ 7:30pm
Lizzie Rose Music Room
Tuckerton, NJ

Michael McDermott’s brand of rock n’ roll brims with the kind of well-honed style and wisdom that can only come from a career on the road and a pedigree in the studio. Effortlessly blending natural folk sensibility, pop hooks, and honest rock, McDermott’s music is as much for the outcast as the congregation. It’s an exploration of the dark corners of life’s journey and it resonates middle class truths through the passionate filter of a kid that grew up on Chicago’s Irish South Side.

 

10,000

10,000 Maniacs

Thursday, November 19, 2026 @ 8:00pm
Mayo Performing Arts Center
Morristown, NJ

10,000 Maniacs – 45 Years of Timeless Music

 

ADVANCED EVENTS

To search for a single date, choose the same starting and ending date.

Starting Date:
     

Ending Date:
     

 All Events   art   comedy 
 dance   film   kids 
 music   theatre   community 

 North Jersey 
 Central Jersey
 South Jersey


 


EVENT PREVIEWS

(PARAMUS, NJ) -- The Forte Piano Music Company presents a Piano Trio Concert - "Exquisite Contrasts" - Haydn & Schubert on Sunday, November 15, 2026 at 2:30pm. This program brings together two landmarks of the piano trio repertoire, revealing the evolution of the genre from the Classical era to early Romanticism.



Mahwah Museum Hosts "Les Paul from Start to Finish" with Jim Wysocki

Mahwah Museum Hosts "Les Paul from Start to Finish" with Jim Wysocki

(MAHWAH, NJ) -- Come to the Mahwah Museum on Sunday, November 15, 2026 for a discussion of a 29-year friendship, rare memorabilia, and the story behind Les Paul's home with Mahwah Mayor Jim Wysocki from his nearly three-decade friendship with legendary musician and inventor Les Paul. The event begins at 2:00pm.



Atlantic City Punk Rock Flea Market - Holiday Edition to take place on Sunday

Atlantic City Punk Rock Flea Market - Holiday Edition to take place on Sunday

(ATLANTIC CITY, NJ) -- You can get your holiday shopping done on Sunday, November 15, 2026 when Anchor Rock Club hosts the Atlantic City Punk Rock Flea Market - Holiday Edition.  The event runs from noon to 6:00pm.



Song of the Meadowlark takes place on Sunday in Hopewell

Song of the Meadowlark takes place on Sunday in Hopewell

(HOPEWELL, NJ) -- Song of the Meadowlark takes place Sunday, November 15, 2026 at Highland Design Farm. This is a meditative rock odyssey weaving reimagined contemporary songs, stream-of-consciousness poetry, and live painting. Doors are at 2:00pm, showtime is 2:30pm.



Avenel Performing Arts Center presents Chris Smither

Avenel Performing Arts Center presents Chris Smither

(AVENEL, NJ) -- Chris Smither will perform at the Avenel Performing Arts Center on Wednesday, November 18, 2026 at 7:30pm. Born in Miami, during World War II, Chris Smither grew up in New Orleans where he first started playing music as a child. The son of a Tulane University professor, he was taught the rudiments of instrumentation by his uncle on his mother's ukulele.



Rufus Wainwright to Perform with Princeton "Super-Orchestra" at McCarter Theatre

Rufus Wainwright to Perform with Princeton "Super-Orchestra" at McCarter Theatre

(PRINCETON, NJ) -- On Thursday, November 19, 2026 at 7:30pm, GRAMMY-nominated singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright takes the McCarter stage for one night only with the Princeton Playhouse Sinfonia, a dynamic new collaborative ensemble created specifically for this concert.



Princeton Folk Music Society presents Kate Taylor

Princeton Folk Music Society presents Kate Taylor

(PRINCETON, NJ) — The Princeton Folk Music Society presents Kate Taylor on Friday, November 20, 2026 in an evening of upbeat and bubbling song filled with enthusiasm and love. The concert takes place at Christ Congregation Church in Princeton. Showtime is 8:00pm. A livestream option is available as well.



Private Eyes Brings the Greatest Hits of Hall & Oates to the Strand Center for the Arts

Private Eyes Brings the Greatest Hits of Hall & Oates to the Strand Center for the Arts

(LAKEWOOD, NJ) -- Few musical acts defined the sound of the late 1970s and 1980s quite like Daryl Hall and John Oates. On Friday, November 20, 2026, the Strand Center for the Arts will celebrate their extraordinary catalog when Private Eyes – The Premier Tribute To Daryl Hall & John Oates takes the stage for an evening of classic pop, rock, and blue-eyed soul. Showtime is 8:00pm.



NJPAC to Celebrate Ben Vereen

NJPAC to Celebrate Ben Vereen's 80th Birthday with All-Star Concert on November 21st

(NEWARK, NJ) -- New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) presents Ben Vereen's 80th Birthday Concert on Saturday, November 21, 2026 at 8:00pm. This special one-night only celebration is part of NJPAC’s 2026 TD James Moody Jazz Festival (November 6-22). Several of today's leading Broadway stars and vocalists unite for a spectacular birthday bash performance toasting the legendary actor/dancer/singer Ben Vereen who turns 80 on October 10, 2026.



Musicians on a Mission to Celebrate 16th Anniversary with Gala Concert at Jersey Shore Arts Center

Musicians on a Mission to Celebrate 16th Anniversary with Gala Concert at Jersey Shore Arts Center

(OCEAN GROVE, NJ) -- Musicians on a Mission (MOAM) will celebrate sixteen years of friends helping friends through music with a special anniversary gala and concert on Sunday, November 22, 2026, at the Jersey Shore Arts Center in Ocean Grove.


 

 


 

COLUMNS


Makin Waves Song of the Week: "Gates" by The Carousers

More than 70 acts have banded together to support the Eden Autism school in Princeton. Carousers vocalist-guitarist Joey Affatato organized and curated "Play for Purpose, Vol. 2," a music compilation to give back to the organization that holds a very special place in his heart. His brother, Alex, attends the Adult Services Day Program. 




Rock On! This Week's Sound Bites... 11/13/2026




This Week in Music: Previews for Concerts from November 10-16, 2026




Makin Waves Song of the Week: "Josephine" by Emily Grove





 
Advertise with The Penguin Rocks for $50-$100 per month, click here for info




 

MORE NEWS

When the late Paul O'Neill first conceived the Trans-Siberian Orchestra in the 1990s, his goal was as straightforward as it was incredibly ambitious. The whole idea was to create a progressive rock band that would push the boundaries of holiday music further than any group before.


Stangl Stage presents John Gorka




Phoebe Bridgers Announces 2027 Dates For "The Lost Tour"




Independent Producer and Writer Karen Morris Announces "The Swingin' Angle" Project




Song of the Meadowlark takes place on Sunday in Hopewell






 

UPCOMING SHOWS


Mahwah Museum Hosts "Les Paul from Start to Finish" with Jim Wysocki

(MAHWAH, NJ) -- Come to the Mahwah Museum on Sunday, November 15, 2026 for a discussion of a 29-year friendship, rare memorabilia, and the story behind Les Paul's home with Mahwah Mayor Jim Wysocki from his nearly three-decade friendship with legendary musician and inventor Les Paul. The event begins at 2:00pm.


Atlantic City Punk Rock Flea Market - Holiday Edition to take place on Sunday




Song of the Meadowlark takes place on Sunday in Hopewell




Avenel Performing Arts Center presents Chris Smither






Advertise with The Penguin Rocks for $50-$100 per month, click here for info




The Penguin Rocks

© 2026 by Wine Time Media, LLC
PO Box 811, Belmar, NJ 07719
[email protected]

Presented by New Jersey Stage

Images used on this site have been sent to us from publicists, artists, and PR firms. If there is a problem with the rights to any image, please contact us and we will look into the matter.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and our NJ Stage accounts on Instagram, and Threads


News | Features | Radio Shows | Penguin's Hall of Fame | Song of the Week | BlowUpRadio column

Contact Us | About Us | Submit Music | Ad Rates