Articles By Zachary Klein
'Small' Brings Big Energy to George Street Playhouse
When thinking about occupations kids say they want when they get older, a list comes to mind – doctor, superhero, firefighter, etc. But not many would find their passion at the horse racing track and say they want to become a jockey. In "Small," an autobiographical play written and performed by Robert "Bobby" Montano, the story follows Montano as he races and fulfills his dream on the horse racing tracks of Long Island, New York. It does not stop there, however. The 90-minute play is a story of love, loss and more as Montano grapples with some difficult life decisions.
published on 01/23/2025
Halloween-themed Ballet 'Night on Bald Mountain' comes to Atlantic City
Ballet companies are always looking for new and exciting ways to present their art forms to the public. From established yearly works like "The Nutcracker" and "Swan Lake" to more adventurous works that turn non-traditional music into exciting dance, the world of ballet is ever-evolving. Atlantic City Ballet, which just celebrated its 40th anniversary season in 2022, is one company that never stops looking for new ways to connect with its audiences. Under the direction of artistic director Phyllis Papa, the company presents what Papa thinks is the first-ever ballet staging of the 1867 Modest Mussorgsky composition "Night on Bald Mountain," a piece that is premiering just in time for Halloween. Papa was excited about her take on a classic piece often used in spooky commercials and other settings.
published on 10/17/2024
New Brunswick Heart Festival Shows the Pulse of Middlesex County Arts
The fifth annual New Brunswick Heart Festival, which is co-presented by Middlesex County arts entities including State Theatre New Jersey, New Brunswick Performing Arts Center (NBPAC), New Brunswick Cultural Center, and I Am D. Muse, returns to downtown New Brunswick on Saturday, August 10. The free outdoor arts festival is open to the public and will surely celebrate the rich and vibrant history of the city and county in which it occurs.
published on 08/01/2024
New Jersey Symphony Brings 'The Godfather' To Life
This August, the drama of the Corleone family and the New York mafia comes to New Jersey in a brand-new way. New Jersey Symphony will present "The Godfather Live" at two venues next month as part of their "at the movies" series – first at New Jersey Performing Arts Center (1 Center St., Newark) on Friday, Aug. 16 at 7:30 p.m. and then at The Count Basie Center for the Arts (99 Monmouth St., Red Bank) on Sunday, Aug. 18 at 3 p.m. The event is sure to bring fun for fans of the film franchise both young and old.
published on 07/18/2024
Bridge Players Theatre Company presents "Once Upon a Mattress"
When Burlington-based Bridge Players Theatre Company originally planned to produce the classic 1959 musical "Once Upon a Mattress," it was 2020 and the pandemic disrupted the planned performances. Now, four years later, the company finally gets the chance to put on this production with many of the same cast members that were originally supposed to be in the show.
published on 05/09/2024
Celtic Woman Brings St. Patrick's Day Cheer to New Jersey
When Celtic Woman performs at State Theatre New Jersey at 15 Livingston Ave. in New Brunswick, NJ, on March 16, there will certainly be a lot of St. Patrick's Day energy in the building. The show, which is happening the day before the global celebration of Irish heritage, will mark the latest stop on the group's 20th-anniversary tour across the United States. And it has been entertaining audiences throughout the country through the power of Irish music.
published on 03/07/2024
Moorestown Theater Company spreads holiday cheer with "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Jr."
As December approaches, theaters across the country scramble to get their holiday programming together and ready for audiences. From classics like "The Nutcracker" and "A Christmas Carol," to orchestral and choral performances, there's an event out there for anyone looking to spread some holiday cheer. This holiday season, the Moorestown Theater Company (MTC) in Burlington County will present "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Jr." and the acclaimed youth theater organization will do it all with a cast of elementary and middle school students — as well as a few ninth graders.
published on 11/22/2023
Inaugural "Jersey City Art Week" Premieres This October
Hudson County's Jersey City is known for its vibrant arts scene. There are many events celebrating the diversity of local artists throughout the year, however, this year local officials have taken the celebration of visual arts one step further and have created the first ever "Jersey City Art Week," which will run Oct. 12-15 in various neighborhoods throughout the city. This event combines the already existing Art Fair 14C and Jersey City Art and Studio Tour and puts them under one umbrella; one that city officials hope will bring even more visitors in to explore what Jersey City has to offer.
published on 09/28/2023
Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival Returns to Salem County
A tradition of more than 50 years returns to the Salem County Fairgrounds, located at 735 Harding Highway in Woodstown, this Labor Day Weekend. The Delaware County Bluegrass Festival has been held since 1972, and in South Jersey since the 1990s. This year's 51st annual festival will take place Sept. 1-3 and is sure to bring a jamming good time to all in attendance.
published on 08/17/2023
Lizzie Rose Music Room: A Hidden Gem of South Jersey Music
Not far from Long Beach Island and just north of Atlantic City sits the small Ocean County town of Tuckerton. In that town stands an old Victorian house that has had many purposes over its history. That house has been transformed into a one-of-a-kind concert venue called the Lizzie Rose Music Room. Since its opening in late 2013, both artists and patrons have constantly returned because of its uniqueness and charm.
published on 07/07/2023
North Jersey Blues Society Seeks to Bring Blues Music Back to the Community
Blues music is an American standard genre dating back decades to the 1890s. Tradition has kept up as many blues artists still have careers today that began many years ago. However, in some areas, blues has not been preserved as well as others. One of those areas is Northern New Jersey, where a new organization strives to put this once-widely regarded genre back into the cities and towns of Morris and other northern counties. This organization is the North Jersey Blues Society, and since its founding in winter 2022, has hosted many events within the North Jersey community seeking to spread awareness of the genre.
published on 06/15/2023
New Jersey Repertory Company Prepares for Pride Month Festival
The New Jersey Repertory Company, or NJ Rep, will once again host a Pride month festival in the Monmouth County community of Long Branch. The festival will consist of theater, art and photography and is just one element of a larger event taking place throughout the city. NJ Rep is the largest presenter in this event and their showcases will last the majority of the month.
published on 06/01/2023
New Jersey Porch Fest Season Promises Fun for All
A large map of Princeton sits on the wall of the second floor of the Arts Council of Princeton. On it, there are diagrams, thumbtacks and drawings penciling out an upcoming event that the Arts Council is holding. The event they are planning is called a Porch Fest, and ever since the first one occurred in Ithaca, New York in 2007, the number of these homegrown musical festivals have grown rapidly in communities around the country. Princeton is hosting this event for the second time and is one of about a dozen New Jersey communities to have a similar event scheduled in the next few months.
published on 04/14/2023
