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Top 15 Most Read Stories At New Jersey Stage From May 28 to June 3, 2023

Here's a look at the top 15 most read articles published at New Jersey Stage from May 28 to June 3, 2023. Each week we publish about 70 articles, including several original columns and features, along with news releases for events happening throughout the state and nearby areas like Philadelphia and New York City. This week's top 15 includes articles from 8 counties in New Jersey (Camden, Essex, Hudson, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, and Union).
An Interview with Sophia Castuera and Ali Edwards about "august at twenty-two"
August at twenty-two is a film about the first year after college. It is centered around a struggling actress named Cal. Her high school soulmate, Jacob, now has a serious girlfriend. As Cal tries to break into the acting world, she also tries to reconnect with Jacob and becomes close with Emily as well. Unfortunately, this leads to Cal neglecting her best friend, Bobby. In between the parties, sexual exploration, and seeing former classmates succeed, Cal faces situations that will likely look familiar to many recent graduates.
Middlesex County returns historic cultural material to Peru, strengthening cultural preservation efforts
(MIDDLESEX COUNTY, NJ) -- Arts Institute of Middlesex County has taken a significant step toward cultural preservation by repatriating historic cultural material from its museum collection to Peru. As an integral part of the American Alliance of Museum accreditation process, the Division of History and Historic Preservation meticulously identified culturally significant objects to be voluntarily returned to their country of origin
Monmouth County Park System to Hold Freshwater Fishing Derby in June
(HOWELL & FREEHOLD, NJ) -- Calling all anglers! The Monmouth County Park System is hosting its Freshwater Fishing Derby on Saturday & Sunday, June 17 & 18. Open to both beginner and experienced anglers, the event also features free fishing clinics.
American Theater Group Presents Post-Performance Social Media Panel Discussion "Right to be Forgotten" explores internet privacy
(WEST ORANGE, NJ) -- American Theater Group (ATG), Central Jersey's professional regional theater company, will host a panel discussion on Social Media Power and Control following its 7:00pm performance of the new play Right to Be Forgotten on Thursday, June 8, 2023 at JCC MetroWest in West Orange.
Princeton Makes and Ragged Sky Press Host Second Sunday Poetry Reading on June 11th
(PRINCETON, NJ) -- Princeton Makes, a Princeton-based artist cooperative, and Ragged Sky Press, a local publisher focused on poetry, will host a Second Sunday Poetry Reading on Sunday, June 11 at 4:00pm. The readings will take place at the Princeton Makes store in the Princeton Shopping Center. The June reading will feature Lavinia Kumar and George Witte. Their readings will be followed by an open mic available to up to 10 audience members who would like to read their original poetry.
Morris Arts and New Jersey Symphony to Celebrate Milestones at the 39th Annual Giralda Music & Arts Festival
(MADISON, NJ) -- Morris Arts invites you to join them in celebrating their 50th Anniversary at this year's Giralda Music & Arts Festival on Sunday, June 25th on the grounds of the Giralda Farms (Dodge Drive and Madison Ave./Rt. 124., Madison). Gates open at 3:00pm with a pre- show performance at 4:00pm and New Jersey Symphony performance at 6:00pm. Along with musical performances, there will be an art show and sale, children's activities, 50/50 raffle, and food trucks.
British Comedy "Round and Round the Garden" by Alan Ayckbourn to Be Performed in a Plainfield Garden
(PLAINFIELD, NJ) -- Dragonfly Multicultural Arts Center presents Round and Round the Garden from June 22-25 on the front porch and in the garden of duCret Center of Arts where Dragonfly is the resident theater company. Round and Round the Garden, by acclaimed British playwright Alan Ayckbourn, focuses on the complicated interactions and tangled relationships of the main character, Norman, who just wants to be loved. The hilarious play explores themes of romance, lust, and the complexities of human nature through the conflicts of his family members and many love interests.
Bernie Wagenblast talks with playwright Mike Burdick on Cranford Radio podcast
(CRANFORD, NJ) -- Bernie Wagenblast talks with playwright Mike Burdick on an episode of the Cranford Radio podcast. His creation, Mike Burdick’s Stages of Madness, will be at Cranford Dramatic Club (CDC Theatre) for performances June 15-17, 2023.
MKA Educator and Counselor to Debut New Book at the 2023 Passaic County Book Festival
(MONTCLAIR, NJ) -- Melanie Bieber, Primary School Counselor and Tri-Campus Counselor Coordinator at Montclair Kimberley Academy, will be debuting her new book Aaron Daniel Henry Davis: Just Another Day at School at the Passaic County Book Festival on Saturday, June 10th at 1:30pm. Melanie will be doing a special reading in the Story Time Tent starting at 1:30pm.
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FEATURES
Perfect coming-of-age feature August at Twenty-two screens at the 2023 New Jersey International Film Festival on June 9

August at Twenty-Two is about the mistakes and lessons we learn in our emerging adult years, a messy and beautiful era filled with parties, talking to your best friends in funny accents, sexual exploration, babysitting gigs, asking parents for rides, apologies, and practicing self-love and forgiveness. Beautiful and bubbly, Cal Davidson graduated from college no more than three months ago. She is now spending her first almost adult summer in New York City making several mistakes when reuniting with old friends, forging new situationships, and kick-starting her career as an actress.
Psycho thriller feature Bibi screens at the June 2023 New Jersey International Film Festival on Saturday, June 3!
Premiering at the 2023 New Jersey International Film Festival, Bibi is a film by Christopher Beatty which uses many visual techniques such as color, symbolism and the mise-en-scène to communicate its dark and tragic story of loss, grief, and a chance at acceptance.
"Fabulous!" Sounds of the '50s and '60s LIVE! at PNC Bank Arts Center
A crowd of over 7000 music lovers fills the PNC Bank Arts Center amphitheater this sunny Tuesday, May 23, 2023 afternoon for a Sounds of the '50s and '60s performance presented by the Garden State Arts Foundation. Starring The Brooklyn Bridge, The Skyliners, Kid Kyle, and Vinnie Medugno, today's show is the third in a series of free afternoon concerts for New Jersey seniors held at the PNC Bank Arts Center.
Mile Square Theatre Hits It Out of the Park With "7th Inning Stretch"
As the birthplace of baseball, Hoboken is the perfect New Jersey city to celebrate our national pastime; and Mile Square Theatre, the perfect venue.
Danceable presents a beautiful story of perseverance at the 2023 New Jersey International Film Festival
Danceable, a short film directed by Kelsey McGee, sheds light on the journeys of dancers with disabilities, depicting both their hardships as well as their positive experiences and passions for the creative art form.
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.
1930s Dance Competitors Never Left the Stage
Long Beach Island's Surflight Theatre kicks off its 2023 season June 1 with Kander and Ebb's "Steel Pier: The Musical," on stage through June 17.
Amazing dance film Circle will be shown at the 2023 New Jersey International Film Festival on Sunday, June 4!
Phillip Kaminiak’s dance film Circle will be shown at the 2023 New Jersey International Film Festival on June 4, 2023, in person at 5 p.m. and online for 24 hours as a part of the festival’s Shorts Program #2. Circle is “an analogy between the modern human being, living in mass cities, and the phenomenon of the circle of death.”
Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey Welcomes New Artistic Director
It was the summer of 1996 and young Brian Crowe was being interviewed for a job as an intern by Bonnie Monte, the artistic director of the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey at Drew University, in Madison. The phone kept ringing, actors were running in and out of her office, there was a stack of papers to read, bills to pay and letters from audience members to answer. It was bedlam.
Virgina Yearick’s narrative-documentary feature Possum Kingdom has its World Premiere at the 2023 New Jersey International Film Festival!
Virgina Yearick’s narrative-documentary feature, Possum Kingdom, will be playing online for 24 hours at the 2023 New Jersey International Film Festival on June 4th. On a dilapidated South Carolina family farm, Yearick shows the simultaneous boredom and comfort of three generations of men who live there. The film features a documentary and fiction genre blend, which emphasizes their lives as that of a dream and of steady decay. Possum Kingdom stars both first-time actors, non-actors, and people playing alternate versions of themselves.
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COLUMNS
Top 15 Most Read Stories At New Jersey Stage From May 28 to June 3, 2023

Here's a look at the top 15 most read articles published at New Jersey Stage from May 28 to June 3, 2023. Each week we publish about 70 articles, including several original columns and features, along with news releases for events happening throughout the state and nearby areas like Philadelphia and New York City. This week's top 15 includes articles from 8 counties in New Jersey (Camden, Essex, Hudson, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, and Union).
Makin Waves Song of the Week: "Thriving" by Kiersten Blue
Asbury Park singer-songwriter Kiersten Blue’s latest single, “Thriving,” is the Makin Waves Song of the Week
Rock On! This Week's Sound Bites...6/1/23
"I'm living the dream," says legendary folk artist Tom Rush with a laugh, "I'm having a good time so everything is great."
Events This Week: May 31 to June 6, 2023
Here is a look at events taking place from May 31 to June 6, 2023 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. Click on the title to go to the full preview.
This Week In Music: Event Listings And Previews For Shows Taking Place May 31 to June 6, 2023
Here is a look at upcoming concerts taking place from May 31 to June 6, 2023 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. Click on the title to go to the full preview.
MUSIC
Morris Arts and New Jersey Symphony to Celebrate Milestones at the 39th Annual Giralda Music & Arts Festival
Kariné Poghosyan to Honor Aram Khachaturian's 120th Anniversary on Wednesday
Washington Borough's Sustainably Green Music & Arts Fest Kicks off Farmers Market Season on June 17th
Melissa Aldana Will Preview Music from Her Next Blue Note Album on June 16th at McCarter Theatre
"Fabulous!" Sounds of the '50s and '60s LIVE! at PNC Bank Arts Center
THEATRE
American Theater Group Presents Post-Performance Social Media Panel Discussion "Right to be Forgotten" explores internet privacy
British Comedy "Round and Round the Garden" by Alan Ayckbourn to Be Performed in a Plainfield Garden
Bernie Wagenblast talks with playwright Mike Burdick on Cranford Radio podcast
East Brunswick Public Library, NextGen Acting, and Playhouse 22 Announce Open Auditions for Podcast Limited Series, Vocal Canvas
Bergen County Players to Hold Auditions for "Rent" in June
FILM
An Interview with Sophia Castuera and Ali Edwards about "august at twenty-two"
Perfect coming-of-age feature August at Twenty-two screens at the 2023 New Jersey International Film Festival on June 9
Psycho thriller feature Bibi screens at the June 2023 New Jersey International Film Festival on Saturday, June 3!
Danceable presents a beautiful story of perseverance at the 2023 New Jersey International Film Festival
Amazing dance film Circle will be shown at the 2023 New Jersey International Film Festival on Sunday, June 4!
ART
Middlesex County returns historic cultural material to Peru, strengthening cultural preservation efforts
Teens, Master Ceramic Art at Ocean County Library Toms River Branch on June 20th
Photography by Kate Sanchez on Display at Ocean County Library Little Egg Harbor Branch throughout June
acc gallery presents "Nature Walkers"
The Gallery in the Park hosts Meet the Artists Reception and Art Show on June 11th
DANCE
American Repertory Ballet presents Premiere3 at NBPAC
Alborada Spanish Dance Theatre presents "Feria de Sevilla" in a Taste of Spain
American Repertory Ballet to Hold "James Bond-themed" Gala at NBPAC
NJPAC's 2023-24 Dance Season
Dance On The Lawn Returns for 10th and Final Year in September
COMEDY
The Newton Theatre presents Paula Poundstone on September 15th
Brick City Comedy Revue presents North to Shore Edition with Chris Gethard
Count Basie Center for the Arts presents Nurse Blake: Shock Advised Tour
The Jersey City Comedy Festival Returns June 7-10
Comedian Gary Gulman Returns to NJPAC for Stand-up Comedy and Book Tour
COMMUNITY
Top 15 Most Read Stories At New Jersey Stage From May 28 to June 3, 2023
Monmouth County Park System to Hold Freshwater Fishing Derby in June
Brookdale Community College & Penske Automotive Group Join Hands To Launch An Automotive Technician Career Program
Explore Warren Becomes First Ever Sponsor of Centenary Stage Company's Summerfest Series
Count Basie Center announces Asbury Park's QSPOT LGBT Resource Center as June's recipient in The Giving Year