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RVCC Holocaust Institute to Offer 6th Annual Virtual Summer Book Series

(BRANCHBURG, NJ) -- The Raritan Valley Community College Institute of Holocaust and Genocide Studies will present its 6th annual virtual Summer Book Series. The series, which is free of charge and open to the public, will look at The Sisters of Book Row by Shelley Noble, The Keeper of Lost Children by Sadeqa Johnson, and The Last Woman of Warsaw by Judy Batalion. The segments will be held via Zoom webinars and registration is required.



The Theater Project presents "Having Our Say" by Emily Mann

(UNION, NJ) -- The Theater Project's 2026 summer season will begin with a bang with a production of Having Our Say, Emily Mann’s 1995 Tony Award-nominated drama about "two 'maiden ladies' with century-old stories to tell", July 11-21, 2026 at the DMK Black Box Theatre.



Gryphon Gallery presents "Absence of Gravity" - a Robin Love solo exhibition

(CALIFON, NJ) -- Robin Love's ABSENCE OF GRAVITY opens at Gryphon Gallery on May 30 and runs through September 27, 2026.



HOT 97's Summer Jam 2026 to Take Place July 24th at Prudential Center

(NEWARK, NJ) -- HOT 97, New York's #1 station for Hip Hop, is once again bringing the culture's biggest night back to the tri-state area with Summer Jam 2026, on Friday, July 24, 2026, at Prudential Center in Newark. Produced by The Black Promoters Collective, Summer Jam continues its legacy as the most iconic Hip Hop concert in the world.



Events This Week in New Jersey from May 19-25, 2026

Here is a look at upcoming events taking place from May 19-25, 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.



This Week in Theatre: Previews for Plays Taking Place May 19-25, 2026

Here are previews of plays taking place from May 19-25, 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.



NJ Rep presents the World Premiere of "The Vienna Lessons"

(LONG BRANCH, NJ) -- New Jersey Repertory Company (NJ Rep) will present the world premiere of Jack Canfora's The Vienna Lessons, directed by Evan Bergman, with performances from June 4-28, 2026. The play takes place in Vienna, 1787. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, at the height of his powers but struggling financially, meets a serious and supremely confident teenager who wants to hire him as a teacher, Ludwig Van Beethoven.



East Lynne Theater Company presents "Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years" by Emily Mann

(CAPE MAY, NJ) -- The reimagined East Lynne Theater Company opens its Season Forty-Six with the extraordinary, real-life story Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years by Emily Mann, running June 18 to July 19, 2026 at the Clemans Theater for the Arts at the Allen AME in Cape May.



MPAC presents comedian Janelle James

(MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- Janelle James, who stars in the scene-stealing role of "Ava Coleman" in the Emmy-nominated ABC comedy series Abbott Elementary, performs an evening of stand-up comedy at Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC) on Saturday, July 11, 2026 at 8:00pm.



This Week in Music: Previews for Concerts from May 19-25, 2026

Here is a look at shows taking place from May 19-25, 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.



The Vogel presents BobFest on May 28th

(RED BANK, NJ) -- The Vogel presents BobFest on Thursday, May 28, 2026 at 7:30pm. This is the music of Bob Dylan presented in the round Nashville style by John Cruz, Steve Delopoulos, Pat Guadagno, Renee Maskin, Rob Paparozzi, and Anne Hills.



This Week in Comedy: May 19-25, 2026

Here's a look at comedy shows taking place across the state from May 19 to May 25, 2026. New Jersey Stage compiles this list from comedy clubs, casinos, and performing arts centers



Art House Productions presents the 2026 Jersey City Comedy Festival

(JERSEY CITY, NJ) -- Art House Productions has announced the lineup for the 2026 Jersey City Comedy Festival, taking place June 9–13. From more than 300 submissions, 40 stand-up comics from across the U.S. have been selected to perform in the festival's stand-up competition.



Brian Erickson Offers New Cover Album - "Others' Songs"

On June 5, 2026, Brian Erickson will issue Others' Songs, the follow up to 2025's dual releases Everyday Sketches and its AP Music Awards Album of the Year-nominated companion, Everyday Forever (Brian's Version). How does one follow a windfall of such critical riches? If you're Brian Erickson, the answer is simple: with a sharp, unexpected turn! 



Daily Edition 05-19-26

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!










EVENT PREVIEWS

ART | COMEDY | DANCE | FILM | MUSIC | THEATRE | COMMUNITY | KIDS

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or region of New Jersey click here.
(TOMS RIVER, NJ) -- What if the only thing standing between you and the seemingly impossible was belief? This is the question posed by bestselling author Nir Eyal in his newest book, Beyond Belief, which he will discuss on Tuesday, May 19, 2026 during a virtual discussion presented by the Ocean County Library. The event begins at 2:00pm.

(LEONIA, NJ) -- Liberty Arts Theatre presents "I Know What I Give My Life For" (The Short Life Of Walter Klingenbeck) on Tuesday, May 19, 2026 at American Legion Post #1 in Leonia. Admission is free, showtime is 7:30pm. The production is presented by Roland Weimer.

(PHILADELPHIA, PA) -- This spring, Arden Children's Theatre invites families into a hilariously twisted world where classic fairy tales don't go quite as expected in its next production of the 2025/26 season, The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales (The Stinky Cheese Man). Based on the beloved book by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith, adapted by John Glore, the production brings the book's fractured fairy tales to life for kids and adults alike. Directed by Steve Pacek, the production runs on the Arden’s Arcadia stage with previews starting April 8, opening night on April 18, with performances running through May 31.

(HADDON TOWNSHIP, NJ) -- The Camden County Board of Commissioners, along with Haddon Township, invites residents and visitors to the fourth annual String Band Parade down Haddon Ave, featuring the Philadelphia Mummers String Bands on Saturday, May 30, 2026 from 4:00pm to 6:00pm. (note: it was rescheduled from April 25th due to the weather)

(ORADELL, NJ) -- Fresh off being named the top live music or theater venue by 201 Magazine's "Best of Bergen" readers, Bergen County Players (BCP) invites audiences to brace themselves for a whirlwind of espionage and outrageous comedy with the Tony Award-winning The 39 Steps, which runs weekends from May 2-31, 2026. Directed by BCP life member Steve Bell, this breakneck adaptation of Alfred Hitchcock's 1935 film classic blends film noir suspense with Monty Python-style absurdity.

(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.

(HADDONFIELD, NJ) -- Haddonfield Plays and Players presents "Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill: The Musical" from May 8-23, 2026. This exhilarating musical was inspired by the themes and raw emotions laid bare in Alanis Morissette's seminal album of the same name.







LATEST FEATURES

ART | COMEDY | DANCE | FILM | MUSIC | THEATRE | COMMUNITY | KIDS

MPAC presents comedian Janelle James




The Vogel presents BobFest on May 28th

(RED BANK, NJ) -- The Vogel presents BobFest on Thursday, May 28, 2026 at 7:30pm. This is the music of Bob Dylan presented in the round Nashville style by John Cruz, Steve Delopoulos, Pat Guadagno, Renee Maskin, Rob Paparozzi, and Anne Hills.




Brian Erickson Offers New Cover Album - "Others' Songs"

On June 5, 2026, Brian Erickson will issue Others' Songs, the follow up to 2025's dual releases Everyday Sketches and its AP Music Awards Album of the Year-nominated companion, Everyday Forever (Brian's Version). How does one follow a windfall of such critical riches? If you're Brian Erickson, the answer is simple: with a sharp, unexpected turn! 




Vivid Stage presents ​2026 Vivid Summer Solos

(SUMMIT, NJ) -- Vivid Stage has announced the lineup for 2026 Vivid Summer Solos - performances outside on the lawn of the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey. The weekly play reading series takes place each Wednesday in July. This year includes readings of Fair State by Megan Gogerty, Long Drive Home by Stephen Kaplan, Maker of Worlds by Wendy Schmidt, and The Call List by Brian James Pollak.




UCPAC presents John Waters' "Pink Flamingos" in 35mm on Thursday

(RAHWAY, NJ) -- Union County Performing Arts Center (UCPAC) presents the film Pink Flamingos in 35mm on Thursday, May 21, 2026 at 7:00pm. Join them for John Waters' notorious 1972 cult classic, starring the inimitable Divine as a self-proclaimed queen of filth competing in a grotesque rivalry for the title of "the filthiest person alive."




McCarter Theatre Center presents the Mark Morris Dance Group: Dances to American Music on May 30th

(PRINCETON, NJ) -- McCarter Theatre Center presents the Mark Morris Dance Group: Dances to American Music on Saturday, May 30, 2026 at 7:30pm in the Matthews Theatre. This is a vibrant celebration of the rich tapestry of American music and dance.




State Theatre New Jersey presents Magical Mystery Doors on Friday

(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- State Theatre New Jersey presents Magical Mystery Doors on Friday, May 29, 2026 at 7:30pm. This is a tribute to the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and The Doors. They blend and layer the music of three legendary bands to create something new and unique for music fans everywhere.  Limited tickets remain.




Algonquin Arts Theatre presents "The Boss Bash" featuring The B-Street Band

(MANASQUAN, NJ) -- Algonquin Arts Theatre will host its annual fundraising event, "The Boss Bash," on Saturday, June 6, 2026, featuring two electrifying performances by The B-Street Band — the longest-running and most requested tribute to Bruce Springsteen in the country.










UPCOMING EVENTS


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 




LATEST COLUMNS

Here's a look at comedy shows taking place across the state from May 19 to May 25, 2026. New Jersey Stage compiles this list from comedy clubs, casinos, and performing arts centers



Makin Waves Song of the Week: "ICE SS" by Sally Draper

The Makin Waves Song of the Week is "ICE SS" by the Central Jersey punk act Sally Draper.



Rock On! This Week's Sound Bites... 05/15/2026

"I'm alright, very good thank you," began musician and author David Marx who has recently released a new book about the rock band XTC titled, "XTC: I Am The Audience" (Sorrento Books). 



* Events This Week in New Jersey

* This Week in Music

* This Week in Theatre

* Top 15 Most Read Stories
from the Past Week




DAILY EDITION

Here is a look at the articles published yesterday. The Daily Edition comes out Monday through Friday with a recap of articles published Friday through Sunday on Mondays.