In October 2003, Gary Wien launched Upstage Magazine, a monthly print publication that covered the arts throughout Central New Jersey. The publication ultimately grew to 25,000 copies per month with distribution throughout much of the state. Upstage was well received critically and ultimately earned an Asbury Music Award for Top Music Publication in 2007, becoming the first publication other than The Aquarian to ever win the award. In addition, both the website and Wien picked up multiple Asbury Music Awards (for Top Website and Top Music Journalist) as well. Wien left the publication shortly afterwards, and Upstage ceased publishing a few months later.
In the months that followed, arts groups continued to submit press releases and materials. In 2008, Wien launched NewJerseyStage.com as a hobby to be an online news resource to continue coverage of the arts. Six years later, he decided to return to covering the arts full-time and redesigned the website to become a digital version of the old Upstage Magazine. On May 1, 2014, New Jersey Stage became a full-time resource covering the arts. On July 15, the first issue of New Jersey Stage digital magazine was released.
One year after New Jersey Stage Magazine was launched, Gary Wien was diagnosed with secondary progressive Multiple Sclerosis. He uses the website and magazine as a way of fighting the disease each day. Over 35,000 articles have been posted since New Jersey Stage became official and 75 issues of the magazine were published until the pandemic of 2020 forced it to go on hiatus. Over 550,000 unique visitors come to the website each year.
The website is primary run by Wien, but it benefits from the work of writers like Danny Coleman, Bob Makin, Eric Hillis, Karen Nowosad, Al Nigrin, and Spotlight Central. All of the writers on the site are volunteers - a group who love the arts. New Jersey Stage aims to bring artists, organizations, and art councils together. In addition to regularly publishing original feature articles, interviews, and columns, we encourage organizations to send us press releases. New Jersey Stage considers itself the Garden State's Arts Newswire and home of original arts journalism.
You can follow New Jersey Stage on social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Threads, BlueSky and via our RSS feed
Mailing Address:
NewJerseyStage.com
P.O. Box 811
Belmar, NJ 07719
Email: [email protected]
Celebrate 250 years of America through the power of orchestral music. This special concert honors the nation's history and spirit with a program that reflects the many voices, stories, and sounds that have shaped America. A stirring tribute to the American experience.
Hailed by some as a successor to Billie Holiday, Cécile McLorin Salvant is one of the leading voices in jazz today. A winner of the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition at age 21 and a three-time Grammy Award recipient, she brings a singular clarity and curiosity to everything she sings.
"Smashingly Theatrical"—Chicago Sun Times
Treat your family to an evening of mind-blowing magic and comedy that gets the whole audience into the act. You’ll be stunned and amazed as master illusionist David Caserta has people levitating, disappearing, and reappearing right before your eyes. You will witness never-before-seen illusions that have been created just for this show.
Written by and Starring Kathryn Grody
Directed by Timothy Near
A Radical, Rollicking Rumination on the Optimism of Staying Alive
Global sensation Mariza returns to NJPAC. With a glorious voice that “could knock the Earth off its axis” (Houston Chronicle), she journeys through Portuguese fado favorites spanning her incredible multi-decade career. And, as always, her passion and star power will light up the night! Two world music performances set the stage: Derek Gripper on African guitar, and Duo Andalus (Lala Tamar on vocals and Ofer Ronen on oud/flamenco guitar) mixing sounds of the Mediterranean and Middle East. Come see why Mariza is a continual favorite of audiences at NJPAC — and around the world.
Michael Douglas is an Oscar, Emmy, and Golden Globe-winning actor and producer best known for Wall Street, Fatal Attraction, Behind the Candelabra, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. A titan of the entertainment industry with a career spanning more than five decades, Douglas is also a UN Messenger of Peace, cancer survivor, and vocal advocate for nuclear disarmament and gun control. Michael Douglas offers audiences a unique perspective on Hollywood, storytelling, and activism. His talks blend fascinating anecdotes from his career, insights into acting and producing, and a commitment to making a difference in the world. He also touches on his battle with stage IV cancer, reconnecting with his Jewish identity, and his family legacy in Hollywood.
One of the most successful singer-songwriters in music with over 100 million albums sold, Paul Anka has the distinction of being the only artist in history to have a song on the Billboard charts during seven consecutive decades. Enjoy classics such as “Put Your Head on My Shoulder,” “Diana,” “My Way,” “Puppy Love” and “Lonely Boy,” as performed by this consummate showman.
Renowned worldwide as A.R. Rahman, the celebrated composer, performer and producer has transformed the landscape of Indian film and contemporary music with a sound that transcends borders and generations. With more than 160 film soundtracks and albums spanning multiple languages, Rahman’s extraordinary body of work includes iconic films such as Roja, Bombay, Dil Se, Taal, Lagaan, Jodhaa Akbar, Ponniyin Selvan, Slumdog Millionaire and 127 Hours as he’ll be playing his greatest hits this fall at the NJPAC. Experience the evening with the New Jersey Symphony as the orchestra joins Rahman to bring his genre-spanning compositions — ranging from Eastern classical, pop, world music, and rap — to breathtaking new heights.
For more than a decade, Theresa Caputo—known worldwide as the Long Island Medium—has touched the lives of millions of fans, comforting supporters when they need it most. Through personal life stories, candid humor, and intimate details about her gift to communicate with those who have passed on, the beloved television personality and best-selling author delivers healing messages to her audience, reassuring them with the revelation that their deceased loved ones are still with them—just in a different way. Recognized as one of the most renowned mediums for over 20 years, Theresa Caputo Live: The Experience is the awe-inspiring event you won’t want to miss.
(BRADLEY BEACH, NJ) -- The Arts Council of Bradley Beach invites music lovers and community members to a special Sea & Sky Songwriters Acoustic Afternoon on Sunday, November 1, 2026 from 1:00pm to 4:00pm. The live acoustic event will be hosted at Erratic Fermentations Brewery (714 Main Street) in Bradley Beach.
(RED BANK, NJ) -- The Vogel hosts a Dia de los Muertos Celebration on Sunday, November 1, 2026. Doors open at 4:00pm, showtime is 5:00pm. Celebrate Día de los Muertos, also known as the Day of the Dead—a vibrant celebration of life and remembrance.
(UNION, NJ) -- American Theater Group (ATG), led by Producing Artistic Director Charlotte Cohn, will present a one-night concert event of WE ARE -- a contemporary musical feature about identity, family, love, and America's complicated Civil Rights legacy — on Monday, November 2, 2026 at the DMK Black Box Theater in Union. The concert will feature Tony Award-winner Lillias White (Hadestown, The Life, Fela!) as well as Tony Award-nominee Christiani Pitts (Two Strangers Carry a Cake Across New York). Showtime is 7:30pm.
(SUMMIT, NJ) -- Women+ on the Edge of Democracy presents a play reading to foster community and conversation on Monday, November 2, 2026 at St. John's Lutheran Church in Summit. The event, which begins at 7:00pm, is co-sponsored by St John’s Lutheran Church, Interweave, and Vivid Stage. Admission is free, but registration is required.
(BASKING RIDGE, NJ) -- Local author Katherine Rodriguez is inviting readers to The Tree Within — An Intimate Author Gathering, a public author reading, conversation and book signing on November 4, 2026 at Brown Sugar Café in Warren. The event begins at 6:30pm.
(WAYNE, NJ) -- Grand Kyiv Ballet presents Swan Lake: Symphony of Lights at the Rosen Performing Arts Center on Wednesday, November 4, 2026 at 7:00pm. For over a century, Swan Lake has stood as one of the most cherished treasures of classical ballet. Its sweeping Tchaikovsky score, timeless choreography, and iconic white swans have captured hearts across generations...
