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SOPAC presents Willie Nile's Jukebox on September 26th

(SOUTH ORANGE, NJ) -- South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) presents Willie Nile's Jukebox on Saturday, September 26, 2026 at 7:30pm. For one night, Willie is throwing open the jukebox — pulling rarities, deep cuts, and the songs fans always ask for into a single, career-spanning set.



This Week in Theatre: Previews for Plays Taking Place September 22-28, 2026

Here are previews of plays taking place from September 22-28, 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.



bergenPAC presents an evening featuring Bottom Line co-founder Allan Pepper and music journalist Billy Altman

(ENGLEWOOD, NJ) -- Bergen Performing Arts Center (bergenPAC) presents an evening featuring Bottom Line co-founder Allan Pepper and music journalist Billy Altman, who co-authored the book Positively Fourth and Mercer: The Inside Story of New York's Iconic Music Club, The Bottom Line on Friday, October 2, 2026 at 7:00pm.



Westfield Community Players presents "Morning's at Seven"

(WESTFIELD, NJ) -- Westfield Community Players presents Morning's at Seven across three weekends from October 3-18, 2026. An American classic written by Paul Osborn, Morning's at Seven centers around four aging sisters and their families living in a small Midwestern town in the late 1930's.



The Summit Playhouse presents "By The Water"

(SUMMIT, NJ) -- The Summit Playhouse presents By The Water weekends from October 17 to November 1, 2026. This play by Sharyn Rothstein takes place in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, in which the Murphy family struggles to rebuild their Staten Island home and their lives.










FEATURED EVENTS


Celebrating with Stories – Hispanic Heritage Storytime

Wednesday, September 23, 2026 @ 10:00am
Union County Performing Arts Center (UCPAC) - Main Stage
Rahway, NJ

UCPAC invites children in Pre-K through third grade and their families to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month! Join us for story time with classic books read in both Spanish and in English by community leaders. Pages from the books will be projected onto our screen, as well as read aloud. Admission is free, but tickets are required.

 

An Evening with Kenny G

Thursday, September 24, 2026 @ 7:30pm
Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC)
Morristown, NJ

Superstar saxophonist Kenny G has been a staple in pop and contemporary jazz since the 1980s, with crossover hits such as “Songbird” that have made him a favorite of fans worldwide who love his expressive melodies and emotional solos.



 

Dolph Lundgren In Conversation

Thursday, September 24, 2026 @ 7:00pm
Carteret Performing Arts & Events Center
Carteret, NJ

Fights Worth Fighting by Dolph Lundgren is a powerful and unflinchingly honest memoir from one of the most enduring icons of action cinema.


 

Beetlejuice

Friday, September 25, 2026 @ 7:30pm
State Theatre New Jersey
New Brunswick, NJ

“A JOYFUL, EBULLIENT ANTIDOTE TO REALITY!” — Rolling Stone 



 

Ailey II

Friday, September 25, 2026 @ 8:00pm
Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC)
Morristown, NJ

Pictured: Ailey II’s Adanna Smalls and Eric J. Vidaña. Photo by Nir Arieli.

 

CLUB MAC Back to School Night!

Friday, September 25, 2026 @ 6:00pm
Middletown Arts Center
Middletown, NJ

Celebrate back-to-school season with a magical Kids Night Out inspired by Matilda! Kids will enjoy themed crafts, exciting games, pizza, drinks, snacks, and fun activities that spark imagination.

 

UB40: The Unstoppable Tour 2026

Saturday, September 26, 2026 @ 8:00pm
Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC)
Morristown, NJ

The iconic British reggae band performs classics (“Red Red Wine,” “(I Can’t Help) Falling in Love with You,” “The Way You Do the Things You Do”) alongside brand-new tracks from their new studio album.



 

An Evening with Emerson, Lake & Palmer

Saturday, September 26, 2026 @ 8:00pm
Carteret Performing Arts & Events Center
Carteret, NJ

Created by Carl Palmer and his management, the tour is presented with the full cooperation of the Estates of Keith Emerson and Greg Lake. This is not a tribute act – This is the real thing.



 

Decade - A Neil Young Tribute

Saturday, September 26, 2026 @ 7:30pm
Lizzie Rose Music Room
Tuckerton, NJ

Since 2015, Decade has continually performed the most authentic tribute to the music of Neil Young. John Hathaway’s dead on vocals, guitar and harmonica front a stellar band capable of covering any song or era from Neil’s sixty plus years as a recording artist. This is a band not to be missed.



 

Maximum Queen

Saturday, September 26, 2026 @ 3:00pm
Algonquin Arts Theatre
Manasquan, NJ

Get ready to be rocked as Maximum Queen delivers the power and spectacle of Queen's legendary live performances at Algonquin's annual Fall fundraising concert. Featuring Martyn Jenkins as Freddie Mercury, this explosive tribute captures the band's iconic sound, theatricality, and energy with precision and passion-bringing anthems like "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "We Will Rock You" to life.

 





EVENT PREVIEWS

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

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(ASBURY PARK, NJ) -- The Ugly Pancake Comedy Festival is back at The Jersey Shore for the 4th time! Ugly Pancake's Joey Borzotta and Angelo Gingerelli have been bringing the best in stand-up comedy to The Jersey Shore since 2021 and they are celebrating their five year anniversary with their biggest festival yet.

(BEACH HAVEN, NJ) -- Surflight Theatre presents Vanities: The Musical weekends from September 23 to October 4, 2026. This musical chronicles the life-affirming journey of three vivacious Texas teens from cheerleaders to sorority sisters to housewives to liberated women and beyond.

(MAPLEWOOD, NJ) -- The South Mountain Film Academy (SMFA), in partnership with the Maplewood Memorial Library, announced the premiere of "The Maplewood Theater: The Show Must Go On," a poignant 15-minute documentary filmed and produced by local middle school students. The short film explores the history of Maplewood's nearly 100-year-old theater, the venue's role in the community and residents' excitement about the plans to reopen – just in time for the centennial.

(SOMERS POINT, NJ) -- Gateway Playhouse presents the hit Broadway show 9 to 5: The Musical across two weekends from September 24 to October 4, 2026. The production brings the beloved workplace comedy to life with the added excitement of two talented casts sharing performances throughout the run.

(WEST ORANGE, NJ) -- Luna Stage presents Hold These Truths weekends from September 24 to October 18, 2026. It's a one man play starring Joel de la Fuente portraying 36 characters. The play, written by Jeanne Sakata, was inspired by the real story of civil rights pioneer Gordon Hirabayashi.







LATEST FEATURES

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



Here is The Flesh People Fall 2026 New Jersey Film Festival Video Q+A with Writer/Director Keshav Srinivasan, Producer Silvia Chen, Lead Actors Jorge Carrión Álvarez and Louise Heller, Production Designer Yulanda Yo-Rong Shieh, Music Composer Vova Faust (a.k.a. Vladimir Edmond), sound designer Nick Long , and Festival Director Albert Nigrin. The Flesh People will be screening on Saturday, September 26, 2026 – Online for 24 Hours! 



(WEST WINDSOR, NJ) -- Sixty seconds before the ball drops on a New Jersey diner packed with lodge brothers, lovesick teenagers, a tempestuous Hollywood couple, and a writers' group still arguing about a chicken, playwright and director Dan Maurer's newest work asks a simple question with complicated answers: what happens when you finally say the thing you've been holding back?



(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- State Theatre New Jersey presents Sesame Street Live! Elmo's Got the Moves on Saturday, October 10, 2026 at 2:00pm. Elmo's Got the Moves will have kids and parents alike out of their seats and dancing along with Elmo and his Sesame Street friends as they move and groove to fan-favorite songs, including "Sunny Days," "Elmo's Got the Moves," and "Letter of the Day."



(LAKEWOOD, NJ) -- The Bob Band comes to The Strand Center for the Arts on Friday, October 9, 2026. The band is a group of veteran musicians based in Washington, D.C. dedicated to capturing the vibe, spirit and arrangement of Bob Dylan's original recordings. Showtime is 8:00pm.







LATEST COLUMNS


Makin Waves Song of the Week: "Mountain Walk" by The Beagles with Joy

The Makin Waves Song of the Week is "Mountain Walk," the third single from "Listen for a Moment," the new LP by The Beagles with Joy.


Rock On! This Week's Sound Bites... 09/17/2026

"Yes, I'm in Montclair," said the incredible Lily Vakili as she talked about her two recent releases,her music and upcoming tour which kicks off on September 26 in Blairstown, NJ to support both. "Actually, "Oceans of Kansas" came out already; I'm still very much supporting and promoting that and it came out last year, that was a full LP and then this year, I released a live in studio EP called "Live Wire."


"Torn"

A crumpled-up piece of paper and a mangled sheet of metal have certain visual similarities. In both cases, rough circumstances have given strange new facets to machine-flattened material. That which was once uniform and controlled has been shot through with irregularity. It feels like a metaphor for life. A curator could put both pieces behind a vitrine and call that an exhibition.

* 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 09-22-26

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.