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New Release Review - "Thrash"

If the premise of Thrash sounds familiar you might have run across the movie when it was announced back in 2024 under its original title "Beneath the Storm." Or perhaps in 2025, when it was retitled "Shiver" and set for a theatrical release in August of that year. Now the movie has been renamed once again and its cinema release scrapped. Sony have sold it off to Netflix, who have dumped it on their platform with all the ceremony of an unwanted goldfish being flushed down a toilet.



 

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The 17th annual Elephant Talk Indie Music festival Takes Place This Weekend in AC

(ATLANTIC CITY, NJ) -- The 17th annual Elephant Talk Indie Music Festival will take place at Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall in Atlantic City from April 17-19, 2026. The festival features performances from over 70 acts.



Hey Bulldog to Pay Tribute to The Beatles at Liberty Science Center

(JERSEY CITY, NJ) -- Hey Bulldog will perform a tribute to The Beatles in the Planetarium at Liberty Science Center on Thursday, April 30, 2026 from 8:00pm to 10:00pm. Come see one of the area's best Beatles cover bands perform some good old fashioned no fuss rock and roll!



This Week in Theatre: Previews for Plays Taking Place April 14-20, 2026

Here are previews of plays taking place from April 14-20, 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.



Comedy Shows This Weekend: April 16-19, 2026

Here's a look at comedy shows taking place across the state from April 16-19, 2026. New Jersey Stage compiles this list from comedy clubs, casinos, and performing arts centers. You can send information on shows to infoatnewjerseystage.com for consideration in future columns.



The Actors Studio of New Jersey and The Sieminski Theater present "Finishing the Hat: The Music of Sondheim"

(BASKING RIDGE, NJ) -- The Actors Studio of New Jersey and The Sieminski Theater present Finishing the Hat: The Music of Sondheim from April 18-19, 2026. This is a spectacular tribute to the legendary composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim.



Rutgers Theater Department presents "Hamlet"

(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- The Rutgers Theater Department presents eight performances of Shakespeare's most popular play, Hamlet, at the Levin Theater (on the Douglass Campus) from April 24-May 2, 2026. The production is directed by Cameron Knight.



The Stress Factory presents Andrew Dismukesis this weekend

(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- The Stress Factory presents Andrew Dismukesis from April 16-18, 2026. He is a stand up comedian, writer and actor who you've probably seen on "Saturday Night Live". He joined SNL in 2017 as a writer and became an on‑air cast member in 2020, earning a following for his dry delivery and inventive sketches.



Late Spring Improv Classes Begin May 4 at Vivid Stage!

(SUMMIT, NJ) -- Vivid Stage, in residence at Oakes Center, is enrolling its late spring session of improv classes for adults. This session runs May 4 through June 29, 2026. Classes offered this session include the Joy of Improv introductory class, the advanced Scene Essentials and the Improv Production Lab. The Open Improv Jam for all levels is on April 29.



Daily Edition 04-14-26

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

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Soul Asylum to bring Acoustic Tour to the area in April

(NEWTON, NJ) -- Grammy award-winning and multi-platinum selling rock band Soul Asylum are heading out on a special acoustic tour in 2026.  Locally, the band will perform at City Winery in Philadelphia (April 14), The Vogel in Red Bank (April 16) and The Newton Theatre in Newton (April 18).


Writing Action-Packed and Suspenseful Spycraft Fiction with Bestselling Author Brad Taylor

(TOMS RIVER, NJ) -- Join author Brad Taylor on his latest work Shadow Strike, book #20 of the bestselling Pike Logan series, for a virtual discussion on Tuesday, April 14, 2026 at 7:00pm.  The event is presented by the Ocean County Library.


NJPAC presents a Spring Season of Jazz

(NEWARK, NJ) -- New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) presents a Spring Season of Jazz with free monthly jazz jams at Clement's Place and two special concert events inside the Victoria Theater. This series, running from September through June, is co-presented by NJPAC's Jazz Advisory Committee and Rutgers University–Newark's Institute of Jazz Studies (IJS). Immerse yourself in the relaxing sounds of jazz music that stimulate the players’ and listeners' minds.


Morven Museum & Garden's Grand Homes & Gardens returns with a new series for America's 250th

(PRINCETON, NJ) -- Morven Museum & Garden's popular speaker series Grand Homes & Gardens returns for 2026. Coinciding with the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Freedom at Home: Telling the Full Story of America's Founding Homes and Gardens examines four estates belonging to five signers of the Declaration: William Paca, Richard Henry Lee, Francis Lightfoot Lee, Thomas Jefferson, and Arthur Middleton.


Megan Thee Stallion to make her Broadway debut in "Moulin Rouge! The Musical"

(NEW YORK, NY) -- Producers of the Tony Award®-winning, record-breaking Broadway hit Moulin Rouge! The Musical have announced that three-time Grammy Award-winning superstar and actress Megan Thee Stallion will make her Broadway debut in the production as "Zidler", impresario of the titular nightclub. Taking the stage for a strictly limited 8-week engagement, Megan will light up the Al Hirshfeld Theatre from Tuesday, March 24th to Sunday, May 17, 2026, promising an unmissable, moment in the show's legendary run.


Atlantic City Ballet to present "Carmen" and "Sleeping Beauty"

(ATLANTIC CITY, NJ) -- The Atlantic City Ballet presents two extraordinary classics this spring, Carmen and Sleeping Beauty. The first is Carmen, which will be presented on Thursday, March 26 at Caesars Circus Maximus Theater, and Saturday, March 28 at The Strand Theater in Lakewood. Carmen is a feast for the senses, pairing powerful choreography with George Bizet's iconic composition.


Music Mountain Theatre presents "MAME"

(LAMBERTVILLE, NJ) -- Music Mountain Theatre presents MAME weekends from March 27 through April 19, 2026. The musical is based on the novel "Auntie Mame" by Patrick Dennis and the play by Lawrence and Lee.







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McCarter presents Steven Mackey's "Memoir"
(PRINCETON, NJ) -- McCarter Theatre Center, in partnership with the Department of Music at Princeton, is thrilled to present MEMOIR, a theatrical musical work by GRAMMY Award-winning composer and William Shubael Conant Professor of Music Steven Mackey, and director Mark DeChiazza. Performances take place at the Berlind Theatre on Saturday, April 18 at 7:30pm and Sunday, April 19, 2026 at 2:00pm.



Grunin Center for the Arts presents The Brit Pack on Saturday

(TOMS RIVER, NJ) -- The Grunin Center for the Arts presents The Brit Pack on Saturday, April 18, 2026 at 7:30pm. They are the most authentic British Invasion experience this  side of the Atlantic.  Limited tickets remain.




The Growing Stage presents their 2026 New Play-Reading Festival

(NETCONG, NJ) -- The Growing Stage presents their 2026 New Play-Reading Festival from April 23-25, 2026 at The Historic Palace Theatre. The festival presents four unpublished and unproduced Theatre for Young Audiences scripts. This year features works by Samara Siskind, Martin Follose, Grace Ward & Elke Myers, and Jeff Jenkins.




"1776" at Paper Mill Playhouse is Outstanding

​​​​​​​There are many celebrations setting up to commemorate the 250th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. New Jersey's Paper Mill Playhouse joins in as they present the Tony Award winning show 1776. This is a perfect pick for the occasion because the show takes us back to the days of the Second Continental Congress as they write and approve the Declaration of Independence. Our school textbooks rarely went into any depth about what was going on inside the meeting room. This musical gives you an idea of what might have occurred as the human side of the events are presented.




Raul Midón Takes the Stage at the Grunin Center's Prima Theatre on May 16th

(TOMS RIVER, NJ) -- The Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts welcomes Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter and virtuoso guitarist Raul Midón to the Gia Maione Prima Foundation Studio Theatre on Saturday, May 16, 2026 at 7:00pm. Tickets are $35.




Lizzie Rose Music Room presents Alastair Green on April 30th

(TUCKERTON, NJ) -- The Lizzie Rose Music Room presents Alastair Greene on Thursday, April 30, 2026 at 7:30pm. A native of Santa Barbara,California and now residing in Austin, Greene has ridden his Blues-soaked rock into the 21st century, traversing a constantly changing global (and musical) landscape.




McCarter Theatre Center presents "Mrs. Christie" - a new comedy-mystery by Heidi Armbruster

(PRINCETON, NJ) -- McCarter Theatre Center presents Mrs. Christie, a witty new comedy-mystery by Heidi Armbruster, from May 6–31, 2026. The production is directed by BOLD Associate Artistic Director Donya K. Washington in her McCarter directorial debut.




McCarter Theatre Center presents performances by John Malkovich in "The Music Critic" and The Improvised Shakespeare Company

(PRINCETON, NJ) -- McCarter Theatre Center presents a weekend of comedy and theatrical invention with John Malkovich in The Music Critic on Saturday, April 17 in the Matthews Theatre, and The Improvised Shakespeare Company® for three performances April 16–17, 2026 in the Berlind Theatre.










UPCOMING EVENTS
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 




LATEST COLUMNS
I’m one of those guys who hates it when people say that rock and roll is dead. That there’s no good new music today. I actually think there may be more good music now than ever, but it’s just harder to find. Since we get a ton of new music sent to us at New Jersey Stage each week, I decided to try something new - a recorded DJ hosted radio show and a column spotlighting new works. The plan is to have a new one every two weeks.



Makin Waves Song of the Week: "Make This World Stand Still" by Lisa Bouchelle feat. Amanda Shires

The Makin Waves Song of the Week is "Make This World Stand Still" from Trenton-bred roots/country songstress Lisa Bouchelle's forthcoming album, "Vandals, Thieves & Lovers."



Rock On! This Week's Sound Bites... 04/09/2026

"It's not long enough but it's a pretty good run of shows. I haven't done a tour like this in about three years, even though it feels like yesterday, I haven't done a tour like this in a long time," laughed multi instrumentalist Hunter Hayes shortly before his two recent New Jersey shows at the Newton Theatre and The Stone Pony in Asbury Park. "I am thoroughly looking forward to it, I have been looking forward to doing a tour like this since "Evergreen" started coming together, you know, coming to life; "Evergreen" has been an eight to ten year process, depending on where you want to start, it's a pretty good run of shows and I'm really excited about it."


* 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.


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