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Daily Edition 05-02-26

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!



 

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The Barrymore Film Center presents "A Heavenly Evening" featuring Gary Lucas and Feifei Yang

(FORT LEE, NJ) -- The Barrymore Film Center presents "A Heavenly Evening" featuring Gary Lucas and Feifei Yang in a double bill of Chinese music culture on Saturday, May 23, 2026 at 7:00pm.



PHOTOS from "SpongeBob SquarePants Jr " at Roman Productions

(HOLMDEL, NJ) -- Roman Productions presented The SpongeBob Musical Jr. at Saint John Vianney High School April 25-26, 2026. Under the direction of Wendy Roman, this production showcased the strength of a youth theater program rooted in confidence, collaboration, and individuality. Photographer John Posada was on hand to take photos.



2026 Maplewoodstock Music + Art Festival to Take Place July 11-12

(MAPLEWOOD, NJ) -- Going on 20+ years, the annual, free, two-day Maplewoodstock Music + Art Festival will take place the weekend of July 11-12, 2026, in Memorial Park in Maplewood. The festival features performances by Anders Osborne, Lettuce, Slap Dragon, and Megan Jean's Secret Family. It kicks off with music at noon and ends around 9:30pm each night. As always, it is free and welcomes the entire community.



State Theatre New Jersey Announces 2026-27 Broadway Season

(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- State Theatre New Jersey has announced its 2026-27 Broadway Season, featuring seven fantastic national Broadway tours. The 2026-27 Broadway Season will feature Tony® Award-winning hits, fan favorites, and multiple State Theatre debuts. Season tickets for the 2026-27 Broadway Series are on sale now and save buyers over 35% on tickets to these shows. Single tickets will go on sale in late July.










EVENT PREVIEWS

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2026 Down & Derby Wine Festival: A Day of Wine, Music, and Derby Fun in South Jersey

(CAMDEN, NJ) -- South Jersey's most anticipated wine festival is back! The Fourth Annual Down & Derby Wine Festival will take place on Saturday, May 2, 2026, from 2:00pm – 7:00pm at Veterans Island in Cooper River Park. Hosted by the Camden County Board of Commissioners and Visit South Jersey, this exciting event will bring together the finest local wineries, live entertainment, delicious food, and derby-themed festivities.


Berrie Center presents "The Lillias White Effect" featuring Broadway's Lillias White

(MAHWAH, NJ) -- Berrie Center for Performing and Visual Arts presents "The Lillias White Effect" featuring Broadway's Lillias White on Saturday, May 2, 2026 at 8:00pm. In this show, Lillias pulls back the show curtain to tell humorous, poignant and inspiring stories from both her personal and show business life that she has never shared before, onstage or off.


Ballet Arts and Adelphi Orchestra Present Coppélia for Ballet Arts' 50th Anniversary Season

(RIVER EDGE, NJ) -- Ballet Arts marks its 50th anniversary season this spring with a joyful new production of Coppélia, presented in collaboration with the Adelphi Orchestra. Performances will take place May 2 and 3, 2026, at River Dell High School in Oradell, featuring live orchestral accompaniment, guest artists, and a multigenerational cast of local dancers and students.


Hitchcock Meets Hilarious: Bergen County Players presents "The 39 Steps"

(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.


Jam-Packed Lineup Revealed for the 10th Montclair Literary Festival

(MONTCLAIR, NJ) -- The Montclair Literary Festival has unveiled an exciting, jam-packed lineup of authors for its 10th anniversary, taking place from May 2-11, 2026. Spanning 10 days, the festival will feature more than 60 authors in over 30 events, with the majority free for all attendees.







LATEST FEATURES

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Trumpeter Brandon Lee is Drawn to the 'Lasting Community Feel' of Big Bands
The big band format is, of course, one that is jazz's most timeless, enduring, and malleable. A big band could take a classic standard and update it for a modern audience, or transport that audience back to a Jazz Age ballroom. It's no wonder, then, that so many modern jazz practitioners view the big band format not as an anachronism to be scoffed at, but rather a sanctuary to be revered.



New Release Review - "The Mummy"

Hitchcock's Psycho is often cited as the first slasher movie but the tropes of that sub-genre go right back to the 1930s. The likes of Michael Myers and Jason Vorhees are essentially descendants of Kharis, the shambling antagonist of Universal's Mummy series of the '30s and '40s. In recent decades Universal has taken their Mummy property out of the horror genre and into the realm of blockbuster action, in a series of hit films starring Brendan Fraser and a flop headlined by the usually reliable Tom Cruise.




UCPAC presents comedian Eddie B. "If These Classroom Walls Could Talk"

(RAHWAY,NJ) -- By popular demand, America's favorite teacher comedian Eddie B. returns to the main stage at Union County Performing Arts Center (UCPAC) with his "If These Classroom Walls Could Talk" tour on Friday, June 26, 2026. Showtime is 8:00pm.




State Theatre New Jersey's A Night in Lights Annual Benefit Gala to Take Place May 30th

(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- State Theatre New Jersey (STNJ) invites the community to its signature fundraising event, A Night in Lights Annual Benefit Gala, on Saturday, May 30, 2026, at Christopher's Restaurant & Bar located inside The Heldrich Hotel. This highly anticipated evening directly supports STNJ's arts education and community engagement programs, which serve more than 30,000 children and families each year.




'60s Rock 'n Roll Revival LIVE! at STNJ

Spotlight Central and Love Imagery have photos and a recap of '60s Rock 'n Roll Revival concert at State Theatre New Jersey on April 18, 2026.




Outpost in the Burbs presents Willie Nile Band on Sunday

(MONTCLAIR, NJ) -- Outpost in the Burbs presents Willie Nile Band on Sunday, May 3, 2026. The New York Times once called Buffalo, NY born Willie Nile "one of the most gifted singer-songwriters to emerge from the New York scene in years." Jersey City based artist Debra Devi will open the night.




The Stress Factory Comedy Club presents Kevin Nealon

(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- The Stress Factory Comedy Club presents Kevin Nealon on May 15-16, 2026. Kevin Nealon is a legendary force in comedy whose career spans stand-up, television, film, and digital media. David Letterman once called him "one of the funniest humans on the planet."




The Growing Stage presents "Nate The Great"

(NETCONG, NJ) -- The Growing Stage: The Children's Theatre of New Jersey is thrilled to present Nate The Great. Based on the book by Marjorie Sharmat with book & lyrics by John Maclay and music & lyrics by Brett Ryback, this vibrant production runs weekends from May 1-17, 2026. In this musical, the world's greatest boy detective awakes, hoping that this day will bring a new case. He gets a call from his good friend Annie alerting him that her new painting of her dog Fang is missing!










UPCOMING EVENTS

George Street Playhouse presents "My Lord, What A Night"

Saturday, May 02, 2026 @ 2:00pm
New Brunswick Performing Arts Center (NBPAC)
New Brunswick, NJ
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 




LATEST COLUMNS
The Makin Waves Song of the Week is "Make It Happen" by Asbury Park Yawn Mower legend Mike Chick from "Congarts," his third solo album and second for Mint 400 Records.



Lighty's Corner: April 30, 2026

The second episode of Lighty’s Corner is live! This is a bi-weekly recorded radio show presenting new rock music from around the globe. Each of the 15 new tracks played were received via email within the last two weeks - a practice I hope to continue each time.



"She's Like the Wind"

The first thing you'll see upon entering the gallery at Deep Space (77 Cornelison St.) is the shadow-outline of a woman's leg. There it is, on a chartreuse background, sticking straight up in the air with a curvaceous bare foot inches from the ceiling. That's all of the subject of "Lemon Lime Toe of God" that the oil painter Delilah Ray Miske is willing to show us. The rest of the body, she implies, is splayed out on a bed. We know it's summer because the window is closed and the air conditioner is plugged in. There's a pretty good chance that the possessor of the leg is undressed. In one hand, she holds a cellphone, and she might be broadcasting something. On the wall, a small whip-like broomstick hangs. It could be the ride of a tiny witch. It could be the professional tool of a dominatrix.


* 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

Daily Edition 05-02-26

Here is a look at the articles published on Thursday. The Daily Edition will be back on Monday with a recap of the articles published over the weekend.


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