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Film Review - "The Odyssey"

Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey is a lot like Odyssey's 'I Got the Melody'. The equivalent of the Roots Suite here is the portion of the movie that follows Odysseus (Matt Damon) and his men as they try to make their way back home following the sacking of the city of Troy. You don't need to have read Homer to be familiar with its various episodes, as they're practically ingrained in the minds of anyone who grew up in the western world. We all learned about Odysseus and his crew sneaking into Troy by hiding in a wooden horse in school, and we've all seen Ray Harryhausen's classic stop motion takes on the mythical monsters of Greek lore. In these scenes Nolan takes us back to those days listening intently to teachers or staring wide-eyed at a TV screen on a Sunday afternoon. Largely eschewing digital effects, Nolan puts the fantastical back into the fantasy genre.



 

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Princeton Public Library Events In August 2026

(PRINCETON, NJ) -- Here is a look at events taking place at the Princeton Public Library (65 Witherspoon Street) in August 2026. The month includes movie screenings, book discussions, music concerts, technology classes and more.



Mala Aria – A Moving Story of Family Love as They Cope with Disease

Addressing a serious health issue can be a stressful situation for those involved. It is rare to see a play take on a disease like malaria. However, a new play running at Premiere Stages at Kean is about this very topic. Mala Aria by Gloria Majule provides an opportunity to learn more about this disease and how it affects families. Although there are few cases of it reported yearly in the United States, it still needs to be taken seriously. In a number of African countries like Tanzania, one of the settings in the play, it is a different story. People live with the threat daily making it a more serious threat to human life.



Playwright Tom Cavanaugh Launches The Book Writers Group with Staged Reading Showcase on August 2nd

(BOUND BROOK, NJ) -- The Brook Writers Group, a newly formed theater collective dedicated to developing original theatrical works in Central New Jersey, will present its inaugural Staged Reading Showcase on Sunday, August 2, 2026 at the historic Brook Arts Center (10 Hamilton Street) in Bound Brook. The event begins at 5:00pm.



Gateway Playhouse to Hold Open Auditions for "9 to 5: The Musical"

(SOMERS POINT, NJ) -- Gateway Playhouse of Somers Point is holding open auditions for their third MainStage production of the year, the incredibly fun 9 to 5: The Musical. Auditions will take place from 6:00pm-8:00pm Monday and Tuesday, August 10 and 11, 2026. All roles are open and any performance experience is welcomed (must be 16 or older).



Brian K & The Parkway releases new single "Roses & Kerosene" featuring Lilly Hiatt

Brian K & The Parkway's new single, "Roses & Kerosene," features a soulful duet with acclaimed singer-songwriter Lilly Hiatt. The song is the title track for their upcoming album.



Librarians to Address Censorship after "Alabama Story" matinees at The Theater Project

(UNION) -- Librarians and library directors of five New Jersey public libraries will take part in panel discussions on censorship following the 10:00am matinee performances of Kenneth Jones's Alabama Story by The Theater Project on Friday, August 7, and Thursday, August 13, 2026 at DMK Black Box Theater (1980 Morris Avenue) in Union.



Daily Edition 07-25-26

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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Grammy-Winning Superstars Erica Campbell and Jonathan McReynolds to Headline 2026 Gospel Music Festival

(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- Middlesex County, as part of its FolkLIVE free community event series, will host its third annual Gospel Music Festival in New Brunswick (2 Livingston Ave) on Saturday, July 25, 2026, from 3:30pm to 7:30pm. This year's star-studded lineup features multi-Grammy-winning performer Erica Campbell—known both for her solo work and as part of the dynamic "Mary Mary" duo—and Billboard chart-topper Jonathan McReynolds as the headliners.


Mahwah Museum Hosts "Unlock the Fretboard" Guitar Workshop with Mark Sganga on July 25th

(MAHWAH, NJ) -- Guitar players of all levels are invited to "Unlock the Fretboard," a hands-on guitar workshop taking place on Saturday, July 25, from 11:00am to 2:00pm, with a short break included, at The Mahwah Museum. The workshop will be taught by Mark Sganga, an International Fingerstyle Guitar Champion, bringing expert instruction and high-level musicianship to this special event. Designed to help players better understand the fretboard through a system of caged chords and scales, the workshop offers practical strategies that participants can apply immediately in their playing.


The 2026 Sourland Mountain Fest to Take Place July 25th

(RINGOES, NJ) -- The Sourland Mountain Fest is back for its 21st year on Saturday, July 25, 2026. It promises a summer afternoon of soulful talent, tasty bites, refreshing drinks and meaningful dialogue on why the Sourland Region is so important to Central Jersey, and why it's more important than ever to protect it. Performers include Gravity Hill, The Swiss Guard, Hickory, Jake Thistle, and headliners The Harrisons and Company.


Nutley Little Theatre presents "The Worst Fairy Tale Ever"

(NUTLEY, NJ) -- The Narrator is ready to start the show, but how is that supposed to happen when nobody else in the cast has read the script and the costumes haven't even arrived yet? Children, families, and the young at heart will find out when Nutley Little Theatre presents The Worst Fairy Tale Ever by Todd Wallinger July 25-26, 2026.


Centenary Stage Company's Summerfest 2026 presents FOUR STICKS: The Music of Led Zeppelin on July 25th

(HACKETTSTOWN, NJ) -- Centenary Stage Company's Summerfest 2026 continues with an electrifying evening of classic rock as FOUR STICKS: The Music of Led Zeppelin takes the stage on Saturday, July 25, 2026 at 8:00pm in the Sitnik Theatre of the Lackland Performing Arts Center.







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Roxey Ballet Returns to The College of New Jersey for Its 31st Season with the American Holiday Classic Nutcracker
(EWING, NJ) -- After more than five years away from the venue, Roxey Ballet brings its beloved Nutcracker back to The College of New Jersey's Kendall Hall Main Stage Theater in Ewing — opening Thanksgiving weekend and running through early December, with performances by professional artists alongside dancers, actors, and community members from across Mercer, Hunterdon, Somerset, Ocean, and Bucks Counties.



MPAC's Lineup for August and September 2026

(MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- There's lots of great concerts coming to Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC) as summer rolls into Fall 2026. From the classic rock of The Stray Cats, Melissa Etheridge, Air Supply and Cheap Trick, to oldies faves Dion and The Rascals, to jazz great Kenny G., and music icon David Foster with Katharine McPhee, now's a great time to secure your seats for great shows.




Jersey Arts Podcast: Jorma Kaukonen and Hot Tuna Bring New Tour to New Jersey

Today's guest is a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame® Inductee, GRAMMY® Award-winning musician, and one of the most influential guitarists of all-time.




Shemekia Copeland LIVE! on the Atlantic City Boardwalk

Spotlight Central and Love Imagery have photos and a recap of Shemekia Copeland performing on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City on July 15, 2026.




Festive Holiday Swingin' Event Coming to Avon-By-The-Sea in December

(AVON-BY-THE-SEA, NJ) -- It's the most wonderful time of the year! Many folks celebrate Christmas in July, while holding dear joyful thoughts of the jolly season! But as the hustle and bustle of fall and winter approaches, a special musical event, Swingin' Merry Sunday, prepares to ring in the holidays with entertaining merriment!




McCarter Theatre Center presents Mei Semones on September 4th

(PRINCETON, NJ) -- McCarter Theatre Center presents Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Mei Semones in the Berlind Theatre on Friday, September 4, 2026 at 7:30pm. Drawing on her background in jazz guitar and her Japanese heritage, she blends inventive harmonies, intricate rhythms, and bilingual lyricism into a sound that is both intimate and exploratory.




MPAC presents Glen Burtnik's Summer of Love Concert on August 20th

(MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- Relive the memories, share the spirit and celebrate the songs of the Woodstock Generation when Glen Burtnik's Summer of Love concert comes to Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC) on Thursday, August 20, 2026 at 8:00pm.




State Theatre New Jersey presents Ballet Hispánico New York on November 1st

(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- Ballet Hispánico New York is the nation’s leading American Latino dance company and the largest cultural institution of its kind in the U.S. They will perform at State Theatre New Jersey on Sunday, November 1, 2026 at 3:00pm.










FEATURED EVENTS

Kinderhook

Saturday, July 25, 2026 @ 7:30pm
Lizzie Rose Music Room
Tuckerton, NJ
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 




LATEST COLUMNS
The Makin Waves Song of the Week is "Spiral Will," a single and video from "Fading Failing Ruin," the latest album from doomy Jersey Shore dirt metal greats Solace.



Rock On! This Week's Sound Bites... 07/23/2026

"Correct! I actually performed on The Totally Tubular Festival two years ago. I was playing solo that night and they asked me to come back, so I thought I'd do something a bit different and so I decided to reform my backing band from 1988, The Lost Toy People. The last show we played together was with Depeche Mode and OMD at the Rose Bowl for the legendary 101 Concert and the other night in Phoenix was our first show in 38 years; how about that?"



Wesley Pierre: "Catharsis"

Even those who don't know very much about visual art are familiar with the Cubist approach to the human body. Pablo Picasso liked to present a person from many angles at once, and compress three-dimensional form into a two-dimensional frame. No matter what step she's on, that nude descending a staircase comes at us all at once. We know we're looking at an individual person, even if it's never clear which of those fields of color represent the present moment and which are afterimages, projections, and vapor trails. Representing human beings like this guarantees that there’ll be distortions: facial features in strange places, unexpected angles, duplicates and odd subtractions, clashes between heads, necks, and torsos, the shuffling of expressions, and the surprise and disquiet that comes when an obviously human figure doesn't look much like a human at all.


* Events This Week in New Jersey

* This Week in Music

* This Week in Theatre

* Top 15 Most Read Stories
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DAILY EDITION

Daily Edition 07-25-26

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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