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Algonquin Arts Theatre presents "Oliver!"

(MANASQUAN, NJ) -- Algonquin Arts Theatre presents Oliver! across two weekends from October 16-25, 2026. A beloved musical based on Charles Dickens' timeless novel, Oliver! tells the story of a young boy searching for home and belonging.



Dunbar Repertory Company presents "FOR COLORED GIRLS Who have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuf"

(MIDDLETOWN, NJ) -- Dunbar Repertory Company presents Ntozake Shange's FOR COLORED GIRLS Who have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuf at the Middletown Arts Center across two weekends from November 7-15, 2026. This is the groundbreaking "choreopoem" – a spellbinding collection of vivid prose and free verse narratives about and performed by Black women. The production is directed by Darrell Lawrence Willis, SR.



The Wag's Halloween Spectacular Returns!

If you're looking for something fun to do this Halloween season, The Wag has the show for you. Bring your family and friends to The Wag's Halloween Spectacular! They're bringing the show to Middletown, Lakewood, and Tuckerton in the next few weeks.



UCPAC presents Broadway's Rock of Ages Band in Concert on Saturday

(RAHWAY, NJ) -- Union County Performing Arts Center (UCPAC) presents Broadway's Rock of Ages Band in Concert on Saturday, October 10, 2026 at 8:00pm. They will be supported by The 1970s Midnight Rock Show.



State Theatre New Jersey presents the 20th Anniversary Tour of "Jersey Boys"

(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- State Theatre New Jersey presents the Tony® Award-winning musical Jersey Boys, for three performances from October 16-17, 2026. Jersey Boys is the true behind-the-music story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons.










FEATURED EVENTS


Compagnie HERVE KOUBI

Tuesday, October 06, 2026 @ 7:30pm
State Theatre New Jersey
New Brunswick, NJ

Absolutely unique and utterly original, this fearless, powerful company reigns from France, Algeria, and beyond. Combining contemporary and urban dance movements, capoeira, and martial arts with powerful imagery and inspired choreography, the dancers defy gravity. Inspired by Algerian author Yasmina Khadra’s novel, What The Day Owes To The Night traces Koubi’s own personal lineage as a French-Algerian choreographer. After learning about his family’s Algerian roots, Koubi returned to the country of his ancestors to collaborate with streetdance performers from across the Mediterranean basin. What emerged is “a creation of poetic beauty” (The New York Times), a meditative yet strikingly athletic work about the ties that bind us.

 

A Beat of Our Own

Wednesday, October 07, 2026 @ 7:30pm
McCarter Theatre Center (Matthews Theatre)
Princeton, NJ

From the Tony Award-winning producers of Hadestown comes A Beat of Our Own — a brand-new musical comedy that pulls you straight into the pulsating rhythms, kaleidoscopic colors and raw energy of competitive bhangra dance. 



 

Tom Papa: Grateful Bread Tour

Thursday, October 08, 2026 @ 7:00pm
Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC)
Morristown, NJ

With more than 20 years as a stand-up comedian, Tom Papa is one of the top comedic voices in the country, finding success in film, TV, radio and podcasts as well as on the live stage. He is a regular guest on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast and late-night TV shows.



 

A Beat of Our Own

Thursday, October 08, 2026 @ 7:30pm
McCarter Theatre Center (Matthews Theatre)
Princeton, NJ

From the Tony Award-winning producers of Hadestown comes A Beat of Our Own — a brand-new musical comedy that pulls you straight into the pulsating rhythms, kaleidoscopic colors and raw energy of competitive bhangra dance. 



 

The Moth Mainstage

Thursday, October 08, 2026 @ 7:30pm
State Theatre New Jersey
New Brunswick, NJ

It’s a completely singular experience to be in the room and watch real people take the mic and share unforgettable stories from their own lives.



 

An Evening of Drink Flights and Tasty Bites to Benefit Union County Performing Arts Center

Thursday, October 08, 2026 @ 6:00pm
Hamilton Stage at Union County Performing Arts Center (UCPAC)
Rahway, NJ

Join us for our third annual Flight Night: An Evening of Drink Flights and Tasty Bites to Benefit Union County Performing Arts Center!

 

Vivid Stage presents B.I.N.G.O. (or Brittney Isle’s Nice Geriatric Orgy)

Thursday, October 08, 2026 @ 8:00pm
Oakes Center
Summit, NJ

Barb desperately needs friends. That’s why she moved to this 55+ community in the first place. So what better way to meet new people than to join a good old fashioned Bingo Night? When Bingo Night turns into a full-blown orgy, Barb must decide: does she stay in her safe, predictable world? Or does she play a new game of chance and truly live before it’s too late?

 

Halloween Handbags & Bingo

Thursday, October 08, 2026 @ 6:00pm
Middletown Arts Center
Middletown, NJ

Join us for a hauntingly fun night of Handbags & Bingo featuring Cash Prizes and Designer Handbag Raffles!

 

ReelAbilities: ReelShorts: Beyond Expectations

Thursday, October 08, 2026 @ 10:00am
Kean Stage - NAAB Auditorium
Union, NJ

ReelAbilities authentically showcases disability experiences and talent both on screen and behind the camera through award-winning short and feature-length films. Each screening at Kean University includes disability-led discussions that foster community dialogue, challenge stereotypes and promote access — fulfilling ReelAbilities’s mission of reframing disability through powerful storytelling.

 

ReelAbilities: Disposable Humanity

Thursday, October 08, 2026 @ 2:00pm
Kean Stage - NAAB Auditorium
Union, NJ

ReelAbilities authentically showcases disability experiences and talent both on screen and behind the camera through award-winning short and feature-length films. Each screening at Kean University includes disability-led discussions that foster community dialogue, challenge stereotypes and promote access — fulfilling ReelAbilities’s mission of reframing disability through powerful storytelling.

 





EVENT PREVIEWS

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

To narrow results by date, categories,
or region of New Jersey click here.
(TOMS RIVER, NJ) -- It's time to ditch the same boring recipes and bring big, playful creativity back into your kitchen! Join Top Chef finalist, Food Network star, and author Joe Sasto to explore his bestselling cookbook Breaking the Rules: A Fresh Take on Italian Classics in a virtual discussion on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, presented by the Ocean County Library. The event begins at 2:00pm.

(RED BANK, NJ) -- The Count Basie Center for the Arts welcomes Tony Award-winning actor, author and advocate Ali Stroker for a Community Conversation exploring mental health, well-being and the power of the arts on Tuesday, October 6, 2026 at The Vogel. The event begins at 7:00pm.

(NEWARK, NJ) -- World-renowned artist Bisa Butler and Grammy Award-winning artist Durand Bernarr will headline the 2026 Newark Arts Festival, returning October 7–11 for five days of exhibitions, music, performance, artist conversations, family programming, open studios and late-night arts experiences across Newark.

(BEACH HAVEN, NJ) -- Surflight Theatre presents Deceived from October 7-11, 2026. Based on the original play, Gaslight, by Patrick Hamilton, Deceived is a psychological thriller that will leave audiences on the edge of their seat.

(EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ) -- American Dream, the premier entertainment and retail destination, continues to bring one-of-a-kind experiences to life, with its latest offering, Dandy's World Gardenview Experience, set to debut this fall. The first-of-its-kind activation for the Dandy's World IP, an extremely popular all-ages survival-horror experience on Roblox will take place at American Dream from October 7 through November 1, 2026, highlighting a festive American Scream calendar.







LATEST FEATURES

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



(UNION, NJ) -- The Kean Department of Theatre presents References to Salvador Dalí Make Me Hot from October 9-17, 2026 in the Bauer Boucher Theatre Center. This is an Obie Award-winning surrealist play by José Rivera that follows Gabriela, a lonely housewife in Barstow, California, awaiting her soldier-husband Benito’s return from the Gulf War in 1991.



(MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- Con man Harold Hill brings "Trouble" to River City when Big League Productions' National Tour of Meredith Willson's The Music Man comes to Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC) for three performances from October 16-17, 2026. The show is helmed by veteran director Matt Lenz. Emmy Award winning and TONY Award® nominated choreographer Joshua Bergasse brings the story's celebrated production numbers spectacularly to life on stage.



(HOLMDEL, NJ) -- Executive Director Andrew DePrisco brings Smooth Jazz to the Bell Theater in Holmdel with the ever-popular WBGO "all that jazz" Concert series. Procured by Smooth Jazz New Jersey, the first two offerings will be Spyro Gyra on October 24th and Rick Braun on November 21, 2026.



It's in the third act of a three-act story structure when everything comes to a head. The plot builds to its peak, the characters demonstrate development, and the audience/reader/listener experiences the story's climax—and maybe even a moral.







LATEST COLUMNS


Makin Waves Song of the Week: "The Only Man to Make It Through the Dance" by Jake Thistle

The Makin Waves Song of the Week is "The Only Man to Make It Through the Dance" from "A Stranger By Design," the latest album by Jake Thistle.


Rock On! This Week's Sound Bites... 10/01/2026

What do you call a rocker by night who pays tribute to multiple classic rock bands and someone who has done children's music during the day? You call him Paulie Z that's what.


Makin Waves Song of the Week: "In Another Life" by Deardarkhead

The Makin Waves Song of the Week is "In Another Life" from "The Pendulum Swings," the first album in 26 years from the Atlantic City rockers Deardarkhead.

* 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 10-05-26

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.