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This Week in Theatre: Previews for Plays Taking Place October 6-12, 2026

Here are previews of plays taking place from October 6-12, 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.



 

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Zombies, Comedy, and Costume Contest Come to Hackensack on October 17th

(HACKENSACK, NJ) -- North Jersey's award-winning improv comedy troupe, Howdy Stranger, brings its annual Halloween show to the Hackensack Performing Arts Center (HACPAC) on Saturday, October 17, 2026 at 8:00pm. Audience members are encouraged to dress in costumes for fun or to enter the evening's costume contest for a chance to win a prize.



Centenary Stage Company's NEXTstage Repertory presents "Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson - Apt. 2B"

(HACKETTSTOWN, NJ) -- Centenary Stage Company's NEXTstage Repertory brings Kate Hamill's darkly comic and contemporary reimagining of the classic detective duo, Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson - Apt. 2B, to the Sitnik Theatre of the Lackland Performing Arts Center from October 15–25, 2026.



Two River Theater presents "Stir" by Melinda Lopez & Joel Perez

(RED BANK, NJ) -- Two River Theater presents Stir by Melinda Lopez & Joel Perez from October 31 to November 22, 2026. Join them in the kitchen as two siblings piece together their mother's beloved black bean recipe. Secrets simmer and memories are on the menu as they reconnect from across the country. 



Country Gate Players presents "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow"

(BELVIDERE, NJ) -- Country Gate Players presents The Legend of Sleepy Hollow across two weekends from October 24 to November 1, 2026. Welcome to the quite little village of Sleepy Hollow... where old legends have a way of coming to life.



Josh Farley's Magic Across America show comes to Montville on Saturday

(MONTVILLE, NJ) -- Award-winning illusionist Josh Farley brings his Magic Across America show to The Barn Theatre in Montville on Saturday, October 10, 2026 at 8:00pm.



16th Annual Tri-State Theatre Festival to take place November 6-8

(SPRING LAKE, NJ) -- South Street Players presents the 16th Annual Tri-State Theatre Festival from November 6-8, 2026. Produced by Rob Sullivan, the festival showcases the best new short plays written by local writers from New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.



Phoenix Productions presents "Parade"

(RED BANK, NJ) -- Phoenix Productions presents Parade at Count Basie Center for the Arts from November 6-8, 2026. The tragic, true story of the trial and lynching of a man wrongly accused of murder is brought to theatrical life.



Playhouse 22 presents "Working"

(EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- Playhouse 22 presents Working weekends from November 6-22, 2026. Based on Studs Terkel's best-selling book of interviews with American workers, Working paints a vivid portrait of the workers that the world so often takes for granted: the schoolteacher, the phone operator, the waitress, the millworker, the mason, and the housewife, just to name a few.



The Kelsey Theatre and In Death's Company present "Evil Dead, the Musical"

(WEST WINDSOR, NJ) -- The Kelsey Theatre and In Death's Company present Evil Dead, the Musical weekends from October 23 to November 1, 2026 at The Kelsey Theatre. The classic cult films come to life on stage in one of the craziest, funniest and bloodiest theatrical experiences of all time.



Music Mountain Theatre presents "It's a Wonderful Life: The Musical"

(LAMBERTVILLE, NJ) -- Music Mountain Theatre presents It's a Wonderful Life: The Musical weekends from October 23 to November 15, 2026. Step into the heartwarming world of Bedford Falls, where George Bailey dreams of escaping his small town but instead dedicates his life to helping others.



Broadway Theatre of Pitman has tributes to ABBA, Aerosmith, Springsteen, and Duprees this weekend

(PITMAN, NJ) -- Music takes over The Broadway Theatre of Pitman this weekend with tributes to ABBA on Thursday, Aerosmith on Friday, Bruce Springsteen on Saturday, and the Duprees on Sunday.



Cumberland Players presents "The Pillowman"

(VINELAND, NJ) -- Cumberland Players presents The Pillowman across two weekends from November 6-15, 2026. With echoes of Stoppard, Kafka and the Brothers Grimm, The Pillowman centers on a writer in an unnamed totalitarian state who is being interrogated about his gruesome short stories and their similarities to a series of child murders.



The Village Playbox presents "The Philadelphia Story"

(HADDON HEIGHTS, NJ) -- The Village Playbox presents The Philadelphia Story by Philip Barry across three weekends from November 6-21, 2026 at the First Presbyterian Church of Haddon Heights. This smash Broadway comedy, about an eventful wedding weekend at the estate of a wealthy American family, inspired an Oscar-winning film and the hit musical High Society.



The Players Guild of Leonia presents "Drill Hall Spooktacular"

(LEONIA, NJ) -- The Players Guild of Leonia presents Drill Hall Spooktacular from October 23-25, 2026. Directed by Ellyn Essig, the showcase features seven original short one-act plays written by local authors.



Rutgers Theater Announces 2026-27 Season

(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- The Rutgers mainstage theater season opens later this month with Federico García Lorca's The House of Bernarda Alba. The drama, adapted by Chay Yew, explores repression, family, and desire as five daughters struggle under the strict rule of their domineering mother following the death of their father. The House of Bernarda Alba runs at Philip J. Levin Theater from October 23-31, 2026.



Bergen County Players to present "Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors"

(ORADELL, NJ) -- Bergen County Players (BCP) opens its Halloween season with Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors, a fast-paced comic retelling of Bram Stoker’s classic by Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen. Directed by Perry Award-winner Ray Yucis, the show runs at the Little Firehouse Theatre in Oradell from October 24 through November 14, 2026.



Albert Music Hall to Celebrate Fall with Annual Harvest Hootenanny on Sunday

(WARETOWN, NJ) -- Albert Music Hall will celebrate the fall season with its annual Harvest Hootenanny on Sunday, October 11, 2026, bringing an afternoon of Country, Folk, Bluegrass and more to the Jersey Pines. Doors open at 1:00pm with music beginning at 2:00pm.



Brad Upton to Kick Off New Comedy Series at StocktonPAC on October 17th

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Daily Edition 10-06-26

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!










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

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Get a Fresh Take on Italian Classics with Food Network Star Joe Sasto on October 6th

(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.


Tony Award Winner Ali Stroker to Lead Basie Center Community Conversation on Mental Health and Well-Being

(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.


Bisa Butler and Grammy-winner Durand Bernarr to Headline 2026 Newark Arts Festival

(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.


Surflight Theatre presents "Deceived"

(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.


Dandy's World Gardenview Experience is coming to American Dream

(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

(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.


(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.



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.



(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.



(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.







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 10-06-26

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.



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