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Events This Week in New Jersey from September 16-22, 2026

Here is a look at upcoming events taking place from September 16-22, 2026 along with our featured listings. New Jersey Stage offers previews of events throughout the Garden State as well as select shows in New York City and Philadelphia areas.



This Week in Music: Previews for Concerts from September 16-22, 2026

Here is a look at shows taking place from September 16-22, 2026 along with our featured listings and a look at some upcoming shows. New Jersey Stage offers previews of concerts throughout the Garden State as well as select shows in New York City and Philadelphia areas.



MPAC presents Ailey II on September 25th

(MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- Ailey II, the dynamic second company to Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, are on a 27-city tour across the country that comes to Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC) on Friday, September 25, 2026. The next generation of dance will present a riveting repertory featuring a world premiere by Ailey II's very own Artistic Director Francesca Harper in collaboration with Jermaine Spivey, mesmerizing new productions by Alvin Ailey and Ronald K. Brown, and cherished classics that showcase the company’s virtuosity. Showtime is 8:00pm.



Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City Named Among Nation's Best for Dining and Entertainment

(ATLANTIC CITY, NJ) -- /PRNewswire/ -- Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City continues to position itself as a premier destination for award-winning dining and world-class entertainment, earning national recognition across several of its signature venues. From Kuro's acclaimed Japanese cuisine and Il Mulino's Old-World Italian fare to the star-studded performances at Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena, the resort's culinary and entertainment offerings continue to garner praise from leading industry and consumer publications.



The Ruth Bauer Neustadter Gallery HACPAC presents Gustavo Rojas: Towards the Future

(HACKENSACK, NJ) -- The Ruth Bauer Nustadter Gallery at the Hackensack Performing Arts Center (HACPAC) presents Towards the Future, an exhibit of digital paintings by Gustavo Rojas. The exhibit will be on view from October 2 through November 14, 2026 at HACPAC.










FEATURED EVENTS

Will Hoge

Thursday, September 17, 2026 @ 7:30pm
Lizzie Rose Music Room
Tuckerton, NJ

Will Hoge has a career whose milestones include Number One hits, Grammy nods, major-label record deals, and hard-won independence. Years before Americana music received its own category at the Grammy Awards, Hoge was on the frontlines, helping to pilot and popularize the genre's blend of American roots music. In the current digital era dominated by influencers seeking shortcuts to stardom, Will Hoge proudly treads the scenic route, immersing himself in the journey rather than fixating on the destination.



 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in 35mm

Thursday, September 17, 2026 @ 7:00pm
Union County Performing Arts Center (UCPAC) - Main Stage
Rahway, NJ

Raised in the sewers of New York, bathed in radioactive ooze, and trained in the art of ninjutsu by their rat sensei Splinter, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael – are heroes in a half shell!



 

The Rascals 60th Anniversary Tour

Thursday, September 17, 2026 @ 7:30pm
Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC)
Morristown, NJ

Celebrate 60 years of The Rascals featuring original frontman Felix Cavaliere. Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductees, Grammy Hall of Fame, Vocal Group Hall of Fame and Songwriter Hall of Fame members, The Rascals are widely considered the best “blue-eyed soul” group to come out of the 1960s and their music is the soundtrack of a generation. The Rascals have 17 Top 20 hits, seven Top 10 hits, and three No.1 hits that include “Groovin’,” “People Got To Be Free” and “Good Lovin’.”



 

Flawless

Thursday, September 17, 2026 @ 7:30pm
Premiere Stages - Bauer Boucher Theatre Center
Union, NJ

A writer and an AI software designer battle to create the next great play in this cautionary tale about the impending intersection of technology and creativity.

 

Trace Adkins

Friday, September 18, 2026 @ 8:00pm
Carteret Performing Arts & Events Center
Carteret, NJ

Over the course of his three-decade reign in Country music, MULTI-PLATINUM hitmaker Trace Adkins has emerged as a full-fledged icon whose reach spans far beyond the genre’s borders.



 

Moana Sing-Along Popcorn & Pajamas Film Series

Friday, September 18, 2026 @ 7:00pm
Hamilton Stage at Union County Performing Arts Center (UCPAC)
Rahway, NJ

Doors: 6 PM – Before the movie, have a seat at our craft table and make something fun to take home!

Film: 7 PM



 

Gary Gulman: Grandiloquent

Friday, September 18, 2026 @ 7:30pm
McCarter Theatre Center (Berlind Theatre)
Princeton, NJ

Grandiloquent is Gary Gulman’s hilarious new show about insecurity, empathy, self-acceptance and how a thoughtful boy learned to use humor, reading and writing to cope with the consequences of his parents’ blunders. Learn why a seemingly confident middle-aged man feels most comfortable in a large room where a thousand strangers are laughing at him. 

 

Ching-Yi Lin, piano

Friday, September 18, 2026 @ 2:00pm
Grunin Center - Bösendorfer Recital Room
Toms River, NJ

International pianist Ching-Yi Lin presents “Heroic Journey,” a program that explores transformation, struggle, and triumph through music. From the dramatic intensity of Bach’s Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue to the brilliance of Chopin’s Heroic Polonaise, the program is anchored by Beethoven’s Eroica Variations and the transcendent final sonata, Op. 111, tracing a powerful emotional arc from conflict to resolution.

 

Shoshana Bean

Friday, September 18, 2026 @ 8:00pm
Union County Performing Arts Center (UCPAC) - Main Stage
Rahway, NJ

Broadway comes to Rahway! Shoshana Bean won the 2026 Best Featured Actress in a Musical Tony Award for her performance in “The Lost Boys” musical, currently at New York City’s Palace Theatre. Prior to that she starred in Alicia Keys’ hit Broadway musical, Hell’s Kitchen. Her portrayal of ‘Jersey’ earned her a Grammy Award, her second Tony Award nomination, a Drama League Award nomination, and a Drama Desk nomination. Her performance in the Public Theater’s Hell’s Kitchen Off-Broadway production earned her a Lucille Lortel Award nomination.

 

Flawless

Friday, September 18, 2026 @ 7:30pm
Premiere Stages - Bauer Boucher Theatre Center
Union, NJ

A writer and an AI software designer battle to create the next great play in this cautionary tale about the impending intersection of technology and creativity.

 





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Twenty-fifth Season of Westminster Conservatory Noontime Recitals Opens on September 17th

(LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ) -- On Thursday, September 17, 2026 at 12:15pm, the 25th season of Westminster Conservatory at Nassau will open with a recital of music for solo piano by Korean composers. The performer, Eunju Kim, is a member of the teaching faculty of Westminster Conservatory. The recital will take place in the Niles Chapel of Nassau Presbyterian Church (61 Nassau Street) in Princeton. It is open to the public free of charge.


The Newton Theatre presents Molly Tuttle on September 17th

(NEWTON, NJ) -- The Newton Theatre presents Molly Tuttle on Thursday, September 17, 2026 at 8:00pm. Molly is a Grammy-winning singer, songwriter, and virtuosic guitarist whose innovative blend of bluegrass, Americana, pop, and rock has made her one of the most dynamic artists in modern roots music.


PEAK Performances welcomes A.I.M by Kyle Abraham with White Space on September 17th

(MONTCLAIR, NJ) -- PEAK Performances at Montclair State University welcomes acclaimed choreographer Kyle Abraham and his celebrated contemporary dance company A.I.M for White Space, a haunting new evening-length work, co-commissioned by PEAK Performances, coming to Montclair State University on Thursday, September 17, 2026 at 7:30pm.


Lighthouse International Film Society presents a screening of "Ask E. Jean" on September 17th

(LONG BEACH ISLAND, NJ) -- The Lighthouse International Film Society presents a screening of Ask E. Jean on Thursday, September 17, 2026 at 7:30pm. This is director Ivy Meeropol's acclaimed new documentary about journalist, author and legendary advice columnist E. Jean Carroll.


The Players Guild of Leonia and Kaleidoscope Ensemble present the World Premiere of "The Old Ladies Bar"

(LEONIA, NJ) -- The World Premiere of The Old Ladies Bar by Natasha Caroline Lowery Rivers is a co-production between The Players Guild of Leonia and Kaleidoscope Ensemble. Directed by TS Murphy, the production takes place weekends from September 18-27, 2026.







LATEST FEATURES

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

(JERSEY CITY, NJ) -- New Jersey Symphony presents the Jersey City Music & Arts Festival from Thursday, September 24 to Saturday, October 3, 2026 in the Powerhouse Arts District (Provost Street between Bay and Morgan Streets). Admission is free and open to the public.


(MIDDLETOWN, NJ) -- Middletown Arts Center's Music Café returns on Sunday, September 20, 2026 with a terrific lineup of singer-songwriters: Paul During, Bill T. Midnight, Vito Natale and R.G. Evans. Enjoy an evening of original music, unique sounds and great performances from four talented artists.



(TOMS RIVER, NJ) -- Grunin Center for the Arts presents 80s kids on Saturday, September 19, 2026 at 7:00pm. Get ready to turn up the nostalgia and sing your heart out — synthpop sweethearts Shannon Curtis and Jamie Hill are bringing their nationally touring hit show 80s kids to Toms River!



(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- State Theatre New Jersey presents The Moth Mainstage: TIGHTROPE on Thursday, October 8, 2026 at 7:30pm. The Mainstage tour is The Moth's signature live show, featuring a carefully curated lineup of tellers—writers, artists, adventurers, community members, and unexpected voices—sharing true personal stories, told live and without notes.



Andrew Serban’s short film Remember This caught me in its visual logic before anything else, prompting me to explore its themes of certainty and ambiguity, which kept me engaged throughout. The black-and-white cinematography feels like a world that presents itself in certainties, in right and wrong, true and false, yet the more I watched, the less I could verify anything. The form and the content are in conversation the entire time, and I found that genuinely satisfying.







LATEST COLUMNS

"Torn"

A crumpled-up piece of paper and a mangled sheet of metal have certain visual similarities. In both cases, rough circumstances have given strange new facets to machine-flattened material. That which was once uniform and controlled has been shot through with irregularity. It feels like a metaphor for life. A curator could put both pieces behind a vitrine and call that an exhibition.


Makin Waves Song of the Week: "Home in Your Heart" by Gary Shaffer

The Makin Waves Song of the Week is "Home in Your Heart," the latest single from veteran Jersey Shore singer-songwriter Gary Shaffer.


Rock On! This Week's Sound Bites... 09/10/2026

"I'm very good, how are you doing?" Laughed John Ondrasik also known as Five for Fighting as his Five for Fighting String Quartet Tour readies to come to New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania with multiple shows beginning September 20 in Newton, NJ at the Newton Theatre.

* 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 09-16-26

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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