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Top 15 Most Read Stories
At New Jersey Stage
From December 15-21, 2024

originally published: 12/22/2024

Here's a look at the top 15 most read articles published at New Jersey Stage from December 15-21, 2024. Each week we publish about 70 articles, including several original columns and features, along with news releases for events happening throughout the state and nearby areas like Philadelphia and New York City. This week's top 15 includes articles from 8 counties in New Jersey (Bergen, Cumberland, Essex, Hudson, Monmouth, Morris, Sussex, and Union).

Make sure your events are part of our weekly columns by sending press releases to us at info@newjerseystage.com. Event previews are always one of the most popular areas of the website. Event previews get noticed when we first publish them and then get noticed again when they are brought back to the main area of the site the week the event takes place - sometimes even several months later.  We also run weekly columns promoting events, music, and theatre shows taking place for the week. These columns include our featured event previews and event listings along with all of our event previews of the week. Your events can stand out for as low as $10! Many times, they are among the most read stories of the week. There is no cost for us to run your press releases!

1) "A Johnny Mathis Christmas" LIVE! at MPAC - It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas at MPAC in Morristown, NJ this Saturday December 7, 2024 evening as music lovers excitedly await a sold-out A Johnny Mathis Christmas concert by the legendary pop vocalist Johnny Mathis.

2) Southside Johnny Announces Retirement from Touring; New Year's Eve Show is Cancelled - (RED BANK, NJ) -- Sad news for the Jersey Music Community.  Southside Johnny announced he has retired from touring immediately, leading to the cancellation of this year's annual New Year's Eve performance at the Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank.

3) 26th Annual Makin Waves Awards - Makin Waves' annual holiday gift to the New Jersey music scene turns 26 this year with a bevy of goodness, particularly for top winners Jackson Pines, Rachel Ana Dobken, and Emerson Woolf, who each won two. And here we go...




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4) Asbury Park Theater Company Names Anthony D'Amato as Producing Artistic Director - (ASBURY PARK, NJ) -- Anthony D’Amato (aka Remember Jones) joins Asbury Park Theater Company as their new Producing Artistic Director for the upcoming 2025 season.

5) Makin Waves Song of the Year: "My God" by James Mastro - The poignant, engaging “My God” not only sets the tone of Hoboken legend James Mastro’s long-awaited solo debut LP, “Dawn of a New Error,” it also is the Makin Waves Song of the Year.

6) Events This Week in New Jersey from December 17-24, 2024 - Here is a look at upcoming events taking place from December 17-24, 2024 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.

7) Bell Theater at Bell Works Announces 2025 Concerts and Theatrical Productions - (HOLMDEL, NJ) -- Bell Theater, located in the iconic Bell Works complex in Holmdel, has a slate of exciting concerts and stage productions lined up for the 2025 season. With performances ranging from classic rock, jazz, country, Motown and family shows, along with a groundbreaking musical and a tear-jerker of a play, there's something for everyone!

8) Keith Roth Releases Single from First Solo Album - Keith Roth's career has included being the lead singer and guitarist with The Dictators and Frankenstein 3000. A veteran musician and songwriter for more than 30 years, he has recorded on over 50 records as well as producing, performing, touring and writing with many music icons.

9) The Levoy Theatre presents Magical Mystery Doors on Saturday - (MILLVILLE, NJ) -- Want to go out this week, but not interested in seeing a holiday show? The Levoy Theatre has the show for you.  On Saturday, December 21, 2024, Magical Mystery Doors returns for a concert that blends and layers the music of  three legendary bands to create something new and unique for music fans  everywhere. Doors are at 7:00pm, showtime is 8:00pm.

10) Makin Waves Dirty Jersey Dozen - Each year, Makin Waves picks the 12 independent New Jersey bands who made the most waves. That means extensive touring in support of a new LP or EP, preferably internationally; professional quality narrative videos; singles that garnered broadcast and online radio play (since Spotify rips artists off, I don't really care about streams); national press, and other awards. Note that the Dirty Jersey Dozen are presented in alphabetical order. To get a sense of pecking order, please check out the 26th Annual Makin Waves Awards, as well as the Makin Waves Top 10 Jersey Indie Albums and Makin Waves Top 10 Jersey Indie Songs.




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11) Riverside Gallery presents Along the 'LOVE' Road - a solo exhibition by Sungmo Cho - (HACKENSACK, NJ) -- Riverside Gallery presents Along the 'LOVE' Road - a solo exhibition by Sungmo Cho from December 18, 2024 through January 8, 2025.  There will be an Opening Reception on Saturday, December 21st.

12) NJPAC presents comedian Josh Johnson - (NEWARK, NJ) -- Get ready for an evening of laughter and entertainment, as one of the most sought-after comedy acts of the year, Josh Johnson, takes to the stage for *The Flowers Tour* at New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) on Saturday, June 28, 2025 at 7:00pm.

13) Rahway celebrates the unveiling of vibrant new mural by renowned artist Jade Rivera - (RAHWAY, NJ) -- On December 6, 2024, the City of Rahway proudly joined the owners of QUILLA by Sabor Peruano for the unveiling of a remarkable new mural on Irving Street.

14) Rock On! This Week's Sound Bites...12/19/24 - They come from all walks of life and music genres but the most important thing is; they've come together to form a Blues band that is original, solid and different from the rest and what makes them so unique is a combination of experience and backgrounds.

15) The Newton Theatre presents country star Sara Evans - (NEWTON, NJ) -- Multi-platinum entertainer Sara Evans brings her Unbroke Tour to The Newton Theatre on Thursday, May 15, 2025 at 7:00pm. She is the fifth most-played female artist at country radio in nearly the last two decades.



Want your events to stand out? Check out our ad rates which start at just $50 for an entire month of targeted advertising and includes events listed in our online calendar. Or you can have your events listed in the calendar for $10 per event (shows with multiple performances get every show listed for just $10). Either way your events will be featured in the weekly columns. NJ Stage keeps our rates low so they are affordable to arts organizations of all sizes. We are proud to be an independent media company. Nobody covers the Arts throughout the Garden State like New Jersey Stage!

FEATURED EVENTS

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or region of New Jersey
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Erth’s

Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo Live!

Thursday, January 30, 2025 @ 7:00pm
Kean Stage - Wilkins Theatre
1000 Morris Avenue, Union, NJ 07083
category: community

Click here for full event listing

 

Stories

Stories of a Lifetime Workshop for Union County Seniors – UCPAC Legacy Arts Club

Monday, February 03, 2025 @ 12:00pm
Hamilton Stage at Union County Performing Arts Center (UCPAC)
360 Hamilton Avenue, Rahway, NJ 07065
category: community

Click here for full event listing

 

Visiting

Visiting Writers: Akhil Sharma – Visiting Writer

Monday, February 03, 2025 @ 6:00pm
Monmouth University - The Great Hall
400 Cedar Avenue, West Long Branch, NJ 07764
category: community

Click here for full event listing

 

The

The Drew Forum presents: Al Franken

Monday, February 03, 2025 @ 7:30pm
Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC)
100 South Street, Morristown, NJ 07960
category: community

Click here for full event listing

 

Giancarlo

Giancarlo Esposito

Tuesday, February 04, 2025 @ 4:30pm
Kean Stage - North Avenue Academic Building
1000 Morris Avenue, Union, NJ 07083
category: community

Click here for full event listing

 

More events

Event Listings are available for $10 and included with our banner ad packages




 

EVENT PREVIEWS

Dan

Dan Aubrey to give a talk on Joseph Bonaparte at Trenton City Museum

(TRENTON, NJ) -- The life and loves of noted area 19th century beauty Annette Savage will be the topic of a talk Saturday, February 9, 2025 at Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie. Titled "Le Jeu de l'Amour," the program, led by journalist and writer Dan Aubrey, will explore how Napoleon’s brother and former King of Spain, Joseph Bonaparte, and his American mistress, Annette Savage, found passion and pain in the Trenton and Bordentown region of New Jersey. The event runs from from 2:00pm to 4:00pm.



Monmouth

Monmouth County Park System to Hold Annual E. Murray Todd Half Marathon on March 9th

(LINCROFT, NJ) -- The Monmouth County Park System will hold its annual E. Murray Todd Half Marathon on Sunday, March 9, 2025. This 13.1-mile race takes runners through Lincroft, Holmdel and Colts Neck.



Exploring

Exploring American Literature of the 1800s with Cape May Poet Laureate Sylvia Baer

(CAPE MAY, NJ) -- Cape May's Poet Laureate Sylvia Baer hosts three 1.5-hour interactive online seminars via Zoom this March that delve into American literature of the Victorian age. "The Concord Gang" on Monday, March 10, 2025 highlights Emerson, Thoreau and Alcott. "The Amherst Gang" on Monday, March 17, 2025 features Emily Dickinson and Helen Hunt Jackson. "The Fear Gang" on Monday, March 24, 2025 delves into Hawthorne, Poe and Melville.



Zuzu

Zuzu African Acrobats to Perform Shows at RVCC Theatre

(BRANCHBURG, NJ) -- The Theatre at Raritan Valley Community College in Branchburg will present the crazy contortions and gravity-defying stunts of the Zuzu African Acrobats on Friday, February 21, 2025.



Steampunk

Steampunk Alchemy Fest presents the Clockwork Cupid Burlesque Cabaret

(NEW HOPE, PA) -- Steampunk is coming to New Hope and taking over Dharma Bums Bar with the Clockwork Cupid Burlesque Cabaret presented by Steampunk Alchemy Fest on Saturday, February 15, 2025 from 8:00pm to 11:00pm. The event features Music by A Halo Called Fred; Burlesque by Holly Ween, Esmerelda May, and Jaeda; Sideshow by Lady Gypsy Professional Monstrosity; and Comedy by John Minus.