Content — JerseyArts.com Feature Stories

Podcast, Theater, Kids & Family, Music

“When teenager Percy Jackson discovers he’s a demigod, he and his friends embark on an epic journey to find Zeus’s missing lightning bolt and prevent a war among the gods.”

That is the synopsis for “The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical,” produced by The Growing Stage, The Children’s Theatre of New Jersey, in Netcong March 10-26, 2023.

The Growing Stage’s mission is to nurture the development of the performing arts through education, and to create, produce and perform works that engage the entire family.

Based on the novel by Rick Riordan, with a book by Joe Tracz and music and lyrics by Rob Rokicki, this rock musical is theater for the whole family to enjoy.

Jersey Arts speaks with “The Lightning Thief” vocal coach Melinda Bass O’Neill and actress Jeorgi Smith as they prepare to launch this production by The Growing Stage.

Feb 15

Feb 15 Bradley Gibson is Ready to "Go the Distance" as Hercules

Podcast, Theater, Music, BIPOC Voices

Bradley Gibson (“A Bronx Tale,” “The Lion King,” “The Partner Track”) has big sandals to fill as the titular role in “Disney’s Hercules,” but if anyone’s ready to play the lovable demigod, it’s him. As a child, Bradley was a huge fan of the 1997 animated Disney movie, and taking on the character has helped him find new meaning in, and love for, the story. Gibson leads a star-studded cast at Paper Mill Playhouse from Feb. 16 -March 19. He chats with Jersey Arts about his love for the 1997 film, developing a well-known animated character for the stage, and what it feels like to star in a Disney production.

Feb 9

Feb 9 Carmen Matarazzo Talks "Sweeney Todd" and Crafting the Role of Tobias

Podcast, Theater, Music

Carmen Matarazzo, a graduate of Pinelands High School in New Jersey, is an actor/drummer who has been seen in multiple productions at his high school and several theaters across the state including: Mary Poppins (Robertson Ay), Clue: On Stage (Professor Plum), Spring Awakening (Ernst), The Addams Family (Lucas), The Sound of Music (Captain Von Trapp).

Carmen will star as Tobias Ragg in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street at the Levoy Theatre in Millville, New Jersey Feb. 10 - 19. His older brother, Gaten, who plays Dustin on Stranger Things, will be tackling the same role on Broadway within a span of two weeks.

Jersey Arts chats with Carmen about Sondheim, Sweeney Todd and how Carmen and his siblings came to love the business of show.

Jan 26

Jan 26 Eagle Theatre is Having a "Wild Party"

Podcast, Theater, Music

It’s a night of music, dancing, drugs, and deception—and that’s only act one! Andrew Lippa’s The Wild Party takes the stage at Hammonton’s Eagle Theatre from February 9-26, bringing Joseph Moncure March’s 1928 narrative poem of the same title to life. The musical tells the story of a romance between Vaudeville performers gone awry, and is set against a backdrop of eccentric characters, catchy tunes, and a soirée that won’t soon be forgotten.

Jersey Arts talks with Producing Artistic Director and show Director Angela Longo about The Wild Party’s cult following, history, and upcoming Eagle Theatre production.

Dec 29

Dec 29 Caroline Rhea on the Art of Stand-up Comedy

Podcast, Comedy & Variety

Comedian Caroline Rhea is back on tour for the first time in years, and she's got plenty of material! Most recognized for her work as Hilda Spellman on the hit TV series Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Rhea is also known and loved for The Caroline Rhea Show, as a voice on Disney Channel's Phineas and Ferb, her recurring spots on Hollywood Squares and The Match Game, A Very Sordid Wedding, A Mrs. Miracle Christmas, and her many stand-up specials.

Rhea talks with Jersey Arts about the art of stand-up comedy, tour life, Sabrina and parenthood. There are two performances of New Year's Eve with Caroline Rhea Dec. 31 at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center.

Dec 15

Dec 15 A Homecoming at Crossroads Theatre Company

Podcast, Theater

Crossroads Theatre Company's upcoming production of Chicken & Biscuits Dec. 21-31 at New Brunswick Performing Arts Center as is about coming home. The play itself is a comedy about a family reuniting and will run over the holidays as many people head home to celebrate and hopefully catch some theater with family and friends. It is also a homecoming of sorts to returning Artistic Director Ricardo Khan, who co-founded Crossroads Theatre Company in 1978, returned in 2020, and is working with director Lynda Gravátt, one of his early collaborators. Jersey Arts Podcast chats with Ricardo Khan about his upcoming show, co-founding Crossroads, and what the spring season has in store.

Nov 30

Nov 30 Sons of Serendip Bring "Christmas: Beyond the Lights" to South Orange Performing Arts Center

Classical crossover ensemble Sons of Serendip broke onto the scene in 2014 after competing on America’s Got Talent, and they’ve been going strong ever since. They’re currently touring the country spreading their signature style of holiday cheer and will perform at South Orange Performing Arts Center Dec. 7.

Jersey Arts Podcast speaks with lead vocalist Micah Christian and pianist Cordaro Rodriguez about how their call to make music brought Sons of Serendip together, and how their second album, Christmas: Beyond the Lights, has become a holiday tradition.

Nov 22

Nov 22 "Jersey City Nutcracker" Brings Holiday Tradition Home

Dance, Theater, Podcast

For more than a decade, Jersey City has had its own special holiday tradition: Nimbus Dance’s Jersey City Nutcracker. The city-centric show runs from Dec. 9 through 23 at the new Nimbus Arts Center.

Host Maddie Orton talks with Nimbus Dance Founding Artistic Director Sam Pott, who choreographed and co-wrote the piece, School Director Harumi Elders, and student dancer Izzy Baculod about being a part of this celebrated annual show.

Oct 20

Oct 20 A Chat With Evelyn Colbert About Montclair Film, Its Festival and Tribute to Daniel Craig

Film, Festivals, Podcast

Evelyn "Evie" McGee Colbert is an arts advocate, a film producer, and one of the founding board members of Montclair Film, a nonprofit that produces a festival that “connects global filmmakers with audiences in a diverse, culturally vibrant community” and more, “presenting … year-round programs that engage, entertain and educate through the power of visual storytelling.”

The 2022 festival is in its 11th season and it opens Friday, Oct. 21 at the Wellmont Theater with a special screening of “The Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” starring Daniel Craig. Friday, Oct. 28 at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, Montclair Film will present its 2022 Tribute to the “James Bond” star who will then discuss his life and career with “The Late Show” host Stephen Colbert.

In this discussion with host Gina Marie Rodriguez, Evelyn shares what audiences can expect from Montclair Film, the 2022 festival and the “Evening with Daniel Craig + Stephen Colbert.”

Sep 15

Sep 15 Renée Elise Goldsberry Talks About "Hamilton," "Girls5eva," and Her Ever-Evolving Concert

Podcast, Theater, Music, Film

Renée Elise Goldsberry is the Grammy Award- and Tony Award-winning talent behind Angelica Schuyler in Hamilton and currently appears on She-Hulk and Girls5eva.

Goldsberry is headed to Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown on September 30th for her concert called Opening Night: An Evening with Renée Elise Goldsberry.

She chatted with host Maddie Orton about creating a show of songs she loves.

Sep 1

Sep 1 Zimmerli Art Museum Offers First Look at Newly-Acquired Jersey City Museum Collection

Podcast, Visual Arts

For the first time, The Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers University in New Brunswick is showcasing its newly-acquired American art collection from the former Jersey City Museum. "American Stories: Gifts from the Jersey City Museum Collection” shares Jersey City history through work from artists like Chakaia Booker, May Stevens, Shelia Pepe, Melvin Edwards, and Jaune Quick-to-See Smith.

Host Maddie Orton spoke with Zimmerli Chief Curator Donna Gustafson about what we can look forward to seeing.

Aug 18

Aug 18 Meet the Décima: David Broza & Trio Havana Share the Art of Cuban Music

Israeli superstar David Broza together with Cuban dynamo Trio Havana will finally return to the South Orange Performing Art Center on Sept. 17.

David Broza has been enlivening audiences with his flamenco-infused stylings of a diverse body of work — from rock to jazz to Spanish classical and more — for nearly 45 years.

For promoting tolerance with his music, Broza was named a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and awarded a Spanish royal medal of honor.

Trio Havana is comprised of bassist and musical director Jorge Bringas; singer-songwriter and master percussionist Manuel Alejandro Carro; and singer-songwriter and master tres player Yuniel Jimenez.

Some members of the Trio had first accompanied Broza for what was to have been a one-time gig but turned out to be what Broza called ‘brilliant.’ “The strongest formula for presenting a song…to hear the details and feel the passion of the storyteller and the instruments accompanying it, trio is it,” he said. “It's become to me the ultimate presentation of my music.”

After having been postponed three times due to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and the aftermath of Hurricane Ida and its damage to SOPAC in 2021, the musicians are eager to perform for their dedicated ticket holders and new faces alike.

Daniel Bernard Roumain, Resident Artist Catalyst at the New Jersey Symphony, on Black Classical Music, Hip-Hop, and The Newark Museum of Art’s Summer Concert Series

Aug 5

Aug 5 Daniel Bernard Roumain, Resident Artist Catalyst at the New Jersey Symphony, on Black Classical Music, Hip-Hop, and The Newark Museum of Art’s Summer Concert Series

Music, Podcast, Festivals

Earlier this week, composer, performer, educator, activist, and New Jersey Symphony Resident Artistic Catalyst Daniel Bernard Roumain brought jazz and jazz-inspired classical music to the Newark Museum of Art’s Summer Series along with a co-host, Grammy Award-winning clarinetist and saxophonist Paquito D’Rivera, and the New Jersey Symphony Chamber Players.

Roumain has worked with Lady Gaga, Philip Glass, Savion Glover, Bill T. Jones, and many more. He won an Emmy for composing music for ESPN, and he scored the film Ailey, a documentary about legendary choreographer Alvin Ailey, which premiered at Sundance Film Festival last year.

In this episode, we speak with Roumain about his unique role at NJ Symphony, Black classical music and hip-hop’s global influence.

Jun 17

Jun 17 The Haunting of Night Vale … and NJPAC

Podcast, Theater, Music

EDITOR’S NOTE: The performance at NJPAC has been rescheduled to Fri, 04/21/23 at 7:00 p.m.

Next Friday, June 24, the team behind the hit podcast series Welcome to Night Vale brings it’s live show, The Haunting of Night Vale, to the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, New Jersey.

According to The New York Times, “the news out of Night Vale sounds like what might occur if Stephen King or David Lynch was a guest producer at your local Public Radio Station.” The arts and culture magazine Vulture called it “the foundational institution of the fiction-podcast genre.”

The show at NJPAC is the last performance of a monthslong US tour, and it’s happening just a week after Welcome to Night Vale’s tenth anniversary.

We recently spoke with co-creator and writer Jeffrey Cranor and cast member and live show emcee Kate Jones about hitting that ten year milestone, life on the road and in the recording studio, and what it’s like when your quirky, spooky, funny podcast suddenly gets millions of new listeners.

May 16

May 16 A Special Reading of “Whittier,” New Docudrama by TyLie Shider, Inaugural Playwright in ArtYard Artist Residency Program

Podcast, Theater

This Saturday, May 21, theatergoers are invited to join ArtYard in Frenchtown for a reading of Whittier, a new docudrama by TyLie Shider. Whittier is a neighborhood in Minneapolis close to where the murder of George Floyd took place. Shider’s new play follows residents of Whittier grappling with that tragedy, as well as the stresses of life during the lockdown of 2020. A playwright, poet, and journalist, TyLie Shider is also the inaugural playwright in ArtYard’s artist residency program, curated by Deonté Griffin-Quick. Discover Jersey Arts recently spoke with Shider, Quick, and director Andrew Binger about bringing Whittier to the stage.

Apr 29

Apr 29 How Basement Productions Prepared Sarah Rasmussen for McCarter

Podcast, Theater

You could say that Sarah Rasmussen, McCarter Theatre's new Artistic Director has been training for this role since the 7th grade. From auditioning kids in the backyard of her South Dakota home to presenting her artistry on major stages across the country, Sarah has maintained her sense of playfulness with the art form. Now her McCarter directorial debut, "Ride the Cyclone", combines that whimsy with music, stunning design, and a perfect story for this moment in time. The show begins preview performances on April 30th.

Apr 20

Apr 20 Roxey Ballet and Artist Malcolm Mobutu Smith Join Creative Forces at the Hunterdon Art Museum

Podcast, Dance, Visual Arts

This Saturday at the Hunterdon Art Museum, visitors are invited to a unique experience that brings together the visual and performing arts. Roxey Ballet Company has teamed up with artist Malcolm Mobutu Smith – whose exhibition Evermore Nevermore closes this weekend – and have created an exclusive 45-minute showcase that will be presented outdoors on the Toshiko Takaezu Terrace, overlooking the museum’s iconic view of the Raritan River. (This event is free, but please register to attend.)

We recently spoke with the Hunterdon Art Museum’s Executive Director Marjorie Frankel Nathanson, Roxey Ballet’s Executive Director Mark Roxey, artist Malcolm Mobutu Smith, and Roxey Ballet’s Director of Education and Outreach Lees Hummel about this special collaboration.

Apr 8

Apr 8 On His Way Around the World, One of Vox Sambou's First Stops is New Jersey

On Wednesday, April 13, Vox Sambou and his band will take the stage at the Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts. He writes and performs in Haitian, French, English, Spanish, and Portuguese, and his music focuses on the traditional rhythms of Haiti mixed with elements of Afrobeat, Jazz, Reggae, and Hip hop. Vox Sambou is currently - and it seems usually - touring the world. We spoke with him shortly after he arrived in the US after a visit with family in Haiti.

Feb 10

Feb 10 Ms. Lisa Fischer Wants You To Be Her Valentine