New Jersey Countryside Magazine provides a comprehensive listing of New Jersey’s performing arts, museum and gallery exhibits, and special events.

Bickford Theatre
at the Morris Museum
6 Normandy Heights Road
Morristown
(973) 971-3706 or (973) 971-3700
www.bickfordtheatre.org
4/29–5/23. Dangerous Obsession. A riveting thriller filled with breath-catching moments and nail-biting suspense, Dangerous Obsession leaves a mangled trail of revelations in its wake before the final nerve-jangling climax. A mysterious stranger arrives at the home of Sally and Mark Driscoll and suddenly they find themselves at the mercy of a dangerously obsessed man who threatens to reveal secrets that could change their lives forever. Co-produced with the Old Castle Theatre Company in Bennington, Vermont.

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Since their bust-out, big-screen debut more than 10 years ago in Titanic, Gaelic Storm has continued to broaden the musical horizons of Celtic music. Their contagious energy, carefree attitude and infectiously fun live performances have made them a must-see the world over. Performance April 24 at The Community Theatre.

The Community Theatre
at the Mayo Center for the Performing Arts
100 South Street
Morristown
(973) 539-8008
www.mayoarts.org
3/20. Cirque Le Masque. Cirque’s amazing performers return to defy the laws of balance and gravity in this all-new, stylish and energetic explosion of sight, sound, imagination and beauty for the family.

3/27. The Ultimate Doo Wop Show. As seen on PBS — eight classic Doo Wop groups and more than 70 million records sold. Enjoy a night of musical memories, featuring Jimmy Beaumont and The Skyliners (“Since I Don’t Have You”), The Contours featuring Sylvester Potts (“Do You Love Me?”), The Vogues featuring Bill Burkette and Hugh Geyer (“You’re the One”) and more.

4/9. An Acoustic Evening with Richard Marx and Matt Scannell. Richard Marx dominated the pop charts in the late ’80s with such hits as “Right Here Waiting,” “Hold on to the Nights,” “Should’ve Known Better,” “Hazard,” “Endless Summer Nights,” “Now and Forever” and “Angelia.” Marx will be joined on stage by Matt Scannell of Vertical Horizon (“Everything You Want,” “Best I Ever Had”) for an acoustic evening of classic hits and new favorites.

4/18. Spring Gala: Marvin Hamlisch. The composer behind A Chorus Line, The Way We Were, The Sting, The Goodbye Girl and countless other Broadway and Hollywood hits performs a retrospective of a life in music known for its versatility and substance.

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This full-size canoe covered in beads, inside and out, is part of the site-specific installation, Hanna von Goeler: The Currency of an Altered State, using simple objects to explore complex questions about currency.

Hunterdon Museum of Art
7 Lower Center Street
Clinton
(908) 735-8415
www.hunterdonartmuseum.org
Through 3/21. Hanna von Goeler: The Currency of an Altered State. This site-specific installation uses simple objects to explore complex questions about currency. Defined as a circulating medium of exchange, currency flows and circulates like water. Currency is all about exchange of ideas, ethics, and culture, as well as goods and services. The word “currency” can also mean general acceptance, prevalence, and even a quality of being up-to-date or in vogue. As an artist, von Goeler’s medium of exchange — her currency — is drawing and painting, as well as ideas. Her extensive and ongoing series of small paintings on one-dollar bills addresses this concept in provocative ways.

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This oil-on-linen work by John Phillip Osborne titled "Seaside Cottages, Maine” is part of the One with Nature: the recent paintings of John Phillip Osborne exhibition, running March 27 through May 8 at J.M. Stringer Gallery.

J.M. Stringer Gallery of Fine Art
21-25 Claremont Road
Bernardsville
(908) 766-6400
www.jmstringergallery.com
3/27–5/8. One with Nature: The recent paintings of John Phillip Osborne. Normal Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. or by appointment.

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Kelsey Theatre
1200 Old Trenton Road
West Windsor
(609) 584-9444
www.kelseytheatre.net
4/9–18. Rent is a rock musical with music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson based on Giacomo Puccini’s opera La Bohème. It tells a story of a group of impoverished young artists and musicians struggling to survive and create in New York’s Lower East Side in the thriving days of Bohemian Alphabet City, under the shadow of AIDS.

4/23–5/2. Annie. The Yardley Players is proud to present the family classic Annie. The delightfully comic and touching tale of Little Orphan Annie and her escapades.

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New Jersey Ballet Company
15 Microlab Road
Livingston
(973) 597-9600
www.njballet.org
3/28. Sleeping Beauty. New Jersey Ballet presents the fairy-tale classic of Princess Aurora, a 100 year’s sleep and a kiss that has been an enduring favorite for more than a century. Featuring music by Tchaikovsky and storyteller narration, New Jersey Ballet’s extensive repertoire and high standards of quality in artistry is what has made them known throughout New Jersey, and the globe, as a world-class professional company. Performance at The Theater at Raritan Valley Community College in North Branch.

4/11. Cinderella. A beautiful young girl is invited to the Royal Ball and falls in love with the handsome prince. See the pumpkin turn into a coach before your eyes. This magical fairy-tale classic is performed with live storytelling narration. Matinee for kids and families. Performance at the The Community Theater at the Mayo Center for the Performing Arts in Morristown.

4/24. World Tour of Dance. This show features The Three Riddles of Turandot, a new ballet by the celebrated Chinese-American choreographer Nai Ni Chen. The program will also include Guajira by Cuban-born Pedro Ruiz, a look at life in the Cuban countryside set to an Afro-Cuban score, and a reprise of March, in which a walk in the park turns into an adventure. March received its New Jersey premiere last May. The choreographer is Broadway dancer-choreographer James Kinney. Performance at bergenPAC.

4/25. Cinderella is a two-act romp through the well-known tale of the girl who loses her dancing slipper and finds her prince. As the tale unfolds, wickedly funny stepsisters try in vain to act like ladies and a pumpkin turns into a coach before your very eyes. This lavish production features New Jersey Ballet’s trademark storyteller narration so even the littlest theatergoers can keep up with the story. Performance at bergenPAC.

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New Jersey Symphony Orchestra
60 Park Place, Ninth Floor
Newark
(800) 255-3476
www.njsymphony.org
4/10. An Evening with Patti Lupone: Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda. Tony and Olivier Award-winner Patti LuPone performs songs from musicals in which she could have played, should have played, did play and will play. The list of shows includes Hair, Bye Bye Birdie, Funny Girl, West Side Story and Peter Pan and, of course, songs from her Tony Award-winning performances in Evita and Gypsy. Performance at NJPAC in Newark.

4/22–25. Two Masters: Brahms & Dvorák. Brahms sets formidable challenges for the soloist in his majestic Violin Concerto; initially considered “unplayable,” it has become a cornerstone of the repertoire. Dvorák’s Ninth, influenced by African-American spirituals, speaks with eloquence and deep feeling. Performances April 22, 23 and 25 at NJPAC in Newark and April 24 at State Theatre in New Brunswick.

4/30–5/2. Mahler Five. Friends and rivals during their lifetimes, Mahler and Strauss opened spectacular new vistas in orchestral sound. The soaring vocal lines of Strauss’s lushly scored Four Last Songs surge with heartfelt emotion. Mahler’s haunting Fifth Symphony unfolds on a broad canvas with its intensity. Performances April 30 at Richardson Auditorium in Princeton, May 1 at NJPAC in Newark and May 2 at State Theatre in New Brunswick.

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Paper Mill Playhouse
Brookside Drive
Millburn
(973) 379-4343
www.papermill.org
4/7–5/2. Smokey Joe’s Cafe. Rock ‘n’ roll, pop, rhythm and blues — they’re all here in glorious form. It’s the longest-running musical revue in Broadway history. Packed with Leiber and Stoller classics like “On Broad-way,” “Love Potion #9,” “Stand By Me” and “Hound Dog,” you’ll find it hard to stay in your seat.

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Pollak Theatre
Monmouth University
400 Cedar Avenue
West Long Branch
(732) 263-6889
www.monmouth.edu/arts
4/10. Suzanne Vega. With exquisite melody, Grammy-winner Suzanne Vega sings in a distinctive, clear vibrato-less voice that has been described as “a cool, dry sandpaper-brushed near-whisper.” One of the most brilliant songwriters of her generation, Suzanne’s poetic songs focus on city life, ordinary people and real world subjects.

4/11. In the Mood: A 1940’s Musical Revue. With a big band orchestra, singers and dancers, this retro ’40s musical brings back the music that moved a nation’s spirit and helped win a war. The combination of up-tempo instrumentals and intimate, romantic ballads set the mood for a future filled with promise, hope and prosperity. This Big Band Theatrical Swing Revue features the music of Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, Harry James, Erskin Hawkins, The Andrews Sisters, Frank Sinatra and more.

4/16. The Music and Theatre Arts Department presents Totally Mozart. The concert will feature: the powerful and joyous Coronation Mass; the deeply moving motet Ave Verum; the beloved overture to the master’s “most perfect” opera The Marriage of Figaro; and the magnificent final Symphony #41 in C major (The Jupiter). With period orchestra and 120 voices there is no venue like it this side of New York City.

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South Orange Performing Arts Center
One SOPAC Way
(973) 313-ARTS
www.SOPACNOW.org
3/21. Juilliard @ SOPAC: Afiara String Quartet. Recently appointed The Juilliard School’s Graduate Quartet in Residence, the Afiara Quartet has received critical praise, as well as support from the world’s best string quartets. “The Afiara Quartet gives every piece they play a whole world of energy, style and pizazz. I always feel renewed by their performances.” — David Harrington, Kronos Quartet. As teaching assistants to the renowned Juilliard String Quartet, the members of Afiara work with current graduate students at Juilliard, while maintaining a rigorous performance schedule.

4/8. Los Angeles Guitar Quartet. Celebrating their 27th year on the concert stage, the members of the Grammy-winning Los Angeles Guitar Quartet continue to set the standard for expression and virtuosity among guitar ensembles. They have established themselves as masters of the classics, as well as the creators of the unique syntheses of world-music and contemporary styles that have made the “LAGQ-sound” a favorite around the world.

4/10. American Repertory Ballet. A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a mischievous tale of mismatched lovers with a unique twist. ARB’s Artistic Director Graham Lustig has re-shaped the classic Shakespearean story to be seen through the eyes of a modern young boy, resolving the wrongs of the real world through the colorful realm of his imagination. Opening the program will be Twyla Tharp’s Baker’s Dozen..

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Athletic bodies and contemporary costumes meet explosive Taiko drumming and electrifying choreography in a remarkable display of precision, energy and stamina in TAO. Performance March 27 and 28 at The State Theatre.

The State Theatre
15 Livingston Avenue
New Brunswick
(732) 246-SHOW
www.statetheatrenj.org
3/27–28. TAO: The Martial Art of Drumming. Athletic bodies and contemporary costumes meet explosive Taiko drumming and electrifying choreography in a remarkable display of precision, energy and stamina. TAO delivers a young and vibrantly modern take on the venerable art of Japanese drumming — integrating gymnastics, rock music, expressive vocals and an array of percussion from around the world. Though their art form is traditionally dominated by men, TAO creates a unique allure with both male and female performers, all of whom have undergone years of rigorous training to reach the highest level of virtuosity.

4/9. Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet. An annual “don’t-miss” State Theatre event, Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet has vaulted into the spotlight as the contemporary dance company to watch. Their daring, athletic choreography and cutting-edge multimedia production designs take audiences on a choreographic journey exploring the infinite possibilities of movement. The company performs new works by the most sought-after emerging choreographers from the United States and beyond.

4/15. Robert Klein, acclaimed comedian and star of theatre, film and TV. He has done eight one-man shows for HBO, and is currently preparing his ninth. Among many starring roles in television, he co-starred in the hit NBC series, Sisters, and regularly appears on talk-shows, making more than 100 appearances on The Tonight Show and Late Show with David Letterman alone. Come join us for a fun-filled evening presented by Solomon Schechter Day School of Raritan Valley with the proceeds to benefit the school.

4/22. Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood: The Third Annual Farewell Tour. Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood, stars of the Emmy nominated Who’s Line Is It Anyway? have teamed up to present an evening of extraordinary improvisational comedy. Using their quick wit, Colin and Brad take contributions from the audience to create hilarious and original scenes…. Just like a live version of Whose Line. Throughout the evening, the show becomes truly interactive as audience members are called to the stage to participate in the fun. Their high-profile presentations have played to sold-out venues all over the country. Don’t miss the most exciting comedy event of the year.

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Two River Theater Company
21 Bridge Avenue
Redbank
(732) 345-1400
www.trtc.org
3/23–4/11. Orestes: A Tragic Romp. The war is over, the parents murdered, the palace surrounded, and Orestes and Electra await judgment by both Gods and men ... just a typical day in the House of Atreus. Grave yet giddy, fierce yet fun, Anne Washburn’s razor sharp modern adaptation blows more than 2,000 years of dust off Euripides’ surprisingly fresh and still wildly relevant classic.

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Union County Performing Arts Center
1601 Irving Street
Rahway
(732) 499-8226
www.ucac.org
3/12. Dublin’s Traditional Irish Cabaret. Combining music, dance and comedy, Dublin’s Traditional Irish Cabaret is a wealth of entertainment for the entire family, bringing a touch of nostalgia to every Irish heart. What a way to get ready for St. Patrick’s Day! Dublin’s Traditional Irish Cabaret is a lively evening of song, dance and hilarious comedy.  At the heart of it all is Noel V. Ginnity, recognized as Ireland’s greatest comedian and star of one of Dublin’s longest running cabarets. Dublin’s Traditional Irish Cabaret also features Irish tenor Paul Hennessy, a member of the original Irish Tenors, and soprano Emer Hartnett.

3/13–21. James and the Giant Peach. Celebrate Family Week at the Theatre with the magic of James and the Giant Peach. Young orphan James is sent to live with his horrible Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker. Life is hard until a mysterious stranger arrives. Suddenly, magic abounds and James finds an enormous peach growing in his yard containing talking insects — and his remarkable adventure begins. Alliance Repertory Theatre Company’s production of this timeless tale is based on the story by Roald Dahl and adapted and directed by Jennifer Crane Turner.

3/27. In the Mood is the 1940’s Big Band Theatrical Swing Dance Revue that celebrates America’s Greatest Generation through the music of Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, Harry James, Erskine Hawkins, The Andrews Sisters, Frank Sinatra and other greats of the ’40s. Featuring a company of 19 on stage, including the In the Mood Singers and Dancers with the sensational String of Pearls Big Band Orchestra, the show’s music arrangements (42 songs in all), costumes and choreography are as authentic as it gets.

4/25. Ball in the House is five guys, five voices, that’s it. This Boston-based group takes a cappella to the next stage, with vocal drums/beatbox and vocal bass under their pop harmonies to create a sound that’s hard to believe. They’ve been astounding audiences nationally, both with their exciting live show (more than 250 a year) and with their recordings (their own CDs as well as the Cool Whip radio and TV ads).

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Visual Arts Center of New Jersey
68 Elm Street, Summit
(908) 273-9121
www.artcenternj.org
Through 3/19. The 24th International Juried Show. This renowned and highly acclaimed annual juried exhibition draws many entrants from around the world, whose work reflects every art medium. This year, the Art Center received approximately 2,000 entries, representing the mediums of painting, drawing, textiles, pastels, prints, ceramics, sculpture, mixed media, watercolor and photography; 139 works were accepted into the show. In addition to the submissions that came from every area of the United States, entries were received from all over the world. Each year, a distinguished member of the arts community is chosen as juror; the Art Center proudly welcomed Susan Kismaric, curator, Department of Photography at the Museum of Modern Art, as this year’s juror.

4/4–6/4. Guest Curator Series: Indo American Arts Council presents Erasing Borders: Contemporary Art of the Indian Diaspora. This is the 7th annual exhibition of the Indo-American Arts Council. The exhibition explores the contribution of artists whose origins can be traced to the Indian Subcontinent. The artists in this exhibition will meld Indian and Western colors and forms in a variety of media including painting, sculpture and photography. They will also explore diverse subject matter such as poverty, identity as a South Asian living in the post-9/11 world, religious, sexual and ethnic identity. Curated by Vijay Kumar, Indo American Arts Council and co-curated for the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey by Mary Birmingham, director of exhibitions, and Hunterdon Museum of Art.

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