Ella Dershowitz, left, and Jill Eikenberry will co-star in “The Two-Hander” at New Jersey Repertory Company in Long Branch.
Here is a roundup of arts events taking place around New Jersey, through April 18.
THEATER
• Jill Eikenberry, whose accomplishments include five Emmy nominations for her work on “L.A. Law,” will co-star with Ella Dershowitz in the world premiere of Julia Blauvelt’s play “The Two Hander,” from April 18 to May 12 at New Jersey Repertory Company in Long Branch. In a press release, NJ Rep’s artistic director (and this play’s director) SuzAnne Barabas said it “delves into the intricacies of trust and betrayal within the therapist-patient relationship, showcasing the power of human connection in unexpected ways.”
Debonair Music Hall in Teaneck will present “Keith Moon: The Real Me,” April 14.
• Mick Berry wrote and will star in the one-man play “Keith Moon: The Real Me,” about the brilliant musicianship and out-of-control lifestyle of the legendary drummer for The Who, April 14 at 7:30 p.m. at Debonair Music Hall in Teaneck. Frank Simes, who has served as musical director for The Who, and played keyboards and other instruments for them, is the musical director.
MUSIC
• More than 100 breweries will offer more than 400 kinds of beer at The Atlantic City Beer & Music Fest, April 12-13, with musical attractions including Hot Mulligan, Free Throw and Just Friends (8 p.m. to midnight April 12 session); Saves the Day, Catch 22 and Action/Adventure (noon to 4 p.m. April 13 session); and Goldfinger, Cliffdiver and Keep Flying (6 to 10 p.m. April 13 session). There will also be more musical acts on a second, acoustic stage.
• The North Jersey Board of Rabbis and The Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey will present a concert by singer Neshama Carlebach, April 14 at 7 p.m. at Temple Beth Rishon in Wyckoff. Proceeds will go to various initiatives in Israel, including trauma and rescue efforts.
• The Folk Project will present a Songwriters Day at the Morristown Unitarian Fellowship, April 13, with workshops beginning at 9:30 a.m., and a concert by singer-songwriters Susan Werner and Natalia Zukerman, at 7:30 p.m.
• The New Brunswick Jazz Project, which produces weekly jazz shows in Central New Jersey, will celebrate its 15th anniversary with a gala featuring the big band Swingadelic at The New Brunswick Performing Arts Center, April 12 at 7 p.m., with an afterparty at the nearby Tavern on George restaurant and bar, at 10 p.m., at which The Mike Bond Trio will perform.
From left, Kerry Butler, Laura Bell Bundy and Marissa Janet Winokur.
• Kean Stage will present Marissa Janet Winokur, Kerry Butler and Laura Bell Bundy — who played Tracy, Penny and Amber, respectively, in the original Broadway production of “Hairspray,” April 12 at 7:30 p.m. at Enlow Recital Hall at Kean University in Hillside. The show is titled “Mama, I’m a Big Girl Now,” after the “Hairspray” song, and will represent a “musical journey about their origins, friendships, careers, and their children,” according to the Kean Stage website.
• The “Chicken Fat Ball,” an annual event sponsored by the New Jersey Jazz Society, will celebrate its 60th anniversary with an afternoon of all-star swing music, April 14 at 2 p.m. at The Woodland in Maplewood. Musicians will include cornetist Jon-Erik Kellso, bassist Gary Mazzaroppi, clarinetist-saxophonist Ken Peplowski, pianist Ehud Asherie, saxophonist Harry Allen, trombonist John Allred and drummer Paul Wells.
• Singers Miko Marks and Kristina Train and a five-piece, all-women band will present “Trailblazing Women of Country — A Tribute to Patsy, Loretta, and Dolly,” April 14 at 7 p.m. at The McCarter Theatre Center in Princeton. “Patsy, Loretta, and Dolly” are, of course, the renowned country stars Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn and Dolly Parton, who all “wove threads of contemporary womanhood throughout the tapestry of country music,” according to the McCarter website.
• Bill Kirchen (co-founder of the eccentric, dynamic country-rock band Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen as well as a veteran solo artist) and Robbie Fulks (a singer-songwriter who, just like Kirchen, is a bit of a maverick) are teaming up for a co-billed show at The Outpost in the Burbs at The First Congregational Church in Montclair, April 12 at 8 p.m.
FAMILY
• Alyssa Fox (who played Elsa in “Frozen” on Broadway) and Syndee Winters (who played Nala in “The Lion King”) are among the cast members of “Disney Princess — In Concert,” a tour that combines songs and behind-the-scenes stories with film clips and theatrical effects. It comes to The Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank, April 17 at 7 p.m.
ZARA PHILLIPS
FILM
• Montclair Film will host, in partnership with NJArts.net, the U.S. premiere of the film “Somebody’s Daughter,” April 13 at 6 p.m. at The Clairidge in Montclair. The screening will be followed by a question-and-answer session with singer-songwriter, author and adoptee advocate Zara Phillips (who performs in the film, and wrote its script and songs) and her husband, Richard Thompson (who created its score). NJArts.net vice president and writer Cindy Stagoff will moderate.
The movie is based on Phillips’ 2018 memoir “Somebody’s Daughter: A Moving Journey of Discovery, Recovery and Adoption” and recent one-woman show. Directed by Liam Galvin, it explores Phillip’s experiences as an adoptee, and work as a singer.
• In anticipation of its April 23-May 19 production of the late Jonathan Larson’s “tick, tick…BOOM!” at The New Brunswick Performing Arts Center, George Street Playhouse will present the 2005 film version of Larson’s more famous work, “Rent,” April 18 at 7 p.m. at Rutgers Cinema in Piscataway.
REVIEW
“Touch Me: Feeling Fashion” at Ben Shahn Center for the Visual Arts at William Paterson University, Wayne. (Through May 3)
“George Segal: Themes and Variations“ at Zimmerli Art Museum, New Brunswick. (Through July 31)
CONTRIBUTE TO NJARTS.NET
Since launching in September 2014, NJArts.net, a 501(c)(3) organization, has become one of the most important media outlets for the Garden State arts scene. And it has always offered its content without a subscription fee, or a paywall. Its continued existence depends on support from members of that scene, and the state’s arts lovers. Please consider making a contribution of any amount to NJArts.net via PayPal, or by sending a check made out to NJArts.net to 11 Skytop Terrace, Montclair, NJ 07043.
