The B-52’s (from left, Cindy Wilson, Fred Schneider and Kate Pierson )will perform at the Stone Pony Summer Stage in Asbury Park, June 17, as part of the North to Shore Festival.
A new festival, North to Shore, is bringing music, comedy, film, visual arts and technology events, and more, to three New Jersey cities this month. The festival is underway in Atlantic City and will remain there through June 11, and will continue in Asbury Park, June 14-18, and Newark, June 21-25.
Among shows still coming up in Atlantic City are Jazmine Sullivan, Jhene Aiko, Queen Naija and Ebony Riley at Boardwalk Hall, June 8 at 10 a.m.; Remember Jones, performing songs from Meat Loaf’s classic Bat Out of Hell album at Resorts, June 10 at 8 p.m.; Low Cut Connie at the Anchor Rock Club, June 10 at 7 p.m.; Jay Wheeler at Tropicana, June 10 at 8 and 11:30 p.m.; and Christopher Cross and The Moody Blues’ Justin Hayward at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, June 10 at 8 p.m.
Asbury Park events include Eric B. & Rakim at The Stone Pony, June 13 at 8 p.m.; Brian Fallon at The Stone Pony, June 14 at 7 p.m.; Bill Nye in a discussion at Asbury Lanes, June 15 at 8 p.m.; Demi Lovato at The Stone Pony Summer Stage, June 16 at 6 p.m.; Nicole Atkins at The Wonder Bar, June 16 at 8 p.m.; The B-52’s at The Stone Pony Summer Stage, June 17 at 6 p.m.; The Smithereens with Marshall Crenshaw at The Wonder Bar, June 17 at 8 p.m.; and Jarod Clemons & the Late Nights in “A Musical Celebration of the Life & Music of Clarence Clemons” at The Wonder Bar, June 18 at 6 p.m..
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Here is a roundup of other arts events taking place around the state, through June 15.
BLAKE SHELTON
MUSIC
• The third annual Barefoot Country Music Fest takes place June 15-18, on the beach in Wildwood, with Jon Pardi headlining on June 15 and subsequent headliners including Blake Shelton (June 16), Hardy (June 17) and Kid Rock (June 18). Among the many others on the bill are Darius Rucker, Riley Green, Parker McCollum, Lady A, Michael Ray, Jimmie Allen, Cheat Codes, Lainey Wilson, Parmalee, Williams Honor and John Eddie.
• Singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran, one of the world’s most popular recording artists over the last decade, headlined at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford for two nights in 2018, and will return there for two more shows, June 10-11 at 6 p.m., with Khalid and Dylan opening. It’s his +–=÷× Tour (also known as The Mathematics Tour) and follows the release of his albums = (in 2021) and – (this year). He’ll perform with his band during some parts of the show, and solo in others.
• The New Jersey Symphony will conclude its 2022-23 season with concerts featuring Joshua Bell in Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1, June 9 at 8 p.m. and June 11 at 3 p.m. at Prudential Hall of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, and June 10 at 8 p.m. at the Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank. NJS music director Xian Zhang will conduct and the program also will include Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring and the world premiere of Daniel Bernard Roumain’s Farah (Joy) for Voice and Orchestra, featuring vocalist Becky Bass.
• For the past five years, Shania Twain has done most of her performing in Las Vegas residencies, but the country-pop superstar is returning to the road this year with her Queen of Me Tour, whose only currently scheduled New Jersey tour stop takes place at the Freedom Mortgage Pavilion in Camden, June 9 at 7:30 p.m., with Breland opening.
AMY POEHLER AND TINA FEY
COMEDY
• Tina Fey and Amy Poehler have co-starred with each other in the Second City comedy troupe, on “Saturday Night Live,” and in movies such as “Baby Mama,” “Sisters” and “Wine Country,” and also have co-hosted the Golden Globes awards show. Now they are on their first joint comedy tour, which will come to the Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, June 10-11 at 7 p.m.
THEATER
• The annual Plays in the Park Series at the Stephen J. Capestro Theater at Roosevelt Park in Edison starts with “Rock of Ages,” June 14-17 and 19-24, with subsequent shows including “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” July 5-8 and 10-15; and “Cinderella,” July 26-29 and 31 and Aug. 1-5. All shows begin at 8 p.m.
• Singer Carol Riddick and bassist Gerald Veasley will pay tribute to the groundbreaking, fiercely independent and strong-voiced singer, songwriter and pianist Nina Simone in a show titled “I Got Life: The Music of Simone,” which the Crossroads Theatre Company will present at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center, June 10 at 7 p.m. and June 11 at 3 p.m.
• The Nutley Little Theatre will present Robert Askins’ “Hand to God,” June 9-11, 16-18 and 22-24. This dark comedy, which has been described as ” ‘Sesame Street’ meets ‘The Exorcist,’ ” is about an evil hand puppet who wreaks havoc on a Christian puppet ministry youth group, and was nominated for five Tonys, including Best Play, when it ran on Broadway in 2015.
Cirque du Soleil will present its “Corteo” show at the Prudential Center in Newark, June 15-18.
FAMILY
• Cirque du Soleil will present its “Corteo” show at the Prudential Center in Newark, June 15-17 at 7:30 p.m., June 17 at 3:30 p.m. and June 18 at 1 p.m. According to a press release, the show “is a joyous procession, a festive parade imagined by a clown. The show brings together the passion of the actor with the grace and power of the acrobat to plunge the audience into a theatrical world of fun, comedy and spontaneity situated in a mysterious space between heaven and earth.
“The clown pictures his own funeral taking place in a carnival atmosphere, watched over by quietly caring angels. Juxtaposing the large with the small, the ridiculous with the tragic and the magic of perfection with the charm of imperfection, the show highlights the strength and fragility of the clown, as well as his wisdom and kindness, to illustrate the portion of humanity that is within each of us.”
DANCE
• American Repertory Ballet will present a show titled “PREMIERE3,” June 10 at 2 and 7 p.m. and June 11 at 2 p.m. at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center. The program will include world premieres of works by Amy Seiwert and ARB artistic director Ethan Stiefel, and the ARB premiere of the “Holberg Suite,” a 1970 work by Dance Theatre of Harlem co-founder Arthur Mitchell that is set to music by Edvard Grieg.
“Holberg Suite” is being staged by original DTH member Cassandra Phifer. “Bringing this 50 year old ballet back to life for these young dancers has been a blending and balancing of mid 20th century ideas to 21st century sensibilities,” she said in a press release. “We talked about the priorities of the time and being respectful of the past while allowing the here and now to season the work.”
AKENYA
OTHER
• The South Orange Performing Arts Center is partnering with the North Jersey Pride organization for SOPAC’S first LGBTQIA+ Pride Weekend. It will include a standup comedy show by Jessica Kirson, June 9 at 8 p.m.; a concert by Akenya, June 10 at 8 p.m.; a Night Before Pride Party in the SOPAC Loft, with music by DJ Ryan the Person, June 10 at 10 p.m.; and a Tony Awards Viewing Party, June 11 at 7 p.m.
• Out Montclair will host its second annual Montclair Pride Festival on June 10 from noon to 6 p.m., followed by a dance party in the street from 6 to 8 p.m. and then after-party events at various Montclair locations. The main stage will be on Bloomfield Avenue in downtown Montclair, between Church and Park streets. Participants will include Tony Award-winning actress and singer Laura Benanti; actor Patrick Wilson with his wife, actress Dagmara Dominczyk; Tony-nominated (for “Jagged Little Pill”) singer and actress Kathryn Gallagher; drag entertainer Rosé (a finalist in the 13th season of TV’s “RuPaul’s Drag Race”); twin singers Dane & Stephanie; singer-songwriter Lilli Lewis; The New Jersey Gay Men’s Chorus; transgender comedian Jaye McBride, and others. Comedian and writer Judy Gold will serve as emcee.
• The Vogel at the Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank will host a Community Juneteenth Celebration, June 14 at 6:30 p.m., featuring the Count Basie Center Gospel Choir, the Calpulli Mexican Dance Company, poet Italy Lee, singer Layonne Holmes, percussionist Ty Laws and others. There will be no admission charge, but there will be a suggested donation of $10.
• The Icarus Fest, taking place June 8-11 at the Williams Center in Rutherford, describes itself as “both a refuge for journalists, comics, and public intellectuals whose creations bring them trouble and a celebration of the work they do.” Offerings will include comedy by Kurt Metzger, Rich Vos, Dan Naturman and others; screenings of films such as “Blade Runner,” “Safe” and “The UnRedacted; and talks on subjects such as “Alone Together: Social Life Under Neoliberalism,” “Austerity, Censorship, and Resistance,” “Ukraine and a New World Order” and “Can the Arts Be Saved?”
REVIEWS
“The Rose Tattoo,” presented by Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey at F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre at Drew University, Madison. (Through June 18)
“Right to Be Forgotten,” presented by American Theater Group at Sieminski Theater, Basking Ridge. (Through June 18)
“vanessa german: … please imagine all the things i cannot say …” at Montclair Art Museum. (Through June 25)
“Ladies and Gentlemen … The Beatles!” at Grammy Museum Experience Prudential Center, Newark. (Through June 25)
“Komar and Melamid: A Lesson in History” at Zimmerli Art Museum, New Brunswick. (Through July 16)
“NJ & Me: Imperfect Together” at Drawing Rooms, Jersey City. Works by Alan Ostroski, Anne Percoco, Anne Trauben, Dorie Dahlberg, Doug Madill, Eileen Ferara, Edward Fausty, James Pustorino, Jean-Paul Picard, Jessica Rohrer, John T. Meehan III, Kevin McCaffrey, Lauren H. Adams, Sue Ellen Leys, Tim Daly, Tim Heins. (Through July 29)
“Each One Teach One: Preserving Legacy in Perpetuity” at Morris Museum, Morris Township. (Through Aug. 27)
“Spiral Q: The Parade” at Grounds for Sculpture, Hamilton. (Through Jan. 7)
“Local Voices: Memories, Stories and Portraits” at Grounds for Sculpture, Hamilton. (Through Jan. 7)
“George Inness: Visionary Landscapes” at Montclair Art Museum. (Through June 30, 2024)
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