Arts & Entertainment
Willie Nelson, Linda Eder Top Weekend Offerings
From music to comedy, there are plenty of ways to find a weekend diversion.
Wellmont Theatre, Montclair
THIS WEEKEND Tonight — Rusko and Sigma perform at 8 p.m.
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NEXT WEEK: Willie Nelson & Family, 8 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday
BOOK IT NOW: Buddy Guy and Jonny Lang, 8 p.m., Saturday, June 9; Bonnie Raitt and Mavis Staples, 8 p.m., Tuesday, June 19.
Check out wellmonttheatre.com for more shows.
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New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Newark
THIS WEEKEND: Tonight, Saturday — Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, NJPAC's principal resident dance company, performs its yearly NJPAC show, 8 p.m., Prudential Hall; Saturday — Will Downing, the reigning romanticst R&B crooner, makes women swoon at 8 p.m., Victoria Theater.
NEXT WEEK: Chita Rivera, who performed for decades in a variety of Broadway's classic hits, performs her review, with two shows, Saturday, May 19, Prudential Hall; Bill Maher, Jersey guy and comedic iconoclast and host of HBO's Real Time With Bill Maher, gets politcally incorrect at 8 p.m., Sunday, May 20
BOOK IT NOW: Tony-winning performer and TV, film favorite Bernadette Peters, performs a mix of standards and surprises, 8 p.m., Saturday, June 2, Prudential Hall; NJ Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony — the Class of 2012 includes Michael Douglass, Joyce Carol Oates, Sarah Vaughn, 7 p.m., Saturday, June 9
Check out njpac.org to check out these and other events.
The Prudential Center, Newark
THIS WEEKEND: Saturday — McDonalds Gospelfest, 4 p.m.
NEXT WEEK: New York Liberty v. Sol, 4 p.m., Saturday, May 19;
BOOK IT NOW: Trippy rock band Radiohead, with special guest, Caribou, 7:30 p.m., Thursday, May 31
Check out prucenter.com for details about these and other shows.
South Orange Performing Arts Center, South Orange
THIS WEEKEND: Tonght — "An Intimate Evening with Linda Eder" gives the legendary performer the chance to share her interpretations of the classic standards, pop, country and jazz tunes, 8 p.m.; Saturday — "An Evening with Tom Wopat" gives audiences the chance to see how the former "Duke of Hazzard" honed his musical chops over the years on the Broadway boards; 8 p.m., Saturday, May 12
NEXT WEEK: No shows
BOOK IT NOW: Russell Thompkins Jr. and the New Stylistics, features the voice of many '70s R&B classics, such as "You Make Me Feel Brand New," "Betcha By Golly Wow" and "Stone In Love With You"; 8 p.m., Friday, June 1.
Go to sopacnow.org for more details about all shows.
The Borgata
THIS WEEKEND: Saturday — Florence & The Machine, Event Center
NEXT WEEK: Beach Boys 50th Anniversary Tour, 8 p.m., Saturday, May 19, Event Center; Joan Rivers, 6 and 9 p.m., Saturday, May 19, The Music Box
BOOK IT NOW: Hip-hoppin' stud du jour Pitbull brings the party tunes, 9 p.m., Friday, May 25, Event Center, Rock icon Steve Winwood, 9 p.m., Friday, May 25, the Music Box
Check out theborgata.com for details about these and other shows.
Count Basie Theatre, Red Bank
THIS WEEKEND: Tonight — Music, cultural and biofuel icon Willie Nelson performs at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday — Country singer LeAnn Rimes performs at 7:30 p.m.
NEXT WEEK: No shows
BOOK IT NOW: Steve Winwood, whose music and influence on music has spanned decades, performs at 8 p.m., Sunday, May 27.
Go to countbasietheatre for more details about all shows.
Mayo Performing Arts Center, Morristown
This Weekend: Saturday — "An Evening with Steve Tyrell and Debby Boone," features their hits, 8 p.m., Saturday, May 12
NEXT WEEK: "An Evening with Lidia Bastianich," host of Lidia's Italy, gets together with her foodie fans for a festive discussion for foodies about her life, her career, and of course, food! 8 p.m., Thursday
BOOK IT NOW: Guitar hero Joe Walsh brings his "Analog Tour" into Mo-town at 8 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 7; Darius Rucker, the lead singer of Hootie and the Blowfish who's now topping the country charts as a solo performer, plays at 8 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 13.
Check out mayoarts.org for details about these and other shows.
Scotty’s Steakhouse, Springfield
THIS WEEK: Tonight and Saturday — Robin Fox, star of the "Bud Lite Ladies of Laughter" shows, as well as XM and Sirius radio comedy channels, headlines a show that features Julia Scotti and Dr. Freddy Seltzer. Friday and Saturday
NEXT WEEK: Kerri Louise, who's appeared on Oprah, Last Comic Standing and starred with her husband, comedian Tom Cotter, in a reality show called Two Funny, takes to the Scotty's stage; Friday and Saturday, May 18, 19
BOOK IT NOW: BrianMcKim is a writer and professional standup comic who has performed in all 50 states! He was was a semifinalist on season 7 of the NBC reality show "Last Comic Standing." See for yourself on Friday and Saturday, June 1, 2
For details and more information, log onto scottyssteakhouse.com.
Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, Madison
THIS WEEK: The theatre begins its 50th Anniversary season! No shows this weekend
BOOK IT NOW: Henry IV, Part One, the play that tells the story of the delinquent Prince Hal, the fiery Hotspur and the invented Falstaff, and a host of nobles and ne’er-do-wells, comes to life ppeared on May 30-June 24; The Liar, adapted by American playwright from the 17th-century comedy by Pierre Corneille, July 4-29
For details and more information, log on to shakespearenj.org
Shanghai Jazz, Madison
THIS WEEKEND: Tonight – Brynn, Grover and Jazz Jump features Groveman Kemble and Brynn Stanley, Saturday — Nick Role Trio features the pianist and his bandmates; Sunday — MOTHER'S DAY EVENT, with Bucky Pizzarelli Trio, featuring three seatings (call to make reservations)
NEXT WEEK: John Carlini Trio features everything from jazz to blues and bluegrass, Friday, May 18; Grammy-nominated piano phenom Christian Sands brings his trio, Saturday, May 19
BOOK IT NOW: Guitarist John Zweig brings his eponymous trio, destined to perform from the Great American Jazz Songbook as well as original compositions too, Thursday, May 31
All shows 6:30 and 8:30. Check out shanghaijazz.com for more details.
Stress Factory Comedy Club, New Brunswick
THIS WEEK: Tonight and Saturday — W. Kamou Bell, a regular on Comedy Central and Comics Unleashed, performs.
NEXT WEEK: Amy Shumer, who was featured on Last Comic Standing and The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, May 17-19
Book It Now: Rex Navarrete, from Lopez Tonight, Hella Pinoy, Badass Madapaka, 8 p.m., Tuesday, May 22
Check out stressfactory.com for more details.
Union County Performing Arts Center, Rahway
THIS WEEKEND: No shows
NEXT WEEK: Oddball crooner and born-too-late vaudeville jokester Leon Redbone tickles eccentrics' funny bones and regales them with songs that haven't been recorded since the days of 78-rpm Victrolas, 8 p.m., Friday, May 18
BOOK IT NOW: Modern blues stalwart Robert Cray performs at 8 p.m., Friday, June 15; An acoustic evening with rock/pop legend Dave Mason, 8 p.m., Thursday, June 28
Go to unioncountypac for more details about all shows.
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