\t\t\t3<\/i><\/p>\n DANNY CLINCH<\/p>\n BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN & THE E STREET BAND<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Here is a roundup of major arts events taking place around New Jersey, through April 23.<\/p>\n MUSIC<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band <\/strong>will bring their heavily political Land of Hope & Dreams American Tour to The Prudential Center<\/a> in Newark, April 20 at 7:30 p.m. This will be the tour\u2019s only New Jersey concert.<\/p>\n Songs that have been performed at most or all shows, so far, include, \u201cStreets of Minneapolis,\u201d \u201cBorn in the USA,\u201d \u201cAmerican Skin (41 Shots),\u201d \u201cDeath to my Hometown,\u201d \u201cThe Ghost of Tom Joad\u201d and covers of Bob Dylan\u2019s \u201cChimes of Freedom,\u201d Edwin Starr\u2019s \u201cWar\u201d and The Clash\u2019s \u201cClampdown.\u201d<\/p>\n The E Street Band will also be honored at the fourth annual American Music Honors<\/strong> ceremony, being presented by The Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music<\/a> at The Pollak Theatre at Monmouth University in West Long Branch, April 18 at 8:30 p.m. The other inductees will be Dionne Warwick, Patti Smith, Dr. Dre and The Doors, and the induction speeches will be given by Springsteen (Warwick, Smith), Stevie Van Zandt (The Doors), Jimmy Iovine (Dr. Dre) and Jon Landau (The E Street Band).<\/p>\n The show will also include a tribute to The Band. Van Zandt\u2019s Disciples of Soul will serve as the house band, and Brian Williams will host.<\/p>\n Remember Jones will perform Stevie Wonder\u2019s \u201cSongs in the Key of Life\u201d album in Red Bank, April 18.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u2022 <\/strong>Stevie Wonder\u2019s landmark Songs in the Key of Lif<\/em>e is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, and The Count Basie Center for the Arts<\/a> in Red Bank will mark the occasion April 18 at 8 p.m., with a performance of it in its entirety, plus other Wonder songs, by Remember Jones<\/strong> and the fully expanded version of his band, plus \u201cspecial guests.\u201d<\/p>\n Songs in the Key of Life<\/em> \u2014 a double album that came with a bonus four-song EP \u2014 was a No. 1 hit, as were its singles \u201cI Wish\u201d and \u201cSir Duke.\u201d Other well known songs from it include \u201cIsn\u2019t She Lovely,\u201d \u201cAs,\u201d \u201cAnother Star,\u201d \u201cPastime Paradise,\u201d \u201cLove\u2019s in Need of Love Today\u201d and \u201cSummer Soft.\u201d It won four Grammys in 1977, including Album of the Year.<\/p>\n \u2022 The Sugarhill Gang<\/strong>, the pioneering rap group with Englewood roots, will present a show they are calling \u201cRappers Convention\u201d at BergenPAC<\/a> in Englewood, April 17 at 8 p.m. Performers will include The Furious 5, Waterbed Kev, Crash Crew, The Treacherous 3, The Awesome 2, Special K and Teddy Ted.<\/p>\n \u2022 <\/strong>An unpublished memoir by composer and guitarist Steven Mackey\u2019s mother Elaine inspired his \u201cMEMOIR,\u201d<\/strong> which The McCarter Theatre Center<\/a>, in partnership with Princeton University\u2019s music department, will present at McCarter\u2019s Berlind Theatre, April 18 at 7:30 p.m. and April 19 at 2 p.m. The work will be performed by The Aeolus Quartet, the arx percussion duo and narrator Natalie Christa Rakes, who will read passages taken directly from his mother\u2019s writings.<\/p>\n Mackey, the Grammy-winner and Princeton professor, says in a press release that \u201cMEMOIR\u201d is \u201chard to describe \u2014 maybe opera without singing or story-telling wrapped in music.\u201d<\/p>\n Mackey, 70, also said in the press release that he could not have written \u201cMEMOIR\u201d earlier in his career. \u201cThere is a level of vulnerability I would not have tolerated as a 50-year-old midcareer composer,\u201d he said. \u201cBy the time I became eligible for Medicare, and started working on MEMOIR, holding back seemed stingy, being \u2018cool\u2019 had lost its appeal. In short \u2026 I have a story to tell and not forever to tell it. What am I waiting for?\u201d<\/p>\n Mackey, who will retire from teaching at the end of the current semester, will talk about the creation of \u201cMEMOIR\u201d at the start of each McCarter concert.<\/p>\n BENJAMIN EALOVEGA<\/p>\n XIAN ZHANG<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u2022 New Jersey Symphony<\/a><\/strong>, conducted by Xian Zhang, will Mozart\u2019s Requiem \u2014 unfinished at the time of his death but completed by his student and colleague Franz Xaver S\u00fcssmayr \u2014 at Prudential Hall at NJPAC in Newark, April 16 at 1:30 p.m. and April 18 at 7:30 p.m.; and The State Theatre in New Brunswick, April 19 at 2 p.m.. Vocalists will include The Montclair State University Chorale (Heather J. Buchanan, director) with Mei Gui Zhang, soprano; Taylor Raven, mezzo-soprano; Eric Ferring, tenor; Dashon Burton, bass-baritone.<\/p>\n The program will also include Gabriel Faur\u00e9\u2019s Pavane; and Gustav Mahler\u2019s Songs of a Wayfarer<\/em>.<\/p>\n \u2022 <\/strong>The country band Big Hix will perform at 3 p.m., with line dancing offered before and after, at the free \u201cBoots in the Borough\u201d<\/strong> event that The Washington Business Improvement District<\/a> will present in downtown Washington (Warren County), April 18 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. In addition to the music, there will be vendors, food trucks, a beer tent and more.<\/p>\n DANCE<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 <\/strong>\u201cReach,\u201d a benefit for Carolyn Dorfman Dance<\/strong><\/a>, will be held at The Maplewood Country Club, April 23 at 6:30 p.m. Works to be performed include \u201cLove Suite Love,\u201d featuring the songs of Patsy Cline and exploring the subject of young love; \u201cMayne Mentshn,\u201d which is about Dorfman\u2019s family and is part of her \u201cLegacy Project,\u201d and uses klezmer music; and \u201cBoogie Woogie Bugle Boy,\u201d named after The Andrews Sisters\u2019 1941 jump-blues hit.<\/p>\n Performers will include members of Carolyn Dorfman Dance and \u201cSpotlight Friendz\u201d (Ronnie Carney, Ennis & Phil Carter, Lara Friedman-Kats, Jill Ford and Betsy Sobo), and honorees will include Ennis Carter (the director of Social Impact Studios), Janel Brown and Helen Davis.<\/p>\n ANDREW DISMUKES<\/p>\n<\/div>\n COMEDY<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 <\/strong> Andrew Dismukes<\/strong>, a \u201cSaturday Night Live\u201d cast member since 2000 and a writer for the show for several years before that, will do standup at The Stress Factory<\/a> in New Brunswick, April 16 at 7:30 p.m. and April 17-18 at 7 and 9:30 p.m.<\/p>\n THEATER<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022<\/strong> The Actors Studio of New Jersey<\/a> and The Sieminski Theater in Basking Ridge are teaming up to present \u201cFinishing the Hat: The Music of Sondheim,\u201d<\/strong> April 18 at 7:30 p.m. and April 19 at 2:30 p.m. at The Sieminski Theater. The show is a tribute to the songs of the late Stephen Sondheim, featuring material from musicals written or co-written by him, including \u201cCompany,\u201d \u201cInto the Woods,\u201d \u201cMerrily We Roll Along,\u201d \u201cSweeney Todd,\u201d \u201cFollies,\u201d \u201cA Little Night Music,\u201d \u201cSunday in the Park With George\u201d and \u201cA Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2022 <\/strong>John Malkovich will play the title character in \u201cThe Music Critic,\u201d <\/strong>April 17 at 7:30 p.m. at The McCarter Theatre Center<\/a> in Princeton. The piece was conceived and created by violinist, composer and comedian Aleksey Igudesman (of the duo Igudesman & Joo), and will feature Malkovich and Igudesman along with pianist Hyung-ki Joo.<\/p>\n The show will combine music written by Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Brahms and others, with witheringly negative critiques delivered, in character, by Malkovich. (see video below<\/em>)<\/p>\n The cover of Colm T\u00f3ib\u00edn\u2019s \u201cThe News From Dublin: Stories.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n WORDS<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 <\/strong>The sixth annual Hoboken Literary Weekend<\/strong> will take place April 17-19, with nine different events, mostly at the Little City Books<\/a> store. A few of the highlights:<\/p>\n April 18 at 6 p.m., Colm T\u00f3ib\u00edn, author of the novels \u201cLong Island\u201d and \u201cBrooklyn,\u201d will discuss his latest book, \u201cThe News From Dublin: Stories.\u201d<\/p>\n April 18 at 1 p.m., actor Andrew McCarthy \u2014 who co-starred in Brat Pack Era films such as \u201cPretty in Pink\u201d and \u201cSt. Elmo\u2019s Fire\u201d \u2014 will discuss his book \u201cWho Needs Friends? An Unscientific Examination of Male Friendship Across America.\u201d<\/p>\n April 18 at 2 p.m., chef Melissa Ben-Ishay will discuss her book \u201cCome Eat: 100 Nourishing Recipes to Eat Every Day\u201d at Hoboken\u2019s Mile Square Theatre. (This is the only Weekend event that will not be at Little City Books).<\/p>\n April 18 at 8 p.m., \u201cLittle City Laughing,\u201d hosted by Leah Williams, will feature comedy by Shaunak Godkhindi, Lizzy Cassidy, Vannessa Jackson, Brandon Follick and Michael Good.<\/p>\n April 19 at 2 p.m., young adult writer and editor David Levithan will host a panel discussion, \u201cQueer Voices, Queer History: Sharing Out Stories for New Generations.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2022<\/strong> April 23 at 6 p.m., Margaret Atwood<\/strong> will give a talk at The Grunin Center for the Arts<\/a> at Ocean County College in Toms River, as part of the Blauvelt Speaker Series. Atwood, of course, is best known for writing the dystopian novel \u201cThe Handmaid\u2019s Tale\u201d (made into a much-acclaimed Hulu series) as well as its sequel, \u201cThe Testaments\u201d (whose adaptation is currently in its first season on Hulu). Her most recent book is a memoir titled \u201cBook of Lives.\u201d<\/p>\n The Toms River talk will be available as a free livestream, with advance registration required.<\/p>\n VISUAL ARTS<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 <\/strong>The third annual Garden State Art Weekend<\/strong> <\/a>will take place April 17-19, with offerings at more than 100 museums and galleries throughout the state.<\/p>\n James Franco, left, and Seth Rogen in \u201cPineapple Express.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n FILM<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 <\/strong>The Williams Center<\/a> in Rutherford will honor the unofficial cannabis-culture holiday of 420 (taking place on April 20, or 4\/20) with a stoner-comedy marathon featuring \u201cDazed and Confused\u201d<\/strong> at 5:15 p.m.; \u201cCheech & Chong\u2019s Up in Smoke\u201d<\/strong> at 5:30 p.m.; \u201cHalf Baked\u201d<\/strong> at 7:15 p.m.; \u201cHarold & Kumar Go to White Castle\u201d<\/strong> at 7:15 p.m.; and \u201cPineapple Express\u201d<\/strong> at 10:30 p.m.<\/p>\n OTHER<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 <\/strong>As part of its \u201cNight at the Museum,\u201d<\/strong> held on the third Thursday of each month from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., The Morris Museum<\/a> in Morris Township will offer live jazz by bassist and composer John Koozin and his band, The Neighborhood, April 16. A glass of wine or a soft drink is included in the price of admission.<\/p>\n On April 12, the museum opened a new exhibition, \u201cHenri Matisse: Beyond Color,\u201d featuring 71 drawings from the last two decades of Matisse\u2019s life. REVIEWS<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201c1776\u201d<\/a><\/strong> at Paper Mill Playhouse, Millburn. (Through May 2)<\/p>\n \u201cAnn Vollum: Sharp Teeth, Long Tongues!\u201d<\/a><\/strong> at BrassWorks Gallery, Montclair. (Through May 22)<\/p>\n \u201cAlexandra Schoenberg: Shifting Perspectives\u201d<\/a> <\/strong>at Hillside Square Gallery, Montclair. (Through June 26)<\/p>\n \u201cWillem de Kooning: The Breakthrough Years, 1945\u201350\u201d<\/a><\/strong> at Princeton University Art Museum. (Through July 26)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.njarts.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/remember.jpg?resize=336%2C444&ssl=1\")
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