“The Sound of Music” comes to Mayo Performing Arts Center April 26 and 27. From MPAC: A new production of the spirited, romantic and beloved musical story of Maria and the von Trapp Family will once again thrill audiences with its Tony®, Grammy® and Academy Award® winning Best Score, including “My Favorite Things,” “Do-Re-Mi,” “Climb Ev’ry Mountain,” “Edelweiss” and the title song. The Hills Are Alive! A brand new production of THE SOUND OF MUSIC is coming to MPAC. The spirited, romantic and beloved musical story of Maria and the von Trapp Family will once again thrill audiences with its Tony®, Grammy® and Academy Award® winning Best Score, including “My Favorite Things,” “Do-Re-Mi,” “Climb Ev’ry Mountain,” “Edelweiss” and the title song.  THE SOUND OF MUSIC features music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, suggested by “The Trapp Family Singers” by Maria Augusta Trapp. Tickets start at $49.

From State Theatre: Kip Moore appears at the State Theatre May 3 at 8 p.m. See Country star Kip Moore live in concert! Moore’s hits include “Somethin’ ‘Bout A Truck,” “More Girls Like You,” “Last Shot,” “Beer Money,” and “Hey Pretty Girl.” Kip Moore’s current Top 20 single “Last Shot” is the second taken from his revered third studio album Slowheart and follows his fourth #1 hit “More Girls Like You.” Slowheartgarnered instant praise from critics as Moore’s “most complete, cohesive declaration of his artistic sensibilities yet” (NPR), as well landing on multiple “Best Of” lists including Entertainment Weekly and Rolling Stone. Slowheart follows the acclaim that surrounded Moore’s sophomore album Wild Ones—heralded as “an impressively singular release from Music Row” by The Guardian—and his Platinum debut album Up All Night that spawned three #1 hit singles, including Gold certified “Beer Money,” Platinum certified “Hey Pretty Girl,” and the Double Platinum breakout hit “Somethin’ ‘Bout A Truck. “

From Retreat Bar, Lounge & Rooftop: Retreat Bar, Lounge & Rooftop at Hilton Short Hills, part of Park Hotels & Resorts portfolio of hotels, is hosting the first annual Rhythm & Brewfest. The event kicks off the New Jersey rooftop season with festivities to include local craft beer tastings by Brix City Brewing, Bolero Snort Brewery and Brotherton Brewing Company, spirits and mead tastings by Jersey Spirits, Melovino Craft Meadery, Sourland Mountain Spirits, and Hilton collaborated Wente Vineyards. Touch of Grey Band presents live music featuring David Krumholtz. Enjoy food by Executive Chef Richard Kennedy, raffles, giveaways and more. Limited tickets with an early bird special and VIP experience are available on Eventbrite. More information 

From Anatta World Health and Education Outreach: Help make transformative change in the lives of women and children in Nepal while simultaneously enjoying great music and good food on Saturday, May 4, when New Jersey native James White and his band will perform at Hat City Kitchen in Orange, NJ (459 Valley Street ) for “An Evening of Jazz and Food for the Soul.” The event is from 4 p.m. – 8 p.m. Admission is $35 at the door and includes passed hors d’ouvres, wine/beer, and buffet. Ticket sales will help support a new nursing school in Lumbini, Nepal, which will train local women to serve the healthcare needs of area villages. Proceeds will benefit the nonprofit Anatta World Health & Education Outreach organization, which is dedicated to creating and supporting medical and educational programs for children and adults in developing countries. Internationally acclaimed saxophonist James White has developed a reputation for mesmerizing audiences with his unique blend of jazz, gospel, and R&B music. White began performing as a child and at age 17 received a young artist recognition award from New Jersey Governor Tom Kean, helping to launch his career. He has played with jazz artists Jimmy Scott and […]

From McCarter Theatre: On Saturday, May 4, 2019, McCarter Theatre Center will host its Annual Gala. The evening raises significant funds for McCarter, enabling the organization to bring world-class performing arts and outstanding education programs to the community. The highlight of the Gala is a feature performance by Grammy® and Tony Award® winning vocalist and actor Leslie Odom, Jr. Best known for his breakout role as ‘Aaron Burr’ in the smash hit Broadway musical, Hamilton, Odom Jr. has “turned the world upside down” with a wide variety of appearances for stage, screen, and television. His heartfelt vocal style and ultra-smooth tenor compliments songs from both musical theatre favorites and jazz standards. McCarter’s Gala will be co-chaired by Michelle and Robert Caruso of Princeton, NJ; Andrea and John Forbes of New York, NY, and Debora and John Haines of Princeton, NJ. McCarter’s Gala is one of the most celebrated events of the season and is the largest fundraising event for the theatre. The evening begins with an elegant cocktail reception followed directly by the performance by Leslie Odom, Jr. in McCarter’s 1100-seat Matthews Theatre. After the concert, guests will return to the tent for dinner and live auction, live entertainment and dancing. Together with Managing Director Michael S. Rosenberg, Emily Mann’s […]

From South Orange Symphony: Join South Orange Symphony for a spectacular Spring Concert on Sunday, May 5 at 5 pm! Susan Haig of Summit leads the orchestra on the main stage of South Orange Middle School, 70 N. Ridgewood Road, South Orange On the program: Saint-Saens Violin Concerto No. 3–our own concertmaster Robert Radliff as soloist; also music of Bizet, Suk, and for a special Cinco de Mayo finale–El Salon Mexico by Aaron Copland. Concert is free to all. Silent Auction Fundraiser during intermission. More information

Jazz pianist turned roots musician, Sam Reider is redefining American music on the accordion. He’ll perform May 10 at 8 p.m. at the Hopewell Theater. Reider, has been featured at Lincoln Center and on NPR, and performed alongside pop stars, jazz and folk musicians ranging from Jon Batiste and Stay Human, Bluegrass mandolin prodigy Sierra Hull to Venezuelan cuatro virtuoso Jorge Glem. For his debut record as bandleader, Too Hot To Sleep, Reider has assembled a “staggeringly virtuosic band” (RnR Magazine) of young acoustic musicians called The Human Hands. Irresistible melodies, fiery improvisation and otherworldly sounds collide in what Songlines Magazine has dubbed a “mash-up of the the Klezmatics, Quintette du Hot Club de France and the Punch Brothers. Tickets: $20-$25

From Brook Arts Center: Join us for an evening of music, trivia, and costume contests as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Woodstock Music Festival which began on August 15, 1969, as half a million people waited on a dairy farm in Bethel, New York, for the three-day music festival billed as “An Aquarian Experience: 3 Days of Peace and Music! The epic event would later be known simply as Woodstock and become synonymous with the counterculture movement of the 1960s. Over the rainy weekend, thirty-two acts, which included Jimi Hendrix, Sly and the Family Stone, the Who, the Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, Joe Crocker, the Jefferson Airplane, Ravi Shankar, and Country Joe and the Fish, to name a few, performed outdoors. The festival is widely regarded as a pivotal moment in popular music history and was captured in this Academy Award-winning 1970 documentary movie ”Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music. Show time May 11 at 7 pm. Tickets $10. Available @ www.brookarts.org or at the door. Call 732-469-7700. Brook Arts Center , 10 Hamilton Street, Bound Brook, NJ More information

Bernadette Peters at MPAC May 11at 8 p.m. From MPAC: Throughout her illustrious career, Bernadette Peters has dazzled audiences and critics with her performances on stage and television, in concert and on recordings. One of Broadway’s most critically acclaimed performers, most recently seen in Hello, Dolly, Peters has won numerous accolades including three Tonys, a Golden Globe, two Grammys and three Emmy nominations. Throughout her illustrious career, Bernadette Peters has dazzled audiences and critics with her performances on stage and television, in concert, and on recordings. Best known for her work in the theater, Bernadette is currently starring on Broadway as Dolly Gallagher Levi in the hit musical, Hello, Dolly! She also enjoys a career which boasts an impressive list of television credits, including co-starring in Amazon Prime’s highly popular Mozart in the Jungle, which won the 2016 Golden Globe for Best TV Comedy or Musical series.  She also co-stars in the CBS All-Access series, The Good Fight, a spin-off of the network’s popular series, The Good Wife.

From Hopewell Theater: Join us for a delicious and entertaining Mother’s Day brunch with a performance by O’Neill and Martin. Enjoy a sumptuous buffet with an array of delectable food items while listening to the uplifting tunes! The menu for the Sunday, May 12 brunch is to be announced. A performance only ticket is available. To purchase, select mezzanine seats or call our box office at 609-466-1964 for assistance. Jeannie O’Neill and Thomas Martin have been performing as a duo since 2008, mixing genres and styles to create a wholly individual sound. Their cover set combines elements from Rock, Pop, Country, Folk, Americana, and Blues. Led by the powerful vocals of Jeannie O’Neill, the duo incorporate unique vocal harmonies into a set of fresh, yet recognizable hit songs.

From Brook Arts Center: The Brook Orchestra in residence at the Brook Arts Center will present a special Mother’s Day ( May 12 @ 2pm) performance of “Broadway and Beyond”. Enjoy an afternoon of music selections, from Broadway’s Les Misérables and West Side Story to Movie themes such as Jaws and Harry Potter, and much more. . This special Mother’s Day performance will include a special gift to all Mom’s and a performance by the Hunterdon Harmonizers. For a perfect Mother’s day , make reservations at Mama Rosina’s Ristorante, ( 15% coupon) located one block from the theater. Admission $10 / Children under 12 Free Order tickets @ www.brookarts.org. The Brook Arts Center is located at 10 Hamilton St, Bound Brook. More information 

From Hopewell Theater: XPN Welcomes The Felice Brothers May 12 at 7 p.m. at Hopewell Theater Cut live to tape with very little overdubbing, Undress was recorded in the late summer of 2018 in Tivoli, New York. Band members Ian Felice, James Felice, Will Lawrence (drums) and Jesske Hume (bass) teamed up with producer Jeremy Backofen to record their most personal and reflective album to date. “Many of the songs on the new album are motivated by a shift from private to public concerns,” says songwriter Ian Felice. “It isn’t hard to find worthwhile things to write about these days, there are a lot of storms blooming on the horizon and a lot of chaos that permeates our lives. The hard part is finding simple and direct ways to address them.” Undress follows the band’s 2016 album Life In The Dark, and finds the group in a very different place three years later. Between personnel changes, families growing and the political landscape, the result is a tighter, more-paired down release. “Every song is a story,” said James Felice. “On this album everything was a bit more thoughtful, including the arrangements, the sonic quality and the harmonies.” Ian and James Felice […]