Southside Johnny, left, and The Smithereens (from left, Dennis Diken, Jim Babjak, Pat DiNizio and Mike Mesaros) will be inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame on Oct. 27.
A roundup of arts events taking place around the state, through Oct. 29:
• Righting two longtime wrongs, the New Jersey Hall of Fame will include two of the state’s greatest homegrown rock artists, Southside Johnny and The Smithereens, in its class of 2019. The ceremony will take place at the Paramount Theatre in Asbury Park, Oct. 27 at 7 p.m. Other inductees include author and television personality Martha Stewart, “Game of Thrones” novelist George R.R. Martin, former Giants linebacker Harry Carson, “Seinfeld” co-star Jason Alexander, the late “Jaws” novelist Peter Benchley, photographer Timothy White, restaurateur and Holiday Express founder Tim McLoone, gymnast Laurie Hernandez and the late basketball player and coach Anne Donovan.
Jon Bon Jovi will induct Southside Johnny; no other inducters have been announced.
For those who can’t attend, the event will be streamed live on nj.com.
Van Morrison’s “Astral Weeks” album.
MUSIC
• Percussionist/vibraphonist Warren Smith, who performed on Van Morrison’s classic 1968 Astral Weeks album, and guitarist John Tropea, who contributed to Morrison’s 1974 album Veedon Fleece, will be among the performers at the “Astral Weeks and Beyond: Celebrating Van Morrison” concert taking place at the Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank, Oct. 25 at 8 p.m. Among the other performers will be Rob Paparozzi, Pat Guadagno, Burlap to Cashmere and Max Morden.
• New York-based hip-hop and R&B radio station Power 105.1 (WWPR-FM) presents its annual Powerhouse concert, Oct. 26 at 7 p.m. at the Prudential Center in Newark, with sets by Migos, Meek Mill, Lil Baby, A Boogie Wit da Hoodie, Da Baby, Davido, Megan Thee Stallion, Saweetie, Polo G and Lil Tjay.
• The “Convention Hell” Halloween Concert, taking place at Convention Hall in Asbury Park, Oct. 26 at 7 p.m., is sort of a musical costume party featuring popular New Jersey artists performing as other groups: Kung Fu as The Who, Quincy Mumford as Prince, Des & the Swagmatics as Rick James and The Vansaders as The Clash.
• Before being inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame (see above), The Smithereens, with singer-guitarist Marshall Crenshaw standing in for the late Pat DiNizio, have two special appearances planned. Oct. 24 at 7:30 p.m., they’ll participate in an evening of conversation and music titled “An Evening With the Smithereens” at the Grammy Museum Experience Prudential Center in Newark. And Oct. 26 at 7 p.m., they’ll headline at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park.
• Also at the Grammy Museum Experience Prudential Center in Newark, Mary Wilson of The Supremes will discuss her life and career, Oct. 29 at 7:30 p.m., in conjunction with the opening, this week, of an exhibition about the group titled “Legends of Motown: Celebrating The Supremes.”
THE GIBSON BROTHERS
• Eric and Leigh Gibson, better known as The Gibson Brothers, will perform at the Hopewell Theater, Oct. 26 at 8 p.m., with The Cave Twins opening. The duo has won 11 International Bluegrass Music Association Awards, and was named Entertainer of the Year in 2012 and 2013. Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys co-produced and made a guest appearance on their 2018 album, Mockingbird, and also released it on his Easy Eye Sound label.
• Alli Mauzey and Dee Roscioli, who have both starred in “Wicked” on Broadway, will team up for a show titled “Wicked Divas” at the Avenel Performing Arts Center, Oct. 24-26 at 8 p.m., Oct. 26 at 2 p.m. and Oct. 27 at 3 p.m. They’ll perform songs from “Wicked,” “Gypsy,” “Phantom of the Opera” and other musicals.
FILM
• For the past few decades, the “Mystery Science Theater” television series has been making atrociously bad movies entertaining with bitingly sarcastic and giddily silly live commentary. The “Mystery Science Theater 3000 Live: The Great Cheesy Movie Circus Tour” comes to BergenPAC in Englewood, Oct. 24 at 8 p.m., and the State Theatre in New Brunswick, Oct. 26 at 3 and 7 p.m. The 1960 horror movie “Circus of Horrors” will be shown at BergenPAC and at the late State Theatre show; the 1986 martial arts film “No Retreat, No Surrender,” co-starring Jean-Claude van Damme, will be featured at the early State Theatre show.
• The Film Institute at Montclair State University will present a weekly series, “Sundays Featuring Streep,” combining some of Meryl Streep’s best movies with discussion of them by critic Stephen Whitty. The screenings will begin at 2 p.m. and feature “Sophie’s Choice,” Oct. 27; “Out of Africa,” Nov. 3; “The Devil Wears Prada,” Nov. 10; and “The Post,” Nov. 17.
FAMILY
• Nickelodeon Universe will open Oct. 25 at the American Dream mega-mall in East Rutherford. This, and the mall’s indoor ice rink, will be the first parts of the entertainment and retail complex to open; other parts will open later this year and early next year. Nickelodeon Universe is an eight-acre, indoor theme park with roller coasters and other attractions.
CAROL BURNETT
COMEDY
• Carol Burnett will present an “An Evening of Laughter and Reflection,” showing old clips from her television shows and answering audience members’ questions, Oct 25 at 8 p.m. at the State Theatre in New Brunswick.
OTHER/MULTIMEDIA
• The annual Chiller Theatre Toy, Model and Film Expo takes place at the Hilton Parsippany, Oct. 25-27. The event will include vendors, Halloween costume contests, magic shows, music, art displays and celebrity appearances by Elvira, Shirley Jones, Tatum O’Neal, Krista Allen, Tori Spelling, Melissa Gilbert. Hal Linden, Nancy Allen and many others.
• The sixth movie in the Harry Potter series, “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” will be shown at Prudential Hall at NJPAC in Newark, Oct. 26 at 2 and 7:30 p.m., with live music by the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra.
• The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey at Drew University in Madison presents a special Halloween-week show, “Something Wicked This Way Comes,” Oct. 28 at 7:30 p.m., with an assortment of stories about witches.
• “Family Feud Live: Celebrity Edition” comes to BergenPAC in Englewood, Oct. 27 at 2:30 p.m., with comedian Alonzo Bodden hosting and Pauly Shore and former “Saturday Night Live” cast member Chris Kattan among the contestants.
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