'American Girl Live!' in Red Bank, and more things to do this weekend at the Jersey Shore
Editor's note: A previous version of this story included the Howl-O-Ween Family Fest fundraiser for Marty’s Place, which has been canceled due to this weekend's weather forecast. The event was scheduled to take place from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday in Upper Freehold.
Your favorite characters come to life in American Girl Live! In Concert, which stops at the Count Basie Center for the Arts on Sunday.
Featuring American Girl fan favorites performed by a live cast, the show is full of music, dancing and lots of surprises as the American Girls learn about the power of friendship. Songs include "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" and the American Girl original "Gonna Change The World."
You can catch it at 1 and 4 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets for the show are $29 to $69. For an additional fee, a VIP experience is available, with post-show photos, and meet and greets with members of the cast.
Can't make it Sunday? The American Girls are performing at 1 and 5 p.m. Saturday in Morristown.
Go: American Girl Live! In Concert, 1 and 4 p.m. Sunday, Count Basie Center for the Arts, 99 Monmouth St., Red Bank, $29 to $69; 732-842-9000, https://thebasie.org/events/american-girl-live-in-concert/.
Folklife Showcase at Freehold Raceway Mall
Monmouth Arts presents Folklife Showcase, a celebration of the community’s rich tapestry of arts, culture and heritage, from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday on the lower level of Freehold Raceway Mall.
This free event offers dance, music and educational presentations from area organizations such as the Hellenic Dancers of New Jersey, the Redhawk Native American Arts Council, the Pipes & Drums of the Atlantic Watch, members of the Xol Azul Band, Baiano-Capoeira Sol Nascente USA, and the Peruvian Community of Freehold.
“We are so excited to showcase these diverse groups of talented artists,” said Teresa Staub, executive director of Monmouth Arts. “We hope the Folklife Showcase will inspire us all to cherish and celebrate the unique diversity among us.”
Go: Monmouth Arts Folklife Showcase, 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Freehold Raceway Mall, 3710 Route 9, free; 732-212-1890, monmoutharts.org.
Margaret Cho at the Basie
Five-time Grammy and Emmy nominee Margaret Cho comes to the Count Basie Center for the Arts at 7:30 p.m. Friday, part of her Live & Livid Comedy Tour.
For years, Cho’s voice has been lighting the path for other women and members of underrepresented groups. And her recent television appearances — guest star on "The Flight Attendant" and "Hacks" on Max, two "Netflix is a Joke" comedy specials, "Stand Out: An LGBTQ+ Celebration" and "Jane Fonda & Lily Tomlin: Ladies Night Live" — have expanded a wide-ranging career.
As a comedian, Cho has been named one of Rolling Stone magazine’s 50 Best Stand-Up Comics of All Time. CNN chose her as one of the 50 People Who Changed American Comedy.
Go: Margaret Cho: Live & Livid Comedy Tour, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Count Basie Center for the Arts, 99 Monmouth St., Red Bank, $35 to $75; 732-842-9000, https://thebasie.org/events/margaret-cho-live-and-livid/.
Edgar Allan Poe night at Wild Air Beerworks
From 3 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Wild Air Beerworks and the Asbury Book Cooperative will be hosting “A Wild Night of Poe.”
Featuring readings of horrifically classic tales, selections include “The Tell-Tale Heart,” “The Masque of the Red Death,” “The Cask of Amontillado” and “The Fall of the House of Usher.” Books will be provided, and anyone is welcome to read (just arrive early to sign up).
There also will be tarot card readings, vintage clothing sales by Cosmic Frocks, a horror book sale, food from Exotic Pies & Slices food truck, as well as a raffle of items from local businesses to benefit The Mercy Center.
While the night is free and guests of all ages are welcome, partaking in bubbling brews is only for those 21 and older.
Go: "A Wild Night of Poe," 3 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Wild Air Beerworks, 801 2nd Ave., Asbury Park; 732-403-3054, wildairbeer.com.
'Guys and Dolls' in Middletown
The MAC Players at the Middletown Arts Center present the oddball romantic comedy "Guys and Dolls, A Musical Fable of Broadway" from Friday to Oct. 29.
Set in Damon Runyon’s mythical 1950s New York City, the show follows a rowdy bunch of gamblers, gangsters and sassy showgirls in a wild game of chance — then love sneaks in. The Tony Award winner features classic songs like “Adelaide’s Lament,” "Luck Be a Lady,” "More I Cannot Wish You" and "Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat."
You can see it at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, as well as 7 p.m. Oct. 27 and 28, and 2 p.m. Oct. 29.
Tickets range from $12.50 to $30. An additional $5 senior discount will be offered for the performance on Sunday, Oct. 22.
Go: "Guys and Dolls," Friday to Oct. 29, Middletown Arts Center, 36 Church St., Middletown, $12.50 to $30; 732-706-4100, middletownarts.org.
'Hair' at Two River
Two River Theater presents the groundbreaking rock musical "Hair" through Sunday. Directed by James Vásquez, the show features songs like "Aquarius," "The Flesh Failures (Let the Sunshine In)," "Hair," "Manchester England," "Good Morning Starshine" and "I'm Black/Ain't Got No."
Tickets are $32.50 to $87.50.
Note that "Hair" contains nudity, adult language, drug references, strong racial language and sexual references.
Go: "Hair," through Sunday, Two River Theater, 21 Bridge Ave., Red Bank, $50 to $80; 732-345-1400, tworivertheater.org.
'Dark Side of the Rainbow' in Belmar
Celebrate the 50th anniversary of Pink Floyd’s classic album "Dark Side of the Moon" with Kevin Spyker & Friends at 7 p.m. Thursday at Belmar Arts Center. In keeping with a quirky urban legend, they’ll be syncing up the music with “The Wizard of Oz” to create a mind-bending alternate soundtrack.
"To date, we've counted around 40 instances of subtle synchronicity between these remarkable works — a celebration of random coincidences that makes for a wild ride," Spyker said in a recent email. "At times, there are simple cues and shifts in the music that reflect the action of the movie, other times the lyrics hint at key plot points."
Highlights include: The bells of "Time" and Almira Gulch riding in; "Great Gig in the Sky" vs The Twister; and "Money" meets Technicolor. Tickets are $15 advance, $20 at the door.
Since the early 2000s, Spyker has performed the full album at venues in New Jersey and New York City. The Belmar performance features local musicians from the Belmar Arts collective: Niki Arrowsmith, Andrew Dreamos, Matthew Trice, Diane Doolittle, Dave Gatenby and Alex Fuhring.
Go: "Dark Side of the Rainbow," 7 p.m. Thursday, Belmar Arts Center, 608 River Road, $15 advance, $20 at the door; belmararts.org. For more information on Spyker, visit @kevinspyker on Facebook and YouTube.
Jersey Devil Palozza in Toms River
It’s notorious, it’s scary — and it’s all ours. Celebrate Pinelands lore during the all-ages Jersey Devil Palooza at the Ocean County Library Toms River Branch, starting at 10:30 a.m. Friday.
Highlighting the free day of folklore and fun will be an exploration of the legend of the Jersey Devil by Frank Esposito, co-author of "The Secret History of the Jersey Devil: How Quakers, Hucksters and Benjamin Franklin Created a Monster."
Also on the schedule is “In The Pines Storytime” for the little ones, and a performance by the WREP troupe (“When Radio Entertained People").
According to the Pinelands Alliance, tales of the Jersey Devil’s originate back more than 250 years. It’s described as kangaroo-like, with the face of a horse on a head the shape of a dog’s, bat-like wings, horns and a tail.
Register in advance at theoceancountylibrary.org/events.
Go: "Jersey Devil Palooza, 10:30 a.m. Friday, Ocean County Library, Toms River Branch, 101 Washington St., free; 732-349-6200.
Gabriela L. Laracca contributed to this story.
Have an event coming up at the Jersey Shore? Tell us about it. Email Bill Canacci at bcanacci@gannettnj.com.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Jersey Shore things to do include American Girl Live in Red Bank
