Southside Johnny, Broadway Star Top Date Night Options

Wellmont Theatre, Montclair

THIS WEEKEND  Friday — Folk-rock icon John Prine, with Kevin Gordon, 8 p.m.; Saturday — Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes, 8 p.m.; Sunday — Alison Krauss & Union Station, featuring Jerry Douglas

NEXT WEEK: No shows

BOOK IT NOW: Marilyn Manson and The Pretty Reckless, 8 p.m., Wednesday, May 2; Chicago, 8 p.m., Friday, May 4; Willie Nelson & Family, 8 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday, May 16, 17; 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.

New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Newark

THIS WEEKEND: Friday night — Audra McDonald, one of Broadway's most talented leading ladies, performs a concert of the greatest songs from the Broadway and Hollywood songbooks, 8 p.m., Prudential Hall

NEXT WEEK: Daughtry has gone from American Idol contestant to Grammy-nominated pop band. He and his band rock Prudential Hall at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday; Straight No Chaser, a 10-man ensemble, bring their crazy a cappella harmonies to Prudential Hall, 8 p.m., Saturday, April 28. 

BOOK IT NOW: West Side Story, one of theater's most enduring musicals, celebrates its 50th anniversary with the revival of Leonard Bernstein's classic,Tuesday through Sunday, May 1-6, Prudential Hall

Check out njpac.org to check out these and other events.

The Prudential Center, Newark

THIS WEEKEND: No shows

NEXT WEEK: Nets slink out of town, bound for Brooklyn, with their final Prudential Center game against the Philadelphia 76ers (to whom they once traded the legendary Julius "Dr. J" Erving), 7:30 p.m., Monday 

BOOK IT NOW: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 2; Red Hot Chili Peppers, 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday, May 4, 5; McDonald's Gospelfest, 4 p.m., Saturday, May 12 

Check out prucenter.com for details about these and other shows.

South Orange Performing Arts Center, South Orange

THIS WEEKEND: Saturday — No Shows

NEXT WEEK: Seton Hall University's theater department stages Resurrection Blues, Arthur Miller's 2006 allegorical comedy about a captured mysterious miracle-maker who will be killed on a reality show, Thursday through Sunday, April 26-29

BOOK IT NOW:  Suzanne Vega performs her folky hits, Thursday, May 10; "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; Saturday, May 12

Go to sopacnow.org for more details about all shows.

The Borgata 

THIS WEEKEND: Friday, Saturday, Sunday — "Shut Up, Sit Down and Eat," a Comedy Club Special Event featuring Tina Giorgi, Joe Moffa, Chris Monty and Eric Tartaglionekes, 9 p.m., The Music Box

NEXT WEEK: Angst-pop stars Counting Crows deliver their hits and new songs, Saturday, April 28, the Event Center

BOOK IT NOW: Russell Brand, the soon-to-be former-Mr.-Katy-Perry does, well... whatever it is that he does, Thursday and Friday, May 4,5, 9 p.m., The Music Box; Comedian-turned-sitcom-star-turned-talk-show-host-turned-comedian George Lopez, 9 p.m., Friday, May 5, Event Center; Hip-hopper du jour Pitbull brings the party tunes, 9 p.m., Thursday, May 25, Event Center

Check out theborgata.com for details about these and other shows.

Count Basie Theatre, Red Bank

THIS WEEKEND: No Shows

NEXT WEEK: Squeeze, one of the few '80s bands to survive the '80s music scene with their livers, noses and bank accounts intact, performs their impressive list of hits at 8 p.m., Wednesday

BOOK IT NOW: Music, cultural and biofuel icon Willie Nelson performs at 7:30 p.m., Friday, May 12; 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.

Kean University, Union

THIS WEEKEND Saturday — The New Jersey Ballet performs Giselle, 8 p.m., Wilkins Theatre; Sunday — The New Jersey Ballet performs Cinderella, 2 p.m., Wilkins Theatre

NEXT WEEK  No shows

BOOK IT NOW Country star Kathy Mattea, 3 p.m., Sunday, May 6. 

Check out keanstage.com for details about these and other shows.

Mayo Performing Arts Center, Morristown

This Weekend: Friday night — Dance Theatre of Harlem, 8 p.m.; Sunday — Carskills on Broadway, "Borscht Belt" favorites Freddie Roman, Mal Z. Lawrence and Dick Capri deliver some of the tried-and-true punchlines that have delighted audiences for generations, 3 p.m. 

NEXT WEEK: "Ricky Nelson Remembered" features Gunnar and Matthew Nelson, the sons of the late actor/pop singer, play their dad's greatest hits, 8 p.m.; Grammy-nominated pianist Brad Mehldau and saxophonist Joshua Redman show off their jazz chops, 8 p.m., Friday, April 27

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: Friday and Saturday — Buddy Flip, a veteran of Las Vegas, stand-up and HBO and Comedy Central programs, brings his act to Springfield. The show also features Tracey Locke and Danny Palmer.

NEXT WEEK: Kyle Grooms, a regular on Comedy Central and P. Diddy's Bad Boys of Comedy in a show that features Terry McNeeley and Mary Radzinsky, Friday and Saturday, April 27 and 28. 

BOOK IT NOW: 

For details and more information, log onto scottyssteakhouse.com.

Shanghai Jazz, Madison

THIS WEEKEND: Saturday — Don Braden, acclaimed saxophonist and musical director for The Cosby Show, leads his Don Braden Quartet into Madison.

NEXT WEEK: John Zweig Trio, Tuesday; Matt King Trio, Wednesday; Pianist Bob Himmelberger, Thursday; the Alex Kautz Trio, featuring Grammy-winning pianist Helio Alves, performs Brasilian jazz, Friday, April 27; Star bassist Marcus McLauren leads his eponymous trio, Saturday, April 28.

BOOK IT NOW: Dan Levinson Trio features the clarinetest/saxophonist who performed with Wynton Marsalis; Wednesday, May 2 

All shows 6:30 and 8:30. Check out shanghaijazz.com for more details.

State Theatre, New Brunswick

THIS WEEK: Saturday — Johnny Mathis, 8 p.m.

NEXT WEEK: Dickey Betts and Great Southern, 8 p.m., Wednesday, April 25; "American Pie" writer Don McLean celebrates the 40th anniversary of one of pop music's most enduring songs, 8 p.m., Friday, April 27

BOOK IT NOW:  

 Check out statetheatrenj.org for more details.

Stress Factory Comedy Club, New Brunswick

THIS WEEK: Friday and Saturday — y — Julian McCullough, who's been featured on The ManShow, 40 Funniest Fails and Comedy Central Presents, among other comedy showcases

NEXT WEEK: Emmy Award winner and Comedy Central regular Judy Gold brings her stand-up act to New Brunswick on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, April 26, 27, 28

Book It Now: Brian Posehn, who has performed on HBO's Mr. Show and Susan Silverman's Program, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, May 3-5; Amy Shumer, who was featured on Last Comic Standing and The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, May 17-19

Check out stressfactory.com for more details.

Union County Performing Arts Center, Rahway

THIS WEEKEND: No shows

NEXT WEEK: Wayne Newton, 8 p.m., Saturday, April 28;

Go to unioncountypac for more details about all shows.