Union County Date Night: Fun for a Holiday Weekend

The Borgata, Atlantic City

THIS WEEKEND Friday Singer/actress Jill Scott performs at the Event Center, 8 p.m.; Singer Chris Cornell takes to the Music Box stage, 9 p.m.; DJ Sebastian Ingrosso keeps the dance floor jumping at Mixx, 10 p.m.; Saturday Newsman Bill O'Reilly and comedian Dennis Miller provide their perspective on the world with the "Bolder and Fresher Tour", 8 p.m., Chris Cornell performs a second show in The Music Box, 9 p.m.

 NEXT WEEK DJ Steve Aoki starts off the week with a hot show at mur.mur; 10 p.m., Monday 

BOOK IT NOW Comedian Bill Burr delivers his stand-up act at The Music Box, 8 and 11 p.m., Friday, Dec. 2, Pop singer James Blunt at The Music Box, Saturday, Dec. 3; Daryl Hall & John Oates pull from their decades-old folky, pop-driven song catalog at 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 10; New Year's Eve party with comedian Seth Meyers, 7 and 10:30 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 31 

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

Kean University, Union

THIS WEEKEND No shows this weekend

 NEXT WEEK "Claiming Citizenship: African-Americans and New Deal Photography," presented by the Kean University Human Rights Institute Gallery, runs  from noon to 7 p.m. Monday-Thursday and noon to 4 p.m. on Friday, through Dec. 16.

BOOK IT NOW Branford Marsalis Quartet, 7:30 p.m., Friday, Dec. 9; Holiday Brass, 3 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 18 

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

Mayo Performing Arts Center, Morristown

THIS WEEKEND Friday Chicago performs four decades of their greatest hits, 8 p.m.; Saturday The Celtic Tenors with John McDermott, Canadian tenor McDermott joins Mathew Gilsenan, James Nelson and Daryl Simpson, kicks off the Christmas season with a collection of traditional and contemporary holiday favorites, 8 p.m.

NEXT WEEK "Jingle Bell Rock" with Eddie Money, Lou Gramm and Micky Thomas, 8 PM, Thursday

BOOK IT NOW  Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons deliver their impressive list of hits — and show those guys on Broadway how it's done — on Jan. 17, 18 and 19; Texas country/swing/gospel singer Lyle Lovett rescheduled his August show for 7:30, Sunday, Dec. 11; Legendary croonerTony Bennett brings his heart to Morristown, Thursday, Feb. 2

Check out mayoarts.org for details about these and other shows.

NJPAC, Newark

THIS WEEKEND Saturday The Grammy-winning New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, NJPAC's resident orchestra, performs in Prudential Hall, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Sunday Folk icon Paul Simon returns to Newark (Jersey trivia alert: he was born in Brick City), 7:30. 

NEXT WEEK Classic Albums Live presents "Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon," a note-for-note recreation of the 1973 album that continues to rank among the best-selling recordings today, 8 p.m., Friday, Dec. 2; "Rhythm Revue Dance Party" converts the Prudential Hall lobby into the scene for an old-school rhythm-and-blues party, 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 3 

BOOK IT NOW Holiday Express Christmas Spectacular benefit show features a rock-and-soul concert from the Jersey Shore's most philanthropic musicians. 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 21 

Check out njpac.org for details about these and other shows.

The Prudential Center, Newark

THIS WEEKEND Saturday Devils v. New York Islanders, 1 p.m.; Seton Hall v. St. Peter's, 8 p.m., Saturday 

 NEXT WEEK Andre Rieu, Dutch violinist, conductor, and composer best known for creating the waltz-playing Johann Strauss Orchestra, performs at 7:30 p.m. Monday; Seton Hall v. Auburn, 7:30 p.m., Friday, Dec. 2

BOOK IT NOW Devils v. Ottawa Senators, 7 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 8; Devils v. Montreal Canadians, 7 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 10.

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

Scotty's, Springfield

THIS WEEKEND: No shows

NEXT WEEK No shows

BOOK IT NOW Rich Ramirez, who's appeared on more than 20 TV comedy shows on HBO, A&E, Showtime and VH1. His acting debut was with Academy Award winners Tom Hanks and Sally Field in "Punchline". More recently, he's had roles on NBC's "Law and Order" (not sure if he was supposed to be funny on that one),  Friday and Saturday, Dec. 2 and Dec. 3

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

Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, Madison

THIS WEEKEND No shows

BOOK IT NOW: A Christmas Carol, the staging of the Charles Dickens classic, Dec. 1-Jan 1.

Click on shakespearenj.org for details.

Shanghai Jazz, Madison

THIS WEEKEND The Steve Turre Quartet; Turre has been named the top trombonist inthe world, performing with legends such as Ray Charles and Dizzy Gillespie; Friday and Saturday, Nov. 25 and 26.

NEXT WEEK Guitar legend and proud Jersey guy Bucky Pizzarelli, Wednesday

 BOOK IT NOW Mark Peterson Trio, Friday, Dec. 2; Winard Harper Group, Saturday, Dec. 3

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

South Orange Performing Arts Center

THIS WEEKEND No shows scheduled

NEXT WEEK No shows scheduled

BOOK IT NOW The Nutcracker, performed by the New York Theatre Ballet, 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 4; John Pizzarelli Quartet, 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 10.

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

State Theatre, New Brunswick

THIS WEEKEND Saturday Actor/comedian John Witherspoon, most well-known as "Pops" in the Friday movie franchise, performs his stand-up comedy act, 8 p.m.

NEXT WEEK "The Sleeping Beauty in HD," a showing of the Bolshoi Ballet's classic work, from Moscow, 7 p.m., Wednesday; Paula Anka, Christmas My Way, Thursday, Dec. 1; The Beach Boys' Christmas, Saturday, Dec. 3

BOOK IT NOW  "Home For the Holidays," with Brian Stokes Mitchell, 8 p.m., Friday, Dec. 9.; Brian Regan — Live in Concert, Saturday, Dec. 10; "My Mother's Italian, My Father's Jewish and I'm Home for the Holiday," Sunday, Dec. 11

Check out statetheatrenj.org for more details.

Stress Factory Comedy Club, New Brunswick

THIS WEEKEND Jim Florentine, a regular on shows such as Special Attraction. Down and Dirty with Jim Norton, Crank Yankers, That Metal Show, The Howard Stern Show, Crank Yankers, Jimmy Kimmel, Shows at 8 and 10:30

 NEXT WEEK Ted Alexandro, Thursday, Dec. 1 through Saturday, Dec. 3; two show nightly 

BOOK IT NOW Godfrey, Thursday, Dec. 8 through Saturday, Dec. 10

Check out stressfactory.com for more details.

Union County Performing Arts Center, Rahway

THIS WEEKEND Sunday, Judy Collins and Arlo Guthrie: Home for the Holidays, 7 p.m.

NEXT WEEK Erin McKeon's "Anti-Holiday Show," 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 3 

BOOK IT NOW   Nick Cannon's Ha! Ha! Holiday comedy special, 8 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 8; A Rockin' Holiday Celebration, starring Bobby Rydell, Jay Siegel & The Tokens, The Chantals; 8 p.m., Friday, Dec. 9

Check out ucpac.org for details about these and other shows.

Wellmont Theatre, Montclair

THIS WEEKEND Tonight and Saturday Guster and Brett Dennen, 8 p.m.

NEXT WEEK  Daryl Hall & John Oates perform decades of hits (some better than others), 8 p.m.; The Montclair International Film Festival Presents An Evening with Stephen Colbert, featuring special guest Jonathan Alter, 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2.; Celtic Thunder — Christmas; 2:30 and 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 3

BOOK IT NOW Kyuss Lives!, with The Sword, Black Cobra, Atomic Bitchwax, 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 10; America with Jim Messina, 8 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 14, From Good Homes, 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 17

Check out wellmonttheatre.com for more shows.