The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey'sNext Stage Ensemble presents a free performance of "Richard II" at 7 p.m. July 23 at the Middletown Main Library, 55 New Monmouth Road. For information, call 732-671-3700 or visit www.mtpl.org.

The Borders Emerging Artist Series returns 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 5, with Beth Arentsen. The Matawan resident is the former front woman of P-1, the Chicago/NYC-based trip-hop trio. The Middletown/Red Bank native returns to the area with her debut solo album, "SAP," a collection of songs that draw upon her childhood on the Jersey Shore and coming of age in the East Village of New York City. Borders is located at 135 Route 35, Eatontown. For more information, visit her My- Space page: MySpace.com/BethArentsen or Web site www.BethArentsen.com.

For its final weekend, Mrs. O'Leary's Cow Film Festival at Two River Theater in Red Bank presents "The Blues Brothers" with Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi

at 9 p.m. on Friday, July 25. Hop in the back seat of Jake and Elwood Blues' 1974 Dodge Monaco as they trash the already garbage-strewn streets of late 1970s Chicago. Saturday's double feature will be 7 p.m., "Roxie Hart" (1942) with Ginger Rogers and Adolphe Menjou, a comic tour de force about love, murder and curative powers of good PR; and 9 p.m., Academy Award-winner "Chicago" with Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renee Zellwegger and Richard Gere. Death Row never looked so good or so sexy. Tickets $8, and $5 series subscribers.

For more information, call 732.345.1400, visit www.trtc.org or visit the box office, located at 21 Bridge Ave. in Red Bank.

StreetLife, the outdoor performance series that takes place in downtown Red Bank 7-10 p.m. on summer Saturdays, will feature Chris McKenna Paul Pugliese, Christopher Kenny, Murphy's Six-String with Piper Bros, the Strolling Downtown Barbershop Quartet and Bob Denson on Saturday, July 26, at sidewalk venues on Monmouth, Broad and White streets and Bridge Avenue.

New Jersey Repertory Company in Long Branch will host a reading of "Play Nice!" at 7 p.m. on July 28. A contemporary retelling of Genet's masterpiece "The Maids," it is set among the highly imaginative children of a domineering suburban mother. Written by Robin Rice Lichting. Tickets: Donation. NJ Rep is located at 179 Broadway. Call 732-229-3166 or e-mail info@njrep.org.
Compiled by Gloria Stravelli
Designed by Eileen Russell Gerber