A musical legend, some Mardi Gras and a maestro are a few of the shows are on offer.
January Thaw Music Fest at Centenary Stage
Get excited for Mardi Gras with January Thaw Music Fest, three nights of Carnival-inspired fare in the Sitnik Theater of the Lackland Performing Arts Center in Hackettstown. The HooDoo Loungers kick off the annual festival Jan 14 with a mix of original music and revisited New Orleans classics. The nine -piece band's sound encompasses traditional NOLA jazz and brass bands, classic R&B and funk. The festival's second show, 3hree for Louis: A Tribute to Louis Armstrong, is Jan. 22. The final performance, by Sweet Plantain Quartet, is Jan. 28.
$27.50 for adults, $17.50 children under 12. Additional $5 charged for tickets purchased on the day of the performance. Jan. 14, 8 p.m., Centenary Stage Company, 715 Grand Ave., Hackettstown. 908-979-0900.
The 'Empress of Soul,' Gladys Knight comes to NJPAC
Seven-time Grammy winner Gladys Knight has recorded more than 38 albums, scoring hits in the pop, gospel, R&B and adult contemporary categories. On Jan. 15 at NJPAC, she'll perform some of her classics --like "Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)" and "Midnight Train to Georgia" - while also sharing newer music, including songs from 2014's Gospel Grammy award-winning album "Where My Heart Belongs." She will share the concert stage with The Whispers, the R&B quartet behind more than a dozen hits, including "Rock Steady" and "And the Beat Goes On."
$48-119, Jan. 15., 7 p.m., NJPAC's Prudential Hall, 1 Center St., Newark. 800-GO-NJPAC.
Winter Festival: Zukerman Plays Tchaikovsky
Grammy-winning maestro/violinist Pinchas Zukerman conducts and solos with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra with three shows this week. The richly melodic program includes Tchaikovsky's "Serenade for Strings" and Mendelssohn's Symphony #4 "Italian."
$20-88, Jan. 13, 8 p.m., NJPAC, 1 Center St., Newark. 800-GO-NJPAC.
$20-75, Jan. 14, 8 p.m., Count Basie Theatre, 99 Monmouth St., Red Bank. 732-224-8778
$20-90, Jan. 15, 3 p.m., State Theatre New Jersey, 15 Livingston Ave, New Brunswick. 732-246-7469.
Two more at Mayo
The Mayo Performing Arts Center presents two interesting shows this weekend. On Jan. 13, the Capitol Steps -- a comedy troop largely composed of former government employees -- presents "What to Expect When You're Expecting," another Steps' show that aims to put "the mock in democracy." On Saturday the 14th, four of Broadway's leading ladies -- Andrea McArdle, Maureen McGovern, Christine Andreas and Faith Prince -- take the stage to share songs and memories in 4 Girls 4.
$29-59, The Capitol Steps, Jan 13. 8 p.m., Mayo Performing Arts Center, 100 South St., Morristown. 973-539-8008.
$39-69, 4 Girls 4, Jan. 14, 8 p.m., Mayo Performing Arts Center, 100 South St., Morristown. 973-539-8008.
Natalie Pompilio is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia. She can be reached at nataliepompilio@yahoo.com. Find her on Twitter @nataliepompilio. Find NJ.com/Entertainment on Facebook.