Red Bank Comedy Festival and more things to do this weekend at the Jersey Shore

Need a laugh? The first Red Bank Comedy Festival takes place Thursday to Saturday at four venues around town. The festival is headlined by renowned comedians Bonnie McFarlane, Shuli Egar and Aaron Berg.

McFarlane has performed on late-night talk shows as well as HBO and Comedy Central. Her biography, "You're Better Than Me," will soon be a television series. She has a podcast with her husband, Rich Vos, titled "My Wife Hates Me."

Egar is a writer, producer, and on-air correspondent for "The Howard Stern Show." Shuli released a double album in 2019 called “Shulogy.” Berg’s documentary about stand-up comedy in New York City, “25 Sets," is available on Amazon. He has appeared on Comedy Central and the DC comics’ feature film "The Kitchen."

Other featured comics are: JL Cauvin, Tyler Morrison, Ken Krantz, Chris Clarke, Jason Andors, Chris Covert, Dino Vigo, Dave Lester, KP Burke, Grady Pruitt, Mike Keegan, Mike Sicoli, Mike Hunt, Jess Alaimo, Jay Nog, Kunal C. Arora and John Moses.

The festival will also feature live podcasts and after-parties. An all-access pass is $50, which includes access to all five shows, two live podcasts, and admission to any after-parties.

Go: Red Bank Comedy Festival, Thursday, April 27, to Saturday, April 29, various venues, Red Bank; tickets and more information available at 732-413-5529, RedBankComedyFest.com.

Broadway comes to Congregation B’nai Israel in Toms River

Congregation B’nai Israel in Toms River is hosting “Bimah to Broadway” at 2 p.m. Sunday, a concert featuring showtunes with Jewish roots.

Among the songs are “Anything You Can Do (I Can Do Better)” from “Annie Get Your Gun,” written by Irving Berlin; and “Suddenly Seymour” from “Little Shop of Horrors,” composed by Alan Menken with lyrics by Howard Ashman.

CBI’s Cantor Jake Greenberg will perform, along with guest cantors Daniella Risman of the Emanuel Synagogue, West Hartford, Connecticut; and Mira Davis of the Park Avenue Synagogue in New York City. They will be joined by Cantor Daniel Green and Cantor Ruth Katz Green, as well as members of the synagogue and students.

The annual event will benefit the Cantor Daniel Green Ramah-Youth Scholarship Fund, which assists CBI’s children and teens in pursuing summer Jewish experiences, including camps.

Tickets are $18, free for children up to age 18.

Go: "Bimah to Broadway," 2 p.m. Sunday, April 30, Congregation B'nai Israel, 1488 Old Freehold Road, Toms River, $18, free for 18 and younger; 732-349-1244.

'Be YourSELF' at Bell Works

On Friday night, more than 150 middle- and high-school teens from throughout Monmouth County will gather at Bell Works in Holmdel for "Be YourSELF."

A gathering of young artists, musicians and creative minds, this night of encouragement, appreciation, and uniting "heARTs" will feature "SELF Stations" (including photo booth, T-shirt designing, makeovers and more), along with “SELF Expression” musical performances that allow teens to showcase their skills on stage.

Refreshments and swag bags will be provided. Families are welcome to attend.

This free event is made possible by a suicide prevention grant from the Monmouth County Department of Human Services awarded to the Mental Health Association of Monmouth County, the YMCA of Greater Monmouth County, and the Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide.

Go: "Be YourSELF," 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, April 28, Bell Works, Crawfords Corner Road, Holmdel, free; 732-542-6422, mentalhealthmonmouth.org.

Crawfish Friday at the R Bar

This warm weather marks the start of crawfish season for the folks over at the beloved R Bar in Asbury Park.

Every Friday, the bar is boiling up some crawfish (or crawdads) from 3 p.m. until whenever they're gone.

Happy Hour takes place from 3 to 6 p.m., with $3 mini martinis, $3 Narragansett and Guinness, $5 Tito's Vodka drinks and $5 select wine glasses.

Go: 1114 Main St, Asbury Park; 732-776-7463, itsrbar.com.

Artists with disabilities featured at Monmouth Museum

Chris Palmer of Hillsborough has an amazing memory for pop culture and history. Palmer paints and draws, and his inspiration can come from music, comic book heroes, or movie and television characters.

Jasmine Oliver of New Brunswick pulls her inspiration from the worlds of fashion, cartoon characters and music. She likes to mix colors and has an eye for detail, especially when it comes to drawing her favorite cartoons.

Palmer and Oliver are two of 20 visual artists whose work will be shown at “For Art’s Sake”, an exhibit of acrylic paintings and drawings on display at the Monmouth Museum in Lincroft from Friday through June 4. A free reception takes place from 1 to 3 p.m. on Sunday.

The artists are participants in the Matheny Medical and Educational Center’s Arts Access Program, which provides individuals with disabilities the freedom to create in the visual, literary and performing arts.

Go: "For Art's Sake," Friday, April 28, through Sunday, June 4, Monmouth Museum, 765 Newman Springs Road, Brookdale Community College, Lincroft; artsaccessprogram.org or monmouthmuseum.org/nilsongallery. Reception takes place at the museum from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, April 30. For more information about Arts Access, contact Julia Halsey at 908-234-0011, ext. 1765, or julia@artsaccessprogram.org.

The HillBenders present 'WhoGrass' at Grunin Center

Award-winning bluegrass meets classic rock as the HillBenders present "WhoGrass" at 8 p.m. Friday at Grunin Center for the Arts in Toms River.

“WhoGrass” is a chronological journey of The Who’s legendary catalog through the wood and wire of bluegrass instrumentation. A follow-up to "TOMMY: A Bluegrass Opry," The HillBenders’ critically acclaimed 2015 acoustic interpretation of The Who’s “Tommy,” “WhoGrass” gives the audience a career-spanning twist on one of rock and roll’s greatest bands.

Tickets are $35.

Go: "WhoGrass," 8 p.m. Friday, April 28, Grunin Center for the Arts, 1 College Drive, $35; 732-255-0500, grunincenter.org.

'Legally Blonde' in New Brunswick

Things are groovy for Elle Woods, but suddenly her life is turned upside down when her boyfriend dumps her so he can start getting more “serious” about his life and attend Harvard Law.

Determined to get him back, Elle uses her brain and ingenuity to also get admitted to Harvard. School begins with endless struggles, but with the help of her new friends, Elle quickly realizes her potential and her strengths, as she sets out to change the narrative.

"Legally Blonde — The Musical" comes to the State Theatre in New Brunswick this weekend. Based on the iconic movie, the show follows the transformation of Elle (played by New Jersey's Hannah Bonnet) as she tackles stereotypes, sexism, snobbery and scandal in pursuit of her dreams.

Tickets range from $40 to $98.

Go: "Legally Blonde - The Musical," 8 p.m. Friday, April 28, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, April 29, and 2 p.m. Sunday, April 30, State Theatre New Jersey, 15 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick, $40 to $98; 732-246-7469, stnj.org.

BTS solo tour

Who’s Suga and why is he so popular?

He’s a member of the K-Pop breakout band BTS who raps and produces. He’s also the first member of the group to venture forth on a solo tour, which comes to Prudential Center in Newark on Saturday.

Suga has just released his first solo album, “D-Day,” under his “Agust D” alias.

Go: Suga, 8 p.m. Saturday, April 29, Prudential Center, 25 Lafayette St., Newark, tickets start at $200 on secondary market; prucenter.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Jersey Shore events include Red Bank Comedy Festival, concert