Cyndi Lauper and Dr. John Headline Weekend Fun

The Borgata, Atlantic City

THIS WEEKEND: Friday Grab your shorts and sandals to recapture the Endless Summer as The Beach Boys perform. Saturday Folk-rock icon Steven Stills performs classic hits and new tunes.

NEXT WEEK: Comedian Brad Garrett, whose standup routine conjurs none of the sad-sack persona he honed on "Everybody Loves Raymond," tries to elicit chuckles and guffaws on Friday, Oct. 22; Rock guitar hero Joe Walsh and blues legend B.B. King promise an "electric" evening on Saturday, Oct. 22.  

BOOK IT NOW: Duran Duran performs their greatest hits of the '80s and new tunes at The Music Box, 8 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 29; Absurdist comedian Steven Wright delivers his odd observations, 9 p.m., Nov. 4.

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

Mayo Performing Arts Center, Morristown

THIS WEEKEND: Friday A Tribute to Johnny Cash: The Man in Black, features a remarkable Cash-like performance by Shawn Barker, 8 p.m.; Saturday The Grammy-winning New Jersey Symphony Orchestra performs George and Ira Gershwin's songs from the classic film, "An American In Paris," 8 p.m. 

NEXT WEEK: Jackson Browne, icon of the '70s singer/songwriter; performs his greatest  hits and more; 8 p.m., Monday; Jazz/pop guitar legend George Benson performs, 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 20; Channel your inner nerd and enjoy the odd lyrical twists to pop-music favorites when "Weird Al" Yancovic brings his "Alpocalypse Tour" to the Mayo Center, Friday, Oct. 21, 8 p.m.; The national tour of the Broadway musical "In The Heights" brings its peek inside Brooklyn, Saturday, Oct. 22, 8 p.m.

BOOK IT NOW: Willie Nelson, legendary songwriter, country icon is, well, "on the Road Again," Thursday, Oct. 27, 8 p.m.; "30 Rock" star and SNL veteran Tracy Morgan delivers his stand-up act, Saturday, Oct. 29, 8 p.m. 

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

NJPAC, Newark

THIS WEEKEND: Friday The Grammy-winning New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, NJPAC's resident company, performs in Prudential Hall, 8 p.m. and

NEXT WEEK: Jill Scott, Grammy-winning soul/jazz/hip-hop singer/songwriter, performs at 8 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 19;  The Tedeschi Trucks Band, the rockin' collaboration of husband-wife team of Susan Tedeschi-Derek Trucks, cranks up the amps at 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21 

BOOK IT NOW: Wicked Grammy-winning comedian Lewis Black brings his observations on, well, everything, at 8 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 27; Baila Mi Gente, NJPAC's annual Alternate Routes Latin dance happening, features Cubanoson and DJ Jose Rodriguez.

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

The Prudential Center, Newark

THIS WEEKEND: Thursday The New Jersey Devils lace 'em up and take to the ice against the Los Angeles Kings at 7 p.m.

NEXT WEEK: The Devils return to The Rock against the San Jose Sharks, Friday, Oct. 21, 7 p.m. 

BOOK IT NOW: The Seton Hall Pirates kick off the 2011-12 college hoops season with a game against St. Francis, at 7 p.m., Sat., Nov. 12; The Foo Fighters, with special guests Social Distortion, rocks the Prudential Center stage at 7 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 14; If you want to go to the Devils' house, but prefer your on-ice action to be a little less rough-and-tumble, grab tickets for Disney on Ice: Dare to Dream, which starts at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 16.

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

Scotty's, Springfield

THIS WEEKEND: Friday Keith Purnell, who's performed on Comedy Central, the Howard Stern show and Last Comic Standing, headlines a show that features Vinnie Nardiello and Rob Epple; Saturday Dena Blizzard, from NJ101.5 and the warm-up act for The Nate Berkus Show, takes the stage at 9 p.m.

NEXT WEEK: "The Double Headliner Show" features Chipps Cooney, from America's Got Talent, and Tom Daddario, from XM/Sirius radio and Comedy Central; Mike Casey opens; 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday, Oct. 21 and 22. 

BOOK IT NOW: Sherry Davey, who's appeared on Nick at Nite's "Search for America's Funniest Mom II" and Comedy Central's "Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn", performs Friday and Saturday, Oct. 28 and 29.

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

Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, Madison

THIS WEEKEND 

BOOK IT NOW: "Something Wicked This Way Comes," an eventing of spooky readings from classic ghost and horror tales, is a perfect kickoff to Halloween! 7:30, Monday, Oct. 24

Click on shakespearenj.org for details.

Shanghai Jazz, Madison

THIS WEEKEND: Friday Marty Fogel brings his eponymous trio, which features Regan Ryzuk on piano and Rick Crane on bass; Saturday Don Braden, the saxophonist/composer/musical director for The Cosby Show, performs with his quartet; Saturday, Oct. 15.

NEXT WEEK: Pianist John Korba, from Broadway's Rent, and member of Hall & Oates touring band, performs on Tuesday, Oct. 18; The Herb Woodson Blues Soul Quartet covers Otis Redding, Van Morrison and other soulful R&B classics, Friday, Oct. 21; The Helio Alves Trio performs Brazilian jazz, Saturday, Oct. 22.  

BOOK IT NOW: Australian vocalist/bassis Nick Parrott brings his Nicky Parrott & Friends show to the Shanghai Jazz stage, Wednesday, Oct. 26; The Jay D'Amico Trio performs on Friday, Oct. 28; Helen Sung, winner of the Kennedy Center's Mary Lou Williams Piano Competition, brings her Helen Sung Trio to Madison, Saturday, Oct. 29.

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

South Orange Performing Arts Center

THIS WEEKEND: Tonight The Rubber Room, a production of SOPAC's resident theater company, Midtown Direct Rep, will be performed as a reading, 8 p.m.; Saturday The U.S. Army Jazz Ambassadors performs a free concert; 8 p.m.

NEXT WEEK: Steppin' Out With Ben Vereen, features a musical autobiography with the iconic dancer/singer/actor; 8 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 22.

BOOK IT NOW: South Orange native Jessica Kirson brings her one-woman show, which has been featured on Comedy Central's "Fresh Faces" and NBC's "Last Comic Standing", 8 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 5

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

State Theatre, New Brunswick

THIS WEEKEND: Friday Wanda Sykes delivers her hilarious observational comedy act; 8 p.m.; Saturday "Living Legends of Rock 'n Roll" features four cover bands performing the hits of... well, see if you can figure it out by their names: Tramps Like Us, Elevation, Voyage and Bad Medicine, show starts at 7:30 p.m.

NEXT WEEK: The Chris Robinson Brotherhood, led by the former Black Crowes frontman, plays their version of bluesy rock at 8 p.m., Friday, Oct. 21.; "The Rat Pack Is Back" tries to recreate the swingin', koo-koo charm and talents of Frank, Deano, Sammy; 8 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 22 and 3 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 23.

BOOK IT NOW: "A Tribute to Pine Valley: Celebrating 41 Years of All My Children", offers a half-dozen of the show's male stars dishing about the classic ABC soap opera,

 Check out statetheatrenj.org for more details.

Stress Factory Comedy Club, New Brunswick

NEXT WEEK: Think you've got the right stuff to get people to chortle and chuckle? Give it a shot during the Open Mic Night on Wednesday, Oct. 19.

BOOK IT NOW: Jimmy Shubert, who's been on Comedy Central and King of Queens. Check out stressfactory.com for more details.

Union County Performing Arts Center, Rahway

THIS WEEKEND: Saturday Smooth harmonizing hip-hop crooners Boyz II Men will bring their "Motownphilly"sound to the stage at 8 p.m.

NEXT WEEK: Peruvian singer-songwriter Gianmarco performs songs from "Dias Nuevos"; 8 p.m., Friday, Oct. 21

BOOK IT NOW: Blues legend Buddy Guy will try to rip off the UCPAC roof; 8 p.m., Friday, Nov. 4

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

Wellmont Theatre, Montclair

THIS WEEKEND: Tonight! Bush, Chevelle and Filter perform, 7 p.m.; Friday Cyndi Lauper and Dr. John deliver an eclectic show highlighting their diverse talents; 8 p.m.

NEXT WEEK: Blues legend B.B. King and Gary Clark Jr. perform at 8 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 19; OFWGKTA (Odd Future), 8 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 20 (hey, they might also explain their odd name).

BOOK IT NOW: Pixies and Surfer Blood perform at 8 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 27; Goo Goo Dolls and Ryan Star perform at 8 p.m., Friday, Nov. 11.; Kinks frontman Ray Davies brings three generations of songs, to the Wellmont, 8 p.m., Friday, Nov. 18. 

Check out wellmonttheatre.com for more shows.