BASIE CENTER ADDS MURAL, BASIE BAND BLOCK PARTY TO 100TH ANNIVERSARY

The Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank continues to stack more events into its year-long 100th celebration of its cornerstone historic theater. 

 

The center last week announced plans for three events featuring The Count Basie Orchestra in August, including a free community block party on the street outside the complex on Monmouth Street to commemorate jazz icon William “Count” Basie’s birthday in August.

 

The organization also issued a call for artists’ proposals for a new large mural on the exterior of the Basie Center Cinema House at 36 White Street.

 

 

 

The Legendary Count Basie Orchestra will be on hand for three days of events to celebrate the birthday of the theater’s namesake in August:

 

FRIDAY, AUGUST 21

On Friday, August 21 – the 122^nd anniversary of Basie’s birthday – the Basie Center will hold a free, outdoor “Block Party,” including the free Count Basie Orchestra performance, food trucks, street performers and more. The event will also feature the unveiling of a marker designating the Count Basie Center for the Arts as an official stop on New Jersey’s Black Heritage Trail, a statewide initiative established in 2022 by the New Jersey Historical Commission to promote awareness and appreciation of Black history, heritage, and culture.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 23

Tony Award winners Sutton Foster (Thoroughly Modern Millie, Anything Goes) and Kelli O’Hara (The King and I, The Bridges of Madison County) take the Basie Center stage on Sunday, August 23, accompanied by the Count Basie Orchestra. Tickets are on sale now at the Basie Center box office and through Ticketmaster. 

A photo taken of the theater before the rebranding last year under a sponsorship with Ocean First Bank. 

The Basie Center also issued a call for artists to submit proposals for a “large-scale community centered mural” mural as part of the organization’s Centennial Celebration. The mural is planned for the western-facing wall near the entrance to the theater at 36 White Street (See photo below.)

From the Basie Center press release last week:

“Titled A Guardian of Culture & Creativity: Where Legacy Meets the People Who Hold It, the project will result in a permanent public mural designed to reflect the Basie Center’s century-long relationship with the community. The mural will incorporate themes identified through community engagement, including unity, joy, healing, creativity, cultural legacy, and belonging.

Count Basie Center for the Arts is inviting artists and artist teams to submit proposals for a large-scale, community-centered mural project as part of the organization’s Centennial Celebration.

“This mural will help us celebrate 100 years by creating a symbol of what the arts mean to this community,” said Samantha Giustiniani, Vice President of Education & Outreach at the Count Basie Center for the Arts. “We want the final piece to demonstrate the impact the Basie Center has by reflecting the thoughts and feelings of the people who come through our doors as performers, students, teachers and patrons. Our goal is to create a mural that feels welcoming, collaborative, and deeply connected to the community we serve.”

redbankgreen editor Brian Donohue may be reached via email at [email protected] or by calling or texting 848-331-8331.

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