Count Basie Theatre

Here for an ABBA tribute band… beware the geriatric ticket takers who will not allow you to bring your restaurant leftovers into the theater! Like I was going to snack on cold shishito peppers during the show…
Last time I’ll spend my money eating in Red Bank before a show… way to encourage people to partake of dinner and a show!

Took my daughter here to see a kids show. Very nice theater, clean and well maintained. We were near the back, but we had no issues with seeing what was on the stage. Bathrooms were really clean and there is a bar that serves drinks. Well worth it. If you are not from the Red Bank area then you are in for a treat because the whole area around this theater has that «main street» type appeal with shops and restaurants.

If you want to go see the Nutcracker and actually enjoy the show, then don’t go here. The staff DOES NOTHING when it comes to managing the audience. People constantly coming in and out of the auditorium, people talking, people using electronics – the distractions were ridiculous. How is it a person in the front row can hold up an iPad to video tape the performance and no one from the staff confronts them about it?! Also, glad the concessions sells potato chips so everyone in my area could listen to the clown munch on them like it was his last meal. All the distractions truly ruined what could have been a great experience. It’s a shame that adults have to be babysat but obviously this is what it has come to. The staff needs to step up and deal with it. I will never go back there and would not recommend this venue to anyone.

I am giving 5 stars for this theatre and to the employees for being very helpful guiding you to your seats. This beautiful theatre has a great venue and the seating we had in mid orchestra were perfect as far as seeing the show and for the acoustics. Had an EXCELLENT TIME and will be back for more shows!
**However…buying tickets online has an additional $ 10 PER ticket charge. When the tickets were NOT RECEIVED via USPS like they were supposed to; that caused an inconvenience and problem. It took multiple persistent calls to the box office staff to finally convinced them to reissue the tickets so I would not have to go early to the show as they wanted me to so that they could straighten this issue out. For the $ 10 charge I think they should send the tickets with a USPS tracking number, or… let the customer print them out via their computer. That would eliminate this possible «lost» ticket problem.

Very wide range of productions in classic theater with many good restaurants and much street parking nearby.

Wonderful theater and I’m so lucky to live only 15 minutes away. Just walked out of the production of Evita. The cast, orchestra and crew were fantastic. This was just like a Broadway musical, I was so impressed. We purchased tickets at the box office last minute so there was only rear orchestra, but right before the show we were picked to move up to 10^th row. It really made the day. I suggest if there is a play or venue you want to see buy in advance for good seats. First half of orchestra is probably best but not front row too close to the stage for a musical. They do sell refreshments and raffle tickets to help support the theater. Tickets were very reasonable $ 22 – 36. So check it out.

Terrible sound in upper seating !!! Cramped seating with audio not working, my husband and 2 sons had to stand due to cramped seating

Not a bad seat in the house!
Great place to see a concert.

First time at this theater. The band was. Get The Lead Out. Led Zeppelin music. the sound system was fantastic and The crowd was really into it. the show rocked.

This is one of the most beautiful theaters for many miles around with a great balance of theater, music, comedy etc! Go there!

This is a very good venue for live music. There isn’t a bad seat in the house.

Went to see the impractical jokers. Show was good. But the ushers need to wake up ! The crowd control was a joke !

Great venue for a show. Small and intimate good acoustics
The Count Basie offers a variety of shows each year.-Including kids shows, music and comedy!
I can’t wait to go again…

I had purchased tickets to see Rhythm of the Dance on February 13, 2014. This was a day of a winter storm and the Governor declared a state of emergency. The show was scheduled for 8:00 p.m.
I called the theatre at approximately 2:00 p.m. to determine if the show was still playing. When I called, I heard a recoded message that said «we do not cancel shows due to weather, leave early, drive safely.» With that my group left for Red Bank and we ate dinner in Red Bank. The drive to Red Bank was not bad as there was a lull in the storm.
We arrived at the theatre at about 7:45 and the doors were locked. There was a sign that said the show was cancelled and rescheduled due to the weather. We then drove back home which took more than twice as long as normal because the conditions were dreadful. When I called to see if they changed their message, what I heard was garbled and incoherent. We were not the only people who came for the show and the people who arrived at the theatre were equally irritated.
The Count Basie’s handling of this situation was pathetic and unprofessional. There was nothing they did not know at 2:00 p.m. that they could not have cancelled the show then. There message should have said «the show is still scheduled, but call back as the show may be cancelled.» I will never go to another show here between the months of December and March when we can get inclement weather like this. I would advise others not to book shows during these months until they have a better policy.

This is a beautiful venue, with nice acoustics. The first few times I saw a show here, I (like others) thought there are no «bad» seats. I found out recently, though, that this is incorrect. On the orchestra level (first floor), there probably really are no bad seats. Once on the second floor, though, the ONLY good seats are the «Loge», which is a separate area in the front of the balcony consisting of three rows. Those seats are nice and offer great views. Going up into the actual «balcony,» however, is extremely unpleasant. Those seats are TIGHT, uncomfortably so. Even the middle seat on a plane offers more room. A LOT more room. No joke. My 6-​foot husband could not even move once he’d folded himself in, and I heard many others around me grumbling about how ridiculously tight the balcony seats and rows are.
Other than the balcony seating — which is COMPLETELY unacceptable in my opinion — my only complaint is scheduling. Just about all the shows I’ve seen and wanted to see at the Basie, have all been on weekday nights. It’s kind of strange how consistent this is. Most times you want a night out, you want it on a weekend. Yet show after show at the Basie is on a weeknight. Once or twice with this, I can deal. But rolling on into infinity? It’s annoying.
Beyond that, it is a beautiful, historical facility and the Orchestra and Loge seating are very nice. There are bars on both upper and lower levels, which is nice for early arrivals. The Basie offers a lot of stand-​up shows, which I personally appreciate. Pricing is highly variable, from reasonable prices for local symphonies and choruses, to what I consider very high pricing for big names like Tracy Morgan. Parking is kind of an issue, as there is really only one pay lot nearby. But, Red Bank is small enough that you can park once wherever you can find a space, and walk to your restaurant, show, bar afterwards, etc. All in all, the Basie is definitely worth the trip and a nice aspect of Red Bank (outside of the balcony seating).

Love the Basie! Have been to a few shows here and there is not a bad seat to be had in this beautifully restored classic theater. They have a wide variety of shows here and the prices aren’t usually too bad. Tickets can be purchased online or right at the theater box office. They have a bar in the lobby, serving a small slection of drinks and beers. If I can say anything bad about this place, it’s the bathrooms and the parking. The bathrooms are on the second floor and the lines can get rather long. As for the parking, between the event at the theater and all of the restaurants and bars in the area, street parking can be hard to come by. There is the municipal lot across the street, but that is often full too. Get here early for a better chance for parking.

The Count Basie is a beautiful historic theater that was recently renovated a few years ago and looks fantastic. They are currently adding a patio and outdoor bar accessible from the main lobby which should be wonderful. This is an intimate venue with eclectic programming; everything from classical music to to rock bands, comedians to magicians, and everything in between.
We really only come to see the Monmouth Symphony now. They do feature an excellent small theater troupe that does Broadway musicals during the summer (Phoenix Productions), and some ballet here and there, but I’ve found other patrons to be too absorbed in their own conversations during these events for my liking. Too distracting.
When the Brian Setzer Orchestra does their Christmas show here though, that’s a can’t miss.

This theater has been beautifully restored, with lots of pretty details inside. The ushers were particularly polite and helpful, seats were comfortable, lines of site, broad and clear, and things sounded good. Something about lovely old theaters like this one just makes a show feel intimate and friendly, even though you’re in there with piles of other people.
There’s a diner as well as nicer restaurants and bars in the surrounding blocks; I had never been to Red Bank before, but I would be happy to venture back up here again for dinner, a band, and a change of pace.

Went to see «Legally Blonde.» Great venue for a show. Very nice theater. First time back in years. The renovation, including the outdoor bar and waiting area, is very nice. Extremely comfortable and the air was working this night. Would happily go back to see a show here.

I had attended the Count Basie to see Video Games Live on April 4^th 2012. Hence, I base my experience on that day. Overall it was a positive experience, however there was one major gripe I have with the theater itself.
First off, the good:
The acoustics are great.
The symphony and choir are top notch.
The staff: The bar tenders don’t cheat you on your drink (a rum and coke is about $ 7)
The Ushers are really as close as you can get to white-​glove service. They care about the audience and genuinely seem to enjoy being there (Molly is a credit to the institution). And the managers know how to manage.
The only complaint I have, and this is something that utterly cannot be blamed on anyone, is the balcony seating. ***Note these are not the first three seats on the second floor The Basie shows in all it’s photos for Balcony seating.*** It’s tight. I’m a big guy and my legs were killing me jammed behind the seat in front of me. However, it’s also interesting to note that the lady behind me had to cross her legs, as she could not really fit them behind my seat and so her foot was extending past the back of my chair. In other words, her foot was pretty much at the back of my head. Fortunately I was able to change seats. This is a common problem with old theaters, ball parks, and the like. Remember old Yankee stadium? Ever sit in the seats at Fenway Park? You get the idea. People were a lot smaller back then and Count Basie needs to overhaul their balcony/​mezzanine seating.
Also if you’re afraid of heights you will have a problem with sitting up there. As did one of the people. She explained, it was not the height per se, but the slope and the ceiling which adds to the illusion of a great height. There are also no hand rails on the stairs going up higher, and the steps are steeper than most. I imagine people with disabilities, or those who are simply more clumsy, may have a harder time than most.
Downstairs, orchestra level is an entirely different story. While still a bit cramped, it is no where near as bad as the balcony. The downstairs orchestra level is akin to what one would find on an old Broadway theater.
I would certainly catch another show at The Count Basie Theater if I get the chance. However, I would not sit on the upper level at all.