LETTER FROM
ADAM PHILIPSON President & CEO
Count
Basie Center for the Arts
JEREMY GRUNIN Chairperson, Board of Trustees
Count
Basie Center for the Arts
Good Evening and welcome to tonight’s show at the Count Basie Center for the Arts!
It’s a busy and exciting time at the Basie Center. More than ever we are focused on our mission to foster powerful, inclusive artistic experiences and creative exchange of ideas.
We are especially proud of our recent designation on New Jersey’s Black Heritage Trail, a recognition of William J. “Count” Basie’s impact on the performing arts in our state and around the world.
We successfully produced our inaugural New Jersey Hispanic Film Festival, which showcased films by Hispanic filmmakers, a panel discussion and family events as part of Hispanic Heritage Month. And, in partnership with Two River Theater, we launched the Bilingual Workforce Development Program to train Spanish-speaking young adults in the community for roles at each theater, strengthening Red Bank’s workforce and preparing the next generation for jobs in the arts.
The Count Basie Center knows that diversity and inclusion are lifelines to empathetic and impactful storytelling. The Forever for Everyone Endowment campaign helps us increase access to the performing arts and champion our community through critical partnerships. Your support, generosity, and belief in our mission to inspire, educate, and entertain means we can meet the needs of our neighbors and all who seek to enrich their lives through the arts.
Stay tuned… and get ready for a big announcement coming this spring that will no doubt be the celebration of the century!
Thank you – and, as always, enjoy the show!
Jeremy Grunin Chairperson, Board Of Trustees
Count
Basie Center for the Arts
Adam Philipson President / CEO
Count
Basie Center for the Arts
Adam Philipson, President / CEO
Count Basie Center for the Arts
Jeremy Grunin, Chairperson, Board Of Trustees Count Basie Center for the Arts
Count Basie Center for the Arts Mission Statement
The Count Basie Center for the Arts is New Jersey’s premier center for the cultural arts, dedicated to fostering powerful, inclusive artistic experiences and creative exchange of ideas.
The Basie mission is to inspire, educate and entertain through its distinct and engaging cultural and artistic offerings that embrace and amplify the diversity of the region. As a nonprofit organization, the Basie is committed to enriching the community’s quality of life by generating opportunities for participation in the arts, partnering with schools, collaborating with other mission-based organizations and driving regional economic prosperity.
Our Values
A LOVE OF THE ARTS: We affirm the importance and impact of the arts and the courage of artists, through performance, education, outreach, and partnership.
EQUITY: We are committed to advancing inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility for all.
THE VALUE OF ARTS EDUCATION: Arts education is critical to academic success, helps build confidence, empathy, and social connectivity, and should be available to all children and youth regardless of income or background.
COMMUNITY: We place the community we serve at the forefront.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility
ADAPTIVITY: We will be nimble and responsive to new challenges and opportunities.
EXCELLENCE: We strive for exemplary quality in everything we do and endeavor to create a positive, joyful, seamless experience for artists, patrons, and students.
APPRECIATION OF OUR STAFF: We value our employees, strive to promote their professional growth, and cherish the place we all hold within the history of this treasured organization.
PHILANTHROPY: Our love of the Basie Center and everything it represents requires our donors, patrons, and Board members to make increased financial contributions of personal significance now more than ever.
The Count Basie Center’s commitment to being a diverse, equitable and inclusive (DEI) performing arts organization is at the core of our mission to Inspire, Educate and Entertain.
As part of that commitment, the Count Basie Center has established a DEI Task Force comprised of board, staff, and community members. Our purpose is to intentionally embrace and amplify positive change toward diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in every area of our organization, including programming, education, staffing, board recruitment, and community engagement.
The Count Basie Center is determined to provide an inclusive environment in which all who walk through our doors can do so as their most authentic selves. We firmly believe that everyone of all backgrounds and identities deserves access to experience the enrichment that the arts contribute to a full life.
Land Acknowledgement
The Count Basie Center for the Arts recognizes and honors that we stand today on the land once known as “Lenapehoking,” the traditional territory of the Algonquin-speaking Lenni-Lenape Native Americans. Acknowledging this history is part of the Basie Center’s dedication to ensuring that equity, diversity and inclusion are paramount to the organization’s mission and programming.
Count Basie Center for the Arts, a not for profit organization
Count Basie Center Executive Committee of the Board
Jeremy Grunin Chairperson
Stephen Cutler Treasurer
Robin Klein Governance Officer
Stuart Alderoty
Mitch Ansell
Alison Banks-Moore
Tom Bernard
Sarah Bradley
Michael Bruno
Heather Burke
James M. Cadet
Puja Choudhry
Jerry Conaty
Craig Cummings
Michael Parent Co-Vice Chairperson
SoVonna Day-Goins Co-Secretary
Claudia Dulac Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer
Maggie Riker Co-Vice Chairperson
Maria Maher Co-Secretary
Adam Philipson President & Chief Executive Officer, Ex Officio
Count Basie Center Board of Trustees
Mollie Giamanco
Lauren Goldfarb
Delisha Grant
Yvonne Grayson
Jason Jurgens
Steve Kaiman
Nancy Karpf
Marshall Knopf
Mario Monello
Count Basie Center Board of Advisors
Mark Rohl
Peter T. Roselle
Matthew J. Saker
Perry Scaranni
Carol Stillwell
Fran Turner
Joe Wajda
Tom Widener
Darrell Lawrence Willis
Kaye Wise
Edward J. Zipprich
Harry Agnostak • Monmouth County Commissioner Lillian G. Burry • Faith and Warren Diamond • Beth Giannotto • Senator Vin Gopal
Tim Hogan • Senator Joseph Kyrillos, (Ret.) • Russell J. Lucas • James Marhold • Ed McKenna • Raymond Moser
Nancy Mulheren • Patti Scialfa-Springsteen • Pat Scire • Karen Siciliano • Peter B. Seligman • David A. Springsteen
Larry Sykoff • Maureen Van Zandt • Steven Van Zandt • Hugh Ward • Al Weiss
President & Chief Executive Officer: Adam Philipson
Executive Assistant/Project Coordinator: Jennifer Lee
DEVELOPMENT
Senior Director of Development: Lysa J. Israel
Membership Manager: Cindy Jimenez
Sponsorship Manager and VIP Liaison: Kelly Schmidt
Development Events Manager: Gabriella LaFata
Development Database Coordinator: Wilma Porter
EDUCATION
Senior Director of Education & Outreach: Samantha Giustiniani
Director of Education: Jessica O’Brien
Music Programs Manager: Dr. Laura Petillo
Arts Education and Outreach Manager: Anthony Greco
School Programs and Partnerships Manager: Kenya Bullock
Education Associate: Christopher Harrison
FINANCE
Chief Financial Officer &
Vice President of Finance: Karen Franklin
Finance Manager: Kitti Mosolygo
Finance Coordinator – A/R: Angela Stern
Finance Coordinator – A/P & Bar Coordinator: Cassandra Worman
MARKETING
Chief Marketing Officer: Jonathan E. Vena
Marketing Director: Stefanie Moelius
Interactive Marketing Manager: Nina DeGori
Senior Creative Director: Andrew Musser
Video Content Producer: Alexandra Morris
Graphic Designer: Amy Wojtowicz
HUMAN RESOURCES
Senior Human Resources Director: Ann Marie Keenan
Human Resources Assistant: Jazmin Graham
Administrative Assistant: Kevin McGee
OPERATIONS
Chief Operating Officer: Izzy Sackowitz
Venue Operations Manager: Andrea Morreale
Operations Assistant: Alyssa Santiago
House Manager: Presley Cannella
Assistant House Manager: Christopher Harrison
Assistant House Manager: Kim Kutschman
Senior Facilities Director: Chris Lomazzo
Facilities Assistant: Greg Trapanese
Maintenance Assistant: Sofia Gonzalez
Technical Director: Michael Jacoby
Phoenix Artistic Producing Director: James Grausam
Assistant Technical Director: Kyle Santopadre
Stage Manager: Greg Wilkens
Production Manager, The Vogel: Charlie Christensen
Assistant Production Manager, The Vogel: Emily Lovell
Bar Manager: Art Veglia
Assistant Bar Manager: Brendan Crosby
House Crew: Brandon Asraf, Daniel Gibson
Cinema Manager: Raphael Silva
Security Supervisor: Butch Neis
Security Supervisor: Ron Neis
BOX OFFICE
Director, Ticketing & Venue Engagement: Matt Laiks
Box Office Manager: Yolande Ruggiero
Representatives: Natalie Bilella, Carly Brach, Lisa Cohn, Elizabeth Long, Sydney Lowenstein, Donna Peger, Kristina Z.
PROFESSIONAL ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Accounting: WithumSmith+Brown, PC, Karen Kowgios
Insurance: NPPG, Inc.
National Trust Insurance Services, LLC
Legal: Ansell, Grimm & Aaron Giordano, Halleran & Ciesla, P.C
Production Sound: ACIR Professional
Technical Support: ACA Computers
Transportation: Royal Limousine
History
Originally opened in 1926 as Reade’s Carlton Theater, the Count Basie Center for the Arts is one of the nation’s most celebrated performing arts centers. The Basie is listed on the National Register of Historic Places in America, consistently recognized by Pollstar magazine as one of the nation’s top performing live event venues, and everyone from Tony Bennett and Bruce Springsteen to Ringo Starr and William J. “Count” Basie himself have performed on its historic stage. In fact, Bennett has called the Basie “my favorite place.” Art Garfunkel once remarked, “This hall is to a singer what Steinway is to a pianist.” And Lyle Lovett, a frequent Basie Center performer, has long praised its historic theater, making a point to tell his audiences “this is one of the nicest sounding rooms in the whole United States of America.”
For 40+ years, Reade’s Carlton Theater hosted everything from vaudeville to films, local theatre, touring productions, concerts and more. By the mid-1960s, like so many treasured, architectural wonders of the gilded age, the Carlton fell into disrepair, forgotten against the rise of shopping malls, home television and multi-theater cineplexes.
In 1971, funding from the Junior League of Monmouth County and New Jersey State Council on the Arts helped create the Monmouth County Arts Council (MCAC). With an eye on preserving the past, the MCAC almost immediately focused on preserving the Carlton.
In 1973, an anonymous donation allowed the MCAC to purchase the Carlton for just $96,665 — several hundred thousand dollars less than it cost to construct 47 years earlier. A press release heralded,“The Monmouth County Arts Council has received an anonymous gift from a foundation enabling it to purchase the Carlton Theatre in Red Bank, with the stipulation that the theater be renovated into an attractive and functional arts center for the entire county.” Along with the donation came a new name: the Monmouth Arts Center.
Thanks to the MCAC and an ever-growing area music scene, the Monmouth Arts Center became viable. In August 1974, just months after then-Rolling Stone journalist Jon Landau proclaimed him “the future of rock and roll,” local musician Bruce Springsteen and his E Street Band took the historic stage. A year later, just weeks after Springsteen appeared on the covers of both Time and Newsweek magazines, the band returned for a performance dubbed “The Homecoming.”
Decades before Bruce Springsteen, however, another area musician – jazz artist William J. “Count” Basie – established himself as one of music’s all-time greats. In 1961, just weeks after performing for President John F. Kennedy’s inauguration, Basie made a homecoming performance at the Carlton, drawing more than 1,700 fans in the theater’s seats and glass-lined lobby. Basie returned several times in the years to follow: in 1974 for a concert held in honor of his 70th birthday, and for a 1979 performance to benefit Shrewsbury’s A.M.E. Zion Church. Just weeks after the death of his wife Catherine in 1983, Basie made his final appearance at the theater. Less than a year later, the jazz legend succumbed to cancer.
In November 1984, just six months removed from his death, the Monmouth Arts Center was renamed to honor Basie, then wholly recognized as Red Bank’s most famous son.
In years to come, the Basie Center would establish itself as a nonprofit organization, with a mission to Inspire, Educate and Entertain through its distinct and engaging cultural and artistic offerings that amplify and embrace the diversity of the region.
The Basie’s Academy of the Arts has yielded stars in music and Broadway, and its work in area schools to promote the arts in education has been recognized throughout the state of New Jersey. A monumental interior restoration was completed in 2008, funded in part by a performance by Springsteen and the E-Street Band.The project restored the theater to its original, Neoclassical Revivalstyle, 1926 luster. Two years later, the building’s iconic façade was restored.
In 2018, the Count Basie name was elevated to represent the entire center for the arts, reflecting its celebrated $26 million capital campaign and the goal of expanding the facility into a block-long creative campus.Today, that expansion is complete, with the Grunin Arts and Education Building housing rehearsal studios, classrooms and a home for the Basie Center Academy, along with The Vogel, the Basie Center’s new state-of-the-art performance venue. On the facility’s east side, our spacious, glass-lined lobby features new concessions and restroom facilities and barrier-free amenities and upgrades. The warm glow of the lobby shines upon the beautiful Stillwell-Larkin Pavilion, which offers entrance to the William and Catherine Basie Arts Plaza. And our historic theatre, named to commemorate Hackensack Meridian Health’s investment in the future of the Basie Center, is as beautiful and grand as ever.
As we approach our 100th anniversary, the Count Basie Center for the Arts aims to be the premier center for the performing arts and arts education. As a nonprofit organization, the Basie is committed to creating opportunities for participation and understanding the arts by collaborating with creators, organizations, and schools, and as a catalyst to harnessing the economic vitality of the arts and enriching our region’s quality of life.
Photo courtesy of Kathy Dorn Severini / Dorn’s Classic Images dornsclassicimages.com (Used by permission)
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Thanks for putting art in the heart of the community
Thanks for putting art in the
Thanks
Thanks for putting art in the heart of the community
for
heart of the community
putting art in the heart of the community
Bank of America recognizes Count Basie Center for the Arts for its success in bringing the arts to performers and audiences throughout the community. We commend you on creating an opportunity for all to enjoy and share a cultural experience.
Bank of America recognizes Count Basie Center for the Arts for its success in bringing the arts to performers and audiences throughout the community. We commend you on creating an opportunity for all to enjoy and share a cultural experience.
Visit us at bankofamerica.com/about.
Bank of America recognizes Count Basie Center for the Arts for its success in bringing the arts to performers and audiences throughout the community. We commend you on creating an opportunity for all to enjoy and share a cultural experience.
Visit us at bankofamerica.com/about.
Bank of America recognizes Count Basie Center for the Arts for its success in bringing the arts to performers and audiences throughout the community. We commend you on creating an opportunity for all to enjoy and share a cultural experience.
Visit us at bankofamerica.com/about.
Visit us at bankofamerica.com/about.
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Theater Productions
Dynamic Music Opportunities
The Spongebob Musical, Spring 2024 Guitarists at CBA's Winter 2023 Concert
PROUD SUPPORTERS OF COUNT BASIE CENTER FOR THE ARTS
by William Shakespeare Adapted and Directed by Noelle Marion
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE
GIRL
OPEN HOUSES:
Saturday, October 5, 2024
Wednesday, November 6, 2024
ENTRANCE EXAMS:
Saturday, October 19, 2024
Saturday, November 16, 2024
Saturday, January 25, 2025
L IMITLESS LEADERS LOYAL LEARNERS LIVELY LOGICAL LOVED
Corporate Partnership Opportunities
The Count Basie Center offers a wide variety of Corporate Partnership Opportunities and can create a sponsorship program tailored to your company’s marketing, entertaining and/or advertising needs.
Corporate Sponsorship Availability:
• Naming Opportunities
• Performance and event series sponsorships
• Corporate Marketing Sponsorships
• Special Event Sponsorships
Corporate Experience Sponsorship:
• A Concierge Ticket Service with Ticket Bank
• VIP Access to the Diamond Lounge
• Entertainment Opportunities
• Show Sponsorship
• Complimentary parking when available
Marketing Opportunities:
• E-mail Blasts
• Interactive Logo on the Count Basie Center Website
• Logo on the In-Theatre Multimedia Display
• Your Corporate Name on the Marquee
• Showtime Advertising
Be Part of the Basie
Of all the forms of media, partnership sponsorships are the only marketing platform that provides companies the opportunity to create an emotional connection with their customers, gaining share of heart as well as share of mind. The Count Basie Center offers the best entertaining experience for you, your employees and guests. It is coupled with an enormous opportunity to get your brand name in the homes, hearts and minds of tens of thousands of Monmouth, Ocean and Middlesex County residents.
Count Basie Center’s Corporate Partners
THE COUNT BASIE CENTER WOULD LIKE TO THANK ITS CORPORATE PARTNERS FOR THEIR SUPPORT!
CORPORATE SPONSORS
Ansell, Grimm & Aaron
Bella Kitchen NJ
Bistro Restaurant
Coca-Cola
Fedway Associates
Food Circus
Supermarkets Inc
Gallo Wines of NJ
Grunin Foundation
Gia Maione Prima Foundation
The Monmouth County Board of County Commissioners
OceanFirst Bank
Pazzo Restaurant
Peapack Private Ranney School
Red Bank River Center
Stillwell-Hansen
Triumph Brewing Co.
Urban Coalhouse Pizza + Bar World Subaru
CORPORATE EXPERIENCE
Bank of America
D&M Enterprise Group
Gannett Fleming Inc.
Law Offices of Paone, Zaleski & Murphy
Nissan City of Red Bank
GOLD EXPERIENCE
Lenny August and Ciro Laezza
Cheryl and Timothy Cuddihy
Dragonfly Agency
Robert E. Evanson and Cynthia Bajorek
Gill & Chamas, LLC
Golden Dome Foundation
Jason and Maria Jurgens
Gregory and Cathy Lyden
David Rivera
The Sivo Family
Laura Sperber
DISTINGUISHED GUESTS
Paul & Joan Bartoli
Eileen Carton
Heather Burke and Colin Day
Dominick and Marlene Cipollini
Columbian Towers Development Co.
John and Maria Crowley
Craig Cummings
Jonathan D’Agostino
Frank & Tricia D’Orazio
Joanne & James Formisano
Nancy & Tom Gravina
Guttenplan Family Foundation
Richard & Fran Habib
Donald Hearn
HFA Certified Public Accountants & Advisors
Nancy Karpf
The Ketterer Family Foundation
Carmela and Anthony Lauto
Edward McKenna
The Molly Pitcher Inn & Oyster Point Hotel
Thomas O’Brien
Sean O’Connell
PNC Wealth Management
The Pinto Family
Karen and Thomas Pizzo
Andy and Maria Polansky
Maggie Riker
RBC Wealth Management
David Roslonski
Alex & Thomas Skove
Greg and Heather Slavin
Chris Tubby
Sheldon Vogel
Jennifer Barr Whaley
Kaye & Ed Wise
World Subaru
Chris Young
General Information
FIRE NOTICE: The exit indicated by a red light and sign nearest to the seat you occupy is the shortest route to the street. In the event of fire or another emergency please do not run, WALK TO THAT EXIT. Please follow the directions of the House Staff. If you become aware of a medical or other emergency, please inform the House Staff immediately.
FOOD AND BEVERAGE: Food and beverages are permitted inside Basie Center venues. Please help maintain the facility as an asset for this community by disposing of your own trash in the lobby receptacles. Please use the blue recycling receptacles for plastic bottles and cups.
PHOTOGRAPHY AND RECORDING: Possession and/ or use of devices for photographic, audio, video or electronic recording, reproduction or transmission of performances is prohibited. Such equipment may be confiscated. Violators may be ejected and/or held liable for monetary damages.
CELL PHONES: Please turn off smart watches, cell phones and other audible devices during performances.
RESTROOMS: Restrooms are located throughout the facility. Accessible restrooms are located on both levels of the new Grand Lobby and The Vogel.
ACCESSIBILITY: Please inform the box office of any special arrangements you require when purchasing tickets. An assistive listening system for the hearing impaired is available from the house Manager. Large print programs are available on request. Accessible restrooms are located on both levels of the new Grand Lobby on the historic theater side, and on both levels at The Vogel. The Basie Center does not have its own parking lot. A permit-only accessible parking space is available directly in front of the Basie Center, and across the street in the municipal parking lot of Borough Hall.
BOX OFFICE: The box office is located to the right of the lobby doors as you face the building. Box office hours vary by day and are posted at theBASIE.org. Names, addresses and phone numbers are required of all ticket buyers to verify payment and to contact you in the event of a cancellation. Cash, check, VISA, MasterCard, Discover and American Express are accepted. All sales are final. No refunds or exchanges. Additional service charges apply. Purchase tickets by phone at 732.842.9000 or online at www.thebasie.org.
PARKING: Please observe all parking regulations and signage, and avoid parking in private lots or blocking our neighbors’ driveways. Optimal public parking is at the Red Bank Train Station, located two blocks west on Monmouth Street, and in the large municipal lot located one block east between Monmouth and White Streets.
LOST AND FOUND: Ask for the house manager during a performance, or call the administrative office the next business day at 732.224.8778 x105.
FACILITY RENTAL: The Count Basie Center is available to rent for special occasions, performances, fundraisers, corporate functions and other events. A wide variety of support services are available including artist bookings and event planning. For more information, visit www. thebasie.org/rent, or call 732.224.8778.
WEBSITE: www.TheBASIE.org features online ticket sales, complete event listings for Hackensack Meridian Health Theatre and The Vogel, Basie Center membership registration, information on sponsorships and advertising, links to Basie Center social media pages and more.
MAILING LIST: Add your name to the Basie Center mailing list www.TheBASIE.org
Proximity Parking
Paid Parking. Availability varies by show, and information on parking for your event may not be available until a few weeks before show time. Check back to theBASIE.org after you’ve purchased your tickets to see if Proximity Parking has become available.
Count Basie Center
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