The Count Gets His Court

Just a couple of days ago the lot adjacent to the was little more than a dirt lot, stark and unattractive with a chain link fence surrounding it.

Things change quickly.

In the space of just two days the entire lot has been transformed into an outdoor theater-goers oasis, complete with a large brick patio, bar, an attractive fence, and beautiful landscaping that includes newly planted trees, bushes and flowers, and rows of sod.

In the urban landscape that is downtown Red Bank, you could say this sticks out like a green thumb. 

The name of the new outdoor space: The Count's Court. 

"Looks beautiful, doesn't it," Basie CEO Numa Saisselin asked rhetorically, admiring the new landscaping.

In February of 2011, the Basie earned Planning Board approval to build the outdoor space. It's not just a place for smokers to gather at intermission, but a multi-use three-season outdoor space that serves as a perfect accompaniment to the theater next door.

The landscaping was donated by Siciliano Landscaping, a Red Bank-area landscaper that's been in business for more than 70 years.

"The Count Basie is a Red Bank institution, we're a Red Bank institution, I thought, this is a good way to give back," Owner Karen Siciliano said. 

The patio could open as early as the end of this week. The only possible holdup, Saisselin said, is the installation of doors from the theater to the courtyard. The Basie will unveil the courtyard to the theater community during the theater's annual gala next Friday he said.