Count Basie Movie Theater Now Serving Alcohol

RED BANK, NJ — You can now order a glass of wine, beer or canned cocktail the next time you watch a movie at the Basie Center movie theater in Red Bank, which jubilantly announced Tuesday they were just granted a liquor license from the state.

Effective immediately, Basie Center Cinemas will offer alcoholic beverage service to customers aged 21+.

The movie theater has been in operation for more than 70 years on White Street in Red Bank, and is owned by the Count Basie, the legendary live music and performing arts venue just down the street.

Izzy Sackowitz, Count Basie's chief operating officer, called the liquor license "a lifeline" to keep the small movie theater open.

"Like most cinema operations, Basie Center Cinemas has struggled in the post-COVID area — but now, with the opportunity to offer something unique to patrons, optimism is high that Basie Center Cinemas can do even more to promote film, comedy and other types of performances," she said on Tuesday. "This is indeed a lifeline for us, and we intend to do all we can to activate this historic space. We’ll be announcing a Hispanic heritage film festival in coming weeks, along with other events to bring new patrons into the cinema."

You can now order a glass of wine, a local craft beer or a canned cocktail with your next movie. Sackowitz added the theater will try to mostly sell hyper-local booze, from craft breweries and wineries located in New Jersey and on the Jersey Shore.

The cinema applied for its liquor license following the signing of a 2023 law in New Jersey that allowed nonprofit movie theaters dedicated to promoting the performing arts to sell alcohol. That law was a lifeline to keep many independent movie theaters in the state open.

In addition to movies, Basie Center Cinemas is also home to open mic comedy nights, film festivals, the region’s longest-running late-night interactive screenings of "Rocky Horror Picture Show" and Improv Jam, a monthly night of off-the-cuff live comedy.

Basie Center Cinemas is also available to rent for birthday parties, corporate gatherings or other private events.

Movies this week at Basie Center Cinemas:

Wednesday May 8: Half-Priced Wednesdays with reduced admission to "Fall Guy" (Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt; rated PG-13; 7:15PM) and "Challengers" (Zendaya, Josh O’Connor; rated R; 7:15PM)

Thursday May 9: Challengers (4PM), The Fall Guy (3:45PM, 7PM), Improv Jam (7:30PM)

This weekend: Fall Guy continues, along with Wicked Little Letters (Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley; R)