Over the River for Sinbad, Lidia Bastianich, Maureen McGovern

Foodies, comedy lovers, and fans of 1960s protest tunes have something to look forward to seeing over the river from on Red Bank's stages this week.

Whether it's Sinbad, or Lidia Bastianich, or Maureen McGovern, there's something for you at the and  theaters.

On Friday, Sinbad comes to town. Remember Sinbad? Currently the comedian is the reality star of We TV’s reality show Sinbad: It’s Just Family. He is one of Comedy Central’s Top 100 Stand-up Comedians of All Time.

A preacher’s son, a veteran and a collegiate basketball player for Denver, Sinbad uses the trials and tribulations of everyday life as the basis for his comedy. His starring film roles include Jingle All the Way, Houseguest, First Kid, and Necessary Roughness. Notable TV roles include A Different World, The Sinbad Show, and Celebrity Apprentice.

He has also hosted SNL and Showtime at the Apollo, and starred in several Comedy Central and HBO comedy specials.

The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra performs the best of the Gypsy spirit on Saturday. According to a "food-on-the-brain" release, the show includes "Gypsy-inspired delicacies, with a dash of paprika to enliven the senses and a dollop of cream to soothe the palate. Passionate, rustic melodies get the haute-cuisine treatment from these top musical chefs of Austria, France, Germany, Hungary and Spain."

Foodies are in for a treat when Lidia Bastianich takes the stage Sunday. The critically acclaimed chef, television host, and author Lidia Bastianich comes to the Basie. She will share stories from her childhood, her immigration to America, first restaurant opening (at the age of just 19), how she made her debut on Public Television, and, ultimately, her love affair with Italian food.

Hear Lidia’s stories while she cooks up some of her favorite dishes. Lidia’s latest series and book, Lidia’s Italy in America, celebrates Italian immigrants on a journey toward uncovering the Italian American story of food.

If you're a fan of the television series Top Chef you'll remember Bastianich being especially fond of roasted chicken. Be sure to ask her about that if you go.

In commemoration of National Jazz Month, the Basie hosts Talkin' Jazz: An evening with WBGO Jazz Radio's Gary Walker.

Gary Walker is the morning jazz host on WBGO, conveying his love for the spontaneity and passion of jazz to listeners for over 22 years. Winner of the 1996 Gavin Magazine Jazz Radio Personality of the Year Award, he was a finance major at the University of Texas who graduated with a degree in mass media, and continued his studies at the University of Akron Ohio, where he was a radio announcer on the school’s jazz radio station.

He’s been at WBGO ever since landing a job there just five weeks after moving to the NYC-NJ area.

Each April, the nonprofit Jazz Arts Project presents a series of talks by jazz luminaries at the Count Basie Theatre. These talks serve as a great introduction to jazz for novices, or as a wonderful extension of knowledge for connoisseurs. The lectures are free, and take place on Monday evenings at 7 p.m. 

At Two River Theater Maureen McGovern performs her showcase Carry it On for several shows this week.

In a career spanning 40 years, two-time Grammy nominee McGovern has been hailed as “the Stradivarius voice” and acclaimed for her concerts and Oscar-winning/gold records, as well as her theatrical performances on Broadway.

In her powerful musical memoir, Carry It On, she brings her story to life with extraordinary interpretations of the songs of her generation — music by the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Carole King, Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, and many others

On Monday it's two great tastes, food and music, coming together at Two River Theater.

Red Bank Flavour, a culinary campaign driven by the borough’s top chefs,
restaurateurs and proprietors, sponsors this event in partnership with the Two
River Theater Company to present Broadway in Red Bank on Monday, April 16.

The event will take place at the Two River Theater Company and include a
palatable selection of cuisine from Red Bank’s hottest restaurants and must-see
cabaret performances from Broadway’s rising stars.

Proceeds from the evening will benefit Red Bank Flavour and the town’s two non-profit theaters, Two River Theater Company and The Count Basie Theatre.

Be sure to check it out.

At Count Basie:

• Sinbad — Friday, April 13 at 8 p.m.

• New Jersey Symphony Orchestra — Saturday, April 14 at 8 p.m.

• Lidia Bastianich — Sunday, April 15 at 3 p.m.

• Talkin' Jazz — Monday, April 16 at 7 p.m.

At Two River Theater:

• Carry it On — Wednesday through Sunday, show times vary

• Broadway in Red Bank — Monday, April 16 at 6 p.m.

Check out countbasietheatre.org and trtc.org for relevant pricing, seating and how to purchase tickets.