So, when we heard that the Basie was being closed for renovations from July to October, we were first bummed, but then excited. While this would mean Kevin wouldn’t have a chance to hit this great spot over the summer, we were hopeful to see what would come after the place re-opened.

So, here’s the good news – Kevin will be appearing at the Count Basie LIVE, one night only — Friday, November 7th, at 7:00 PM. This being a Friday night, it’s going to be a BIG show, considering it kicks off the weekend. Also, it’s likely to sell out fast. For this one, it’s not a question of IF it will sell out, but WHEN, and how quickly.

TICKETS ARE NOW ON SALE! BUY THEM NOW BEFORE THEY SELL OUT!

Prices range from $25 for the balcony all the way up to $75 for those nifty front of theater seats.

The show is scheduled for just one week after the current planned release date for “Zack And Miri Make a Porno”, so it’s likely that Kevin will have a lot to say about the film — And will hopefully be celebrating from a big week of box office grosses!

We’re not going to miss this one and neither should you. Buy your tickets TODAY and be among the first to see the beatifully restored interior of the Count Basie Theater in Red Bank. You don’t wanna miss a Smith in Red Bank show! See ya there. And please, buy today. You don’t want these tix to go extinct on ya.

So since we’re down to 1:45, I’m not really hunting for cuts anymore. That means the proposed board screening akin to the pair we had for “Clerks II” won’t be happening.

Instead, we’re heading straight into the actual test screening process. Mid-May, we’ll be taking “Zack and Miri” to a midwest movie-plex and test driving her for the masses.

I feel pretty good about our chances. Everyone who’s seen it thus far (roughly 50 to 60 people now) have been way into it. Now’s as good a time as any to start the next leg of the journey: locking picture. If the test screening goes well, and if our MPAA screening at month’s end doesn’t throw us back into the editing room, we’ll use June and July to tie everything up – which would mean we’d be done and ready for a possible trip to the Toronto Film Festival before our 10/31 theatrical release.

I’ve got the internet teasers cut and ready to go (look for 4/28 bow for the first one, end of May for the second) and I just finished a cut of the theatrical trailer as well.

I think all of you are gonna dig the flick.

We remain impressed at the different approach Kevin is taking with film marketing as far as the web goes. Spoilers and plot details on the movie have been kept to a bare minimum, and we STILL have yet to see any live footage from the finished product. That will all change at the end of this month, of course, when the first internet trailer arrives online, though we’re betting that Kevin will still keep his comments to a minimum. If you’re looking for plot, you’ll want to join us all in cinemas this October. Here’s crossing our fingers for the most successful View Askew Production ever this fall.