The Apollo Theatre Celebrates 75 Years!!

The Apollo
Theatre, a gem of Harlem known for its amateur night, is celebrating
its 75th anniversary this year with a series of events, including a
lecture series, panel discussions, concerts, a gala evening on June 8
and the opening of a new production of the musical Dreamgirls in
November. Amateur night at the Apollo has launched the careers of
countless musicians, including Smokie Robinson, James Brown, the Isley
Brothers, Luther Vandross and Michael Jackson. They earned their spurs
at the legendary talent contest, which to this day takes place every
Wednesday and draws tourists from all over the world. Anyone can enter
and the cheapest tickets cost just 7.50 dollars.

In her
autobiography, The Lady Sings the Blues, jazz singer Billie Holiday
said the audience at the theatre was like no other in the world. It
shows no mercy. Contestants who don’t find favour are booed off the
stage and other insults are hurled from the upper rows. However, those
whose ability and charm are convincing on the stage are rewarded with
warm enthusiasm.

The Apollo Theatre on 125th Street, in the
heart of Harlem, was considered a phenomenon from its opening in 1934.
At a time when segregation was the norm in the United States, it was
one of the first establishments where blacks were permitted to be both
on stage and sit in the audience. Overnight it became an incubator of
black talent, whether jazz, blues, comedy, dance and rhythm and blues.

“The
Apollo is shorthand for both American and African-American culture, ”
said John Breglio, producer of the new production of Dreamgirls in a
recent article in the New York Times. “It’s the birthplace for music in
this country. It resonated with us because ‘Dreamgirls’ is a snapshot
of the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s American music culture.”

The opening scene of Dreamgirls, a story about a girl singing group loosely based on the Supremes, takes place at the Apollo.

The
theatre’s motto, Where Stars Are Born and Legends Are Made, still
stands today. Jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald was the tender age of 17 when
she tried out at there. According to legend, she wanted to perform a
dance, but her knees shook so badly that she chose to sing. She won the
talent competition, collected 25 dollars and performed at the theatre
the rest of the week. Band leader Chick Webb saw her and hired her on
the spot.

Occasionally, Apollo audiences err in their
judgement. Brown, who later became known as the Godfather of Soul, was
mercilessly booed off the stage in his first appearance at the Apollo
in 1952. Billy Mitchell, resident historian and tour guide at the
theatre, said the audience didn’t like him.

“This crowd is
brutal, ” Mitchell told the New York Times. “You have to have the full
package for this crowd.” Perhaps he failed to rub the Tree of Hope for
good luck that night. The stump what’s left of an elm tree that once
stood on Seventh Avenue and was considered lucky by the entertainers.
Brown found his way despite his failure at the Apollo. He ultimately
returned to enjoy ovations from the audience, and 10 years later his
album Live at the Apollo is the proof.

In 1983, the Apollo
received landmark status from the city of New York. Under a renovation
project begun in 2001 the theatre’s 1, 500 seats have been
reupholstered, the terracotta facade and distinctive sign have been
restored and the stage has been rebuilt. The final lobby restoration
has been postponed because only about half the 96 million dollars
needed for the project has been raised.