Apollo Theater Extends Legacy with Launch of Public Phase
of $20 Million Campaign to Support New Programming
$10 Million Raised to-date for Local, National, and Int’l Programs and
New Initiatives in Development
Apollo’s marks 80th Anniversary Season with a variety of programs showcasing emerging artists and celebrating Apollo legends through a contemporary lens, including:
International Tour of Apollo Theater production, James Brown: Get on the Good Foot
Second annual Africa Now! Festival, celebrating today’s African music scene
Fourth year of Apollo Music Café series, presenting up-and-coming musicians
working in an underground music scene and across genres
Live Wire discussion series exploring Black Style on Stage and Harlem’s Music Legacy: Afro Latin Jazz
The Salon Series, a new works incubation initiative, featuring residency and performances
by Breakin’ Convention artist Jonzi D
Apollo Theater Launches Amateur Night Song Competition, a Contest to
Compose a New Theme Song for the Theater’s Signature Program
Apollo’s Annual Spring Gala to Celebrate Institution’s 80th Birthday will be held June 10, 2014,
Featuring Performances by Smokey Robinson, Natalie Cole, and The Isley Brothers,
Hosted by Wayne Brady
The Apollo Theater today announced the public phase of a $20 million campaign to extend the institution’s role in fostering artistic innovation and in building appreciation of American culture around the world. The Apollo has already raised $10 million towards the $20 million goal of its 21st Century Apollo Campaign with support from the Ford Foundation; Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone;
Time Warner, Inc.; Citi; the Peter Jay Sharp Foundation; and the Apollo Board of Directors; among others.
The Apollo has initiated a range of new programs that support the work of emerging artists, deepen its engagement with its audiences, and expand the Theater’s reach nationally and internationally. The 21st Century Apollo Campaign supports the growth of these initiatives—including the Africa Now! Festival, Apollo Club Harlem, and the institution’s first dance production, James Brown: Get on the Good Foot.
The funds from the 21st Century Apollo Campaign will be used to sustain and expand the Theater’s programming and also its education and community offerings—including the Uptown Hall series, which presents discussions on cultural and civic issues important to the Harlem community and a range of programs for local school children and families. The Campaign will also establish a reserve fund that will invest in the development of new artistic and civic programs, ensuring the Apollo remains a vital cultural center and an artistic and economic cornerstone of Harlem and greater New York.
For the first time in its history the Apollo will present an international tour of its original production James Brown: Get on the Good Foot—A Celebration in Dance. An Apollo dance presentation showcasing Brown’s influence on choreography and music, the production includes new works commissioned from choreographers around the globe. James Brown: Get on the Good Foot is currently touring the U.S. and will begin touring internationally in February 2015, and be presented in cities in Germany, Switzerland, and Luxembourg. Additional information about the tour will be announced in the coming months.
Additionally, the Apollo Theater’s signature program, Amateur Night, will soon have a new theme song. Reflecting both the evolution of the show and its enduring relevance as a catalyst for developing and discovering new talent, the Amateur Night Song Competition challenges musicians from across the country to compose a song that captures the vitality of the show that has launched countless legendary artists since 1934—from Ella Fitzgerald in its very first year to recent winners Machine Gun Kelly, NUMBERS, Matthew Hashimoto, Moses Harper,Matthew Whitaker, and Nathan Foley—and continues to be one of the nation’s most important training grounds for performing artists. The competition is open through February 27, 2014. The contest’s final winner will be chosen—in Amateur Night tradition—by the cheers and boos of the show’s audience on April 30, 2014. More about the competition is available at amateurnight.org/song.
“As we look toward the Apollo’s future, we are continuing to build on our unparalleled legacy of discovering new talent and providing platforms for emerging artists to continue evolving so many of the genres that have been nurtured on our stages,” said Jonelle Procope, President and CEO of the Apollo Theater. “On behalf of the thousands of artists, audience and community members the Apollo serves every day of every year, I’d like to thank everyone who has supported our 21st Century Apollo Campaign to-date, helping ensure a bright and exciting future for the Apollo Theater.”
“As we ask ourselves the question, ‘What’s next?’ we are so proud to continue expanding the work on our stages beyond the music we’re best known for—to dance, theater, comedy, spoken word, and cultural debate—and to bring this work from our home in Harlem to audiences around the nation and the world,” said Mikki Shepard, the Apollo Theater’s Executive Producer. “The Apollo serves as a home for artists at all points in their careers—a place where some of our greatest artists return time and again to hone their craft, and where audiences discover new talent almost every week.”
The Apollo Theater’s signature program, Amateur Night, is also marking eight decades of launching legends. The season kick-off edition of the show, held the evening of January 29th, features special guest Doug E. Fresh and honors artist Chuck Jackson with a plaque on the Apollo’s Walk of Fame. Mr. Jackson joins Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson, Smokey Robinson, Gladys Knight, Stevie Wonder, and Chaka Khan, among others.
APOLLO THEATER SPRING GALA
The Apollo Theater’s Annual Spring Gala will be held the evening of Tuesday, June 10, proceeds from which support the nonprofit theater’s year-round programming. Comedian Wayne Bradywill return as host for the event, which this year, in honor of the Theater’s 80th anniversary, spotlights eight decades of artistic innovation on the Apollo stage. BNY Mellon will be honored for its support of the Apollo, with Chairman and CEO Gerald L. Hassell accepting the Theater’s Corporate Award on the company’s behalf. Apollo Board of Directors Chairman Richard D. Parsons will also be honored for his longstanding service to the Theater. Legends Natalie Cole, The Isley Brothers, and Smokey Robinson will perform, alongside some of contemporary music’s brightest stars. Additional artists and details will be announced in the coming months.
“Positive Spin” television program for January 2014