As part of the festival, the Apollo will feature a Live Wire conversation, Hazel Scott: The Darling of Café Society, part of the Apollo’s popular series that honors iconic individuals who have impacted the Theater’s history. Karen Chilton, author of “Hazel Scott: The Pioneering Journey of a Jazz Pianist,” will lead this celebration of Scott with special guests, Damien Sneed and Camille Thurman. Returning this year to the festival, WOW: Teen Summit will dissect gender politics and how it impacts girls and young women of color. Through performances from singer, songwriter and spoken-word artist Brianna Knight and singer Alyssa Martinez and a panel discussion moderated by reporter and producer Kay Angrum with community activists Akia S. Callum, Malaysia Freeman, and Hebh Jamal, audience members will be encouraged as a collective to take action towards their goals. The Festival will close with Apollo Film Presents: ImageNation’s Cocktails & Sol Cinema, featuring short films by women from around the world in speculative fiction, sci-fi, fantasy and folklore. Additional details and a complete WOW Festival line-up will be announced at a later date. WOW Apollo is presented in partnership with The WOW Foundation.

TICKET INFO:
Tickets for WOW (Women of the World), the live, virtual, two-day event start at $15 (through March 13), $20 for the week of the event (March 14-21) and are available now via www.apollotheater.org

ABOUT THE APOLLO THEATER
The legendary Apollo Theater—the soul of American culture—plays a vital role in cultivating emerging artists and launching legends. Since its founding, the Apollo has served as a center of innovation and a creative catalyst for Harlem, the city of New York, and the world.

With music at its core, the Apollo’s programming extends to dance, theater, spoken word, and more. This includes the world premiere of the theatrical adaptation of Master Artist-in-Residence Ta-Nehisi Coates’s Between the World and Me and the New York premiere of the opera We Shall Not Be Moved; special programs such as the blockbuster concert Bruno Mars Live at the Apollo; 100: The Apollo Celebrates Ella; and the annual Africa Now! Festival. The non-profit Apollo Theater is a performing arts presenter, commissioner, and collaborator that also produces festivals; large-scale dance and musical works organized around a set of core initiatives that celebrate and extend the Apollo’s legacy through a contemporary lens, including the Women of the World (WOW) Festival; as well as other multidisciplinary collaborations with partner organizations.

Since introducing the first Amateur Night contests in 1934, the Apollo Theater has served as a testing ground for new artists working across a variety of art forms and has ushered in the emergence of many new musical genres—including jazz, swing, bebop, R&B, gospel, blues, soul, and hip-hop. Among the countless legendary performers who launched their careers at the Apollo are Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, Luther Vandross, H.E.R., D’Angelo, Lauryn Hill, Machine Gun Kelly, and Miri Ben Ari; and the Apollo’s forward-looking artistic vision continues to build on this legacy. For more information about the Apollo, visit www.ApolloTheater.org.

ABOUT THE WOW FOUNDATION
WOW – Women of the World Festival is a global movement launched by Jude Kelly, CBE at Southbank Centre London in 2010. To date, The WOW Foundation has reached over 2 million people worldwide with its groundbreaking programs for change, including the WOW Festival.

The WOW Foundation produces WOW festivals across the world to celebrate women and girls, take a frank look at what prevents them from achieving their potential, and raise awareness globally of the issues they face while focusing on possible solutions. It is the biggest, most comprehensive, and most significant festival dedicated to presenting work by women and promoting equality for women and girls.

https://www.thewowfoundation.com/

SUPPORT
Apollo WOW 2021 is made possible by leadership support from Coca-Cola, Citi, Sherman Fairchild Foundation, Ford Foundation, Howard Gilman Foundation, the Jerome L. Greene Arts Access Fund in the New York Community Trust, HBO, and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Public support for the Apollo Theater is provided by the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature, and from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

Leadership support for the Apollo New Works initiative provided by the Ford Foundation.

Apollo Education Programs provided by the Ronald O. Perelman Family Foundation, BNY Mellon, Fund II, Hearst Foundations, the Jerome L. Greene Arts Access Fund in the New York Community Trust, The Pinkerton Foundation. Generous support from Apollo EmpowHer, Conscious Kids Inc., Con Edison, Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation, Ellis L. Phillips Foundation, The Reginald F. Lewis Foundation, and public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature, and from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, with special support from New York City Council Members Bill Perkins and Mark Levine.

# # #

For more information, please contact:
Fatima Jones, Sr. Director of Communications, Apollo Theater press@apollotheater.org

Jennifer Williams, J Sharpe Agency PR, Jennifer@jsharpeagency.com | 310.692.1153

The post ELAINE WELTEROTH, NIKKI GIOVANNI, AUNJANUE ELLIS, BEVY SMITH, HARRIETTE COLE, DIONNE FARRIS, ADELINE & MORE TO TAKE PART IN THE 2021 WOW – WOMEN OF THE WORLD VIRTUAL FESTIVAL MARCH 20TH – MARCH 21ST appeared first on Good News!.

Apollo Theater Education Presents

ARETHA!

As Part of the Live Wire Series

Tuesday, December 15 at 6:30 pm

WHAT: On Tuesday, December 15, The Apollo Theater Education Program’s Live Wire series continues to honor iconic artists who have impacted arts and culture, paying tribute to the Queen of Soul and Apollo Legend Aretha Franklin.

Writer and cultural critic Emily Lordi will lead a discussion celebrating Franklin and the understudied subject of her musicianship, along with nationally-renowned experts on the history, development, and cultural meaning of African American music. Panelists include Professor Fredara Hadley, DJ Lynnée Denise, and Professor Portia Maultsby.

As the initiator of a cultural revolution and one of the most charted women in music history, Aretha Franklin’s impact is truly immeasurable. From her gospel singing roots to GRAMMY Award wins, this panel explores the genius and beloved voice that captured America.

The program is part of the Apollo’s all-digital fall season. As a non-profit organization, the Apollo depends on the generous funding from donors, foundations, and the community at large. Please consider donating to the Apollo Theater in support of these free virtual programs. To do so, please visit https://www.apollotheater.org/donate.

WHERE: The Apollo Live Wire programs will stream live on the Apollo Digital Stage (https://www.apollotheater.org/digitalstage/) and the Apollo’s Facebook page. Following the livestream, recordings of the events will be accessible on the Apollo Digital Stage. To RSVP for this free program, visit
https://www.apollotheater.org/event/apollo-live-wire-aretha/

WHEN: Tuesday, December 15 at 6:30 pm ET

ABOUT THE APOLLO THEATER
The legendary Apollo Theater—the soul of American culture—plays a vital role in cultivating emerging artists and launching legends. Since its founding, the Apollo has served as a center of innovation and a creative catalyst for Harlem, the city of New York, and the world.

With music at its core, the Apollo’s programming extends to dance, theater, spoken word, and more. This includes the world premiere of the theatrical adaptation of Ta-Nehisi Coates’s Between the World and Me and the New York premiere of the opera We Shall Not Be Moved; special programs such as the blockbuster concert Bruno Mars Live at the Apollo; 100: The Apollo Celebrates Ella; and the annual Africa Now! Festival. The non-profit Apollo Theater is a performing arts presenter, commissioner, and collaborator that also produces festivals, large-scale dance and musical works organized around a set of core initiatives that celebrate and extend the Apollo’s legacy through a contemporary lens, including the Women of the World (WOW) Festival as well as other multidisciplinary collaborations with partner organizations.

Since introducing the first Amateur Night contests in 1934, the Apollo Theater has served as a testing ground for new artists working across a variety of art forms and has ushered in the emergence of many new musical genres—including jazz, swing, bebop, R&B, gospel, blues, soul, and hip-hop. Among the countless legendary performers who launched their careers at the Apollo are Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, Luther Vandross, H.E.R., D’Angelo, Lauryn Hill, Machine Gun Kelly and Miri Ben Ari; and the Apollo’s forward-looking artistic vision continues to build on this legacy. For more information about the Apollo, visit www.ApolloTheater.org.

# # #

For more information, please contact:
press@apollotheater.org

If you would rather not receive future communications from Apollo Theater, let us know by clicking here.
Apollo Theater, 253 West 125th Street, New York, NY 10027 United States

The post A Deep Dive into the Artistry of Aretha Franklin – Apollo Theater Live Wire – Dec. 15, 6:30pm appeared first on Good News!.

ADCOLOR at the Apollo, Featuring Wyclef Jean

ADCOLOR announces details of its second annual After Dark concert

NEW YORK, August 19, 2020 — ADCOLOR, the premier organization dedicated to celebrating and promoting professionals of color and diversity in the creative industries, today announced its 2020 After Dark event will feature a virtual concert by Grammy Award-winning artist Wyclef Jean at the Apollo Theater. The event will close out the ADCOLOR Everywhere conference and mark Wyclef’s first-ever, complete performance of his Grammy-nominated, Double Platinum album, The Carnival. The historic performance, free of charge, will be streamed live from the Apollo stage starting at 8pm EST on September 9, 2020.

“After such a successful ADCOLOR After Dark concert last year, we knew we had to bring the experience back for this year’s virtual event,” said Tiffany R. Warren, Founder and President of ADCOLOR. “It’s truly a remarkable moment for our organization to partner with the Apollo on it, and it’s all the more iconic with Wyclef doing his first-ever complete performance of The Carnival. I’m here for it, and I know our community will be too.”

Released in 1997, The Carnival features a revolutionary mix of Haitian creole, rap, world music and pop. The debut album, which includes well-known singles “Guantanamera” and “Gone Till November”, received a nomination for Best Rap Album at the 40th Grammy Awards and peaked at number four on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Nearly 25 years later, The Carnival continues to be a poignant example of Wyclef’s musicality and his influence on the music industry at large.

“Stepping on the Apollo stage back in 1996 accomplished one of the greatest goals I had as a young Fugee, so it really feels like I’m coming home by having the opportunity to perform at the theater again,” said Haitian American rapper, musician and actor, Wyclef Jean. “I’ve been wanting to do a complete performance of The Carnival for a while now, and I’m excited that I’m able to combine energies with the Apollo and ADCOLOR to pull it off. All three of us are here to celebrate culture, diversity and the Black American experience, and we’re ready to provide a historic performance that does just that.”

In addition to being ADCOLOR’s second annual After Dark event, the concert will serve as the Apollo Theater’s fall 2020 season opener.

“We are thrilled that Wyclef Jean is returning to the Apollo Stage, 24 years since his very first performance in 1996, to celebrate his boundary-pushing album,” said Apollo Theater Executive Producer Kamilah Forbes. “For more than eight decades, the Apollo has been a beacon of Black creativity and provided a home to diverse voices. We are excited to partner with ADCOLOR to share his historic performance with the Apollo family and audiences around the globe as we kick off our fall season.”

The historic event will be streamed live to audiences everywhere via ADCOLOR’s virtual event site, Facebook, YouTube and Twitch, as well as the Apollo’s Digital Stage. For additional information, please continue to visit https://adcoloreverywhere.virtualeventsite.com and follow @adcolor on social media.

ABOUT ADCOLOR

ADCOLOR® is a not-for-profit 501(c) (6) organization whose mission is to celebrate and champion diversity in the creative industries. Our process is twofold. First, we help individuals and organizations RISE UP, letting their accomplishments and ideas shine. Then we teach these new leaders and would-be-mentors how to REACH BACK and find others who deserve to be noticed and promoted. Our goal is to create a community of diverse professionals who are here to support and uplift one another. Learn more by visiting www.adcolor.org.

ABOUT THE APOLLO THEATER

‘The legendary Apollo Theater—the soul of American culture—plays a vital role in cultivating emerging artists and launching legends. Since its founding, the Apollo has served as a center of innovation and a creative catalyst for Harlem, the city of New York, and the world.

With music at its core, the Apollo’s programming extends to dance, theater, spoken word, and more. This includes the world premiere of the theatrical adaptation of Ta-Nehisi Coates’s Between the World and Me and the New York premiere of the opera We Shall Not Be Moved; special programs such as the blockbuster concert Bruno Mars Live at the Apollo; 100: The Apollo Celebrates Ella; and the annual Africa Now! Festival. The non-profit Apollo Theater is a performing arts presenter, commissioner, and collaborator that also produces festivals, largescale dance and musical works organized around a set of core initiatives that celebrate and extend the Apollo’s legacy through a contemporary lens, including the Women of the World (WOW) Festival as well as other multidisciplinary collaborations with partner organizations.

Since introducing the first Amateur Night contests in 1934, the Apollo Theater has served as a testing ground for new artists working across a variety of art forms and has ushered in the emergence of many new musical genres—including jazz, swing, bebop, R&B, gospel, blues, soul, and hip-hop. Among the countless legendary performers who launched their careers at the Apollo are Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, Luther Vandross, H.E.R., D’Angelo, Lauryn Hill, Machine Gun Kelly and Miri Ben Ari; and the Apollo’s forward-looking artistic vision continues to build on this legacy. For more information about the Apollo, visit www.ApolloTheater.org

Multicultural Marketing Resources, Inc. | 720 Greenwich Street #7T, New York, NY 10014

Unsubscribe paul.sladkus@goodnewsbroadcast.com

Update Profile | About our service provider

Sent by mmrnews@multicultural.com powered by

Try email marketing for free today!

The post ADCOLOR at the Apollo, Featuring Wyclef Jean appeared first on Good News!.

Thursday, February 20th at 6:00 p.m.

Harlem, N.Y., January 30, 2020 — Today the Apollo Theater announced it will screen the award-winning documentary Bakosó: Afrobeats of Cuba on Thursday, February 20th at 6:30 p.m., as part of ImageNation’s Cocktails & Cinema series. This screening marks the second installment in the Theater’s partnership with Harlem-based non-profit and will continue to be an ongoing quarterly event, which will highlight films that showcase the global Black experience. Bakosó: Afrobeats of Cuba, winner of the Best Feature Documentary at Belize International Film Festival, was directed by Eli Jacobs-Fantauzzi, curator of the Annual Fist Up Film Festival and co-founder of Defend Puerto Rico. The screening will be preceded by a reception and live DJ set by Bembona beginning at 6:00 p.m., followed by a post-film Q&A with director Eli Jacobs-Fantauzzi; producer Khalil Jacobs-Fantauzzi; and Mai-Elka Prado Gil, founder of the Afro-Latino Festival of New York.

Bakosó: Afrobeats of Cuba follows DJ Jigüe to his hometown of Santiago de Cuba as he searches for new inspiration in the form of sound. Through his discovery of Afrobeats, DJ Jigüe ushers in an original sound creating a new genre called Bakosó, celebrating the connection between Africa and Cuba. The film’s score, created by the founders of the genre, and stunning visuals highlight the technology, culture, and landscape that shape this Afro-Caribbean fusion.

For more information, or to view the trailer for Bakosó: Afrobeats of Cuba, please visit: https://www.apollotheater.org/event/imagenations-cocktails-cinema-bakoso-afrobeats-of-cuba/

Ticket Info.
Tickets begin at $25 and includes appetizers and one beverage (wine or beer). A cash bar will be available. Tickets are available at the Apollo Theater Box Office: (212) 531-5305, 253 West 125th Street, and Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000, www.ticketmaster.com.

About ImageNation
ImageNation Cinema Foundation is an innovative Harlem-based non-profit created to develop cinemas and audiences for independent films and music, that depict the global Black experience. ImageNation’s goal is to empower Black communities by presenting a variety of public programs that foster media equity, media literacy, solidarity, cross-cultural exchange and highlight the humanity of Pan-African people worldwide.

Led by Moikgantsi Kgama (Founder & Executive Director) and her husband Gregory Gates (Executive Producer), ImageNation has hosted film screenings, live music performances and other cultural events for more than 200,000 people worldwide since its inception. ImageNation is a founding partner in AFFRM, a national film distribution collective, founded by Ava DuVernay. ImageNation has presented internationally in South Africa, Scotland and Canada and domestically at Harvard University, MASS MOCA, Lincoln Center and in Dallas, TX, Los Angeles, CA, Baltimore, MD, Chicago, Ill, Indianapolis, IN, and Washington DC. Programs have featured appearances by luminaries such as Spike Lee, Lee Daniels, Ava DuVernay, Stanley Nelson, Ruby Dee, Erykah Badu, Chuck D, Raoul Peck, India. Arie and many others. In line with its commitment to Black cinema, ImageNation’s RAW SPACE, will be developed into the Sōl Cinema Cafe, a boutique cinema highlighting global Black film and culture.

About the Apollo Theater
The legendary Apollo Theater—the soul of American culture—plays a vital role in cultivating emerging artists and launching legends. Since its founding, the Apollo has served as a center of innovation and a creative catalyst for Harlem, the city of New York, and the world.

With music at its core, the Apollo’s programming extends to dance, theater, spoken word, and more. This includes the world premiere of the theatrical adaptation of Ta-Nehisi Coates’s Between the World and Me and the New York premiere of the opera We Shall Not Be Moved; special programs such as the blockbuster concert Bruno Mars Live at the Apollo; 100: The Apollo Celebrates Ella; and the annual Africa Now! Festival. The non-profit Apollo Theater is a performing arts presenter, commissioner, and collaborator that also produces festivals, large-scale dance and musical works organized around a set of core initiatives that celebrate and extend the Apollo’s legacy through a contemporary lens, including the Women of the World (WOW) Festival as well as other multidisciplinary collaborations with partner organizations.

Since introducing the first Amateur Night contests in 1934, the Apollo Theater has served as a testing ground for new artists working across a variety of art forms and has ushered in the emergence of many new musical genres—including jazz, swing, bebop, R&B, gospel, blues, soul, and hip-hop. Among the countless legendary performers who launched their careers at the Apollo are Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, Luther Vandross, H.E.R., D’Angelo, Lauryn Hill, Machine Gun Kelly and Miri Ben Ari; and the Apollo’s forward-looking artistic vision continues to build on this legacy.

In fall 2020, the Apollo Theater will mark its first ever physical expansion with the theaters at the Victoria, part of the vision for a future Apollo Performing Arts Center. The theaters at the Victoria will support the growth of the Apollo’s artistic programming as it continues to provide a home to artists of color, create an expanded 21st century American performing arts canon, and provide additional educational and community programming in Harlem and beyond. For more information about the Apollo, visit www.ApolloTheater.org.

Support
The Apollo’s 2019-2020 season is made possible by leadership support from Coca-Cola, Citi, Ford Foundation, Howard Gilman Foundation, Jerome L. Greene Arts Access Fund in the New York Community Trust, and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Public support for the Apollo Theater is provided by the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature, and from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

# # #

For more information, please contact:
press@apollotheater.org

#apollo #bakosó #afrobeats #cuba #cinema #bakoso #belize #international #film #festival #eli #jacobs #fantauzzi #jacobs-fantauzzi #defend #puerto #rico #producer #khalil #afro #latino #founders #visuals #technology #culture #caribbean #fusion #theater #apollotheater #pan-african #pan #african

The post Apollo Film Presents appeared first on Good News!.

In Honor of the Apollo’s 85th Anniversary

Wednesday, February 20 at 7:30 p.m.

Featuring a Special Performance by Raheem DeVaughn

Harlem, NY, January 28, 2019 – Amateur Night at the Apollo returns on February 2o at 7:30 p.m. In honor of the Apollo’s 85th Anniversary, 850 tickets for Opening Night will be $8.50, made possible with support from sponsor Coca-Cola. The exciting program will feature a special performance by R&B artist Raheem DeVaughn.

Apollo Theater’s signature original, large-scale talent show and one of the longest-running continuous events in New York City is hosted by comedian Capone and features staples like C.P. Lacey in the role of the “Executioner” (in charge of ushering off “booed” contestants), Joe Gray the “Set It Off Man,” and the Apollo’s Amateur Night house band led by music director, Michael Mitchell.

Since introducing the first Amateur contests in 1934, Amateur Night has been the launching pad for some of the biggest artists in the world including Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, D’Angelo, Lauryn Hill, and Ella Fitzgerald who won the very first year. Now, 85 years later Amateur Night continues to be a primary source for discovering and nurturing new talent and spotlighting up-and-coming artists including Sung Lee, NUMBERS, Christian Guardino, Machine Gun Kelly, Moses Harper, Matthew Whitaker, and Wé McDonald.

Apollo Theater Executive Producer Kamilah Forbes said, “Amateur Night was created with the idea that anyone could have a chance at stardom and the Apollo Theater has been a place for opportunity and growth for thousands of performers for 85 years.”

This season, contestants will once again “Be Good or Be Gone” to compete for the chance to win a grand prize of $20,000. Amateur Night has played a major role in the cultivation of artists and in the emergence of innovative musical genres including jazz, swing, bebop, R&B, gospel, blues, soul, and hip-hop. Select performances including opening night will be live streamed via the Apollo Theater’s Facebook page, also sponsored by Coca-Cola, a sponsor of Amateur Night for more than 30 years.

Tickets and Information:

Tickets for the Amateur Night 2019 season opener on Feb. 20 begin at $8.50 and are available at the Apollo Theater Box Office: (212) 531-5305, 253 West 125th Street, and Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000, https://www.ticketmaster.com/amateur-night-at-the-apollo-tickets/artist/839690. Tickets purchased online or over the phone are subject to additional fees. Amateur Night’s 2019 Season runs every Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m., February 20, 2019 through November 27, 2019.

ABOUT RAHEEM DEVAUGHN

Three-time Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Raheem DeVaughn, son of renowned jazz musician Abdul Wadud, grew up in Maryland and cut his teeth performing in clubs throughout the Washington, D.C. area. His debut album, The Love Experience (2005), reached No. 46 on the US Billboard 200 album chart. It featured the singles “Guess Who Loves You More” and “You”. His second album Love Behind the Melody (2008) featured the popular single “Woman”, which was nominated for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance at the 2008 Grammy Awards. His sixth studio album Decade of a Love King (2018) takes listeners to new heights and celebrate the sound that the last 10 years have brought him to, creatively and sonically.

ABOUT APOLLO THEATER

The legendary Apollo Theater—the soul of American culture—plays a vital role in cultivating emerging artists and launching legends. Since its founding, the Apollo has served as a center of innovation and a creative catalyst for Harlem, the city of New York, and the world.

With music at its core, the Apollo’s programming extends to dance, theater, spoken word, and more. This includes special programs such as the blockbuster concert Bruno Mars Live at the Apollo, the world premiere theatrical reading of Ta-Nehisi Coates’s National Book Award-winning Between the World and Me, 100: The Apollo Celebrates Ella, the annual Africa Now! Festival, and the New York premiere of the opera We Shall Not Be Moved. The Apollo is a performing arts presenting organization that also produces festivals and large-scale dance and music works organized around a set of core initiatives that celebrate and extend the Apollo’s legacy through a contemporary lens; global festivals including the Women of the World (WOW) Festival and Breakin’ Convention; international and U.S.-based artist presentations focused on a specific theme; and Special Projects, multidisciplinary collaborations with partner organizations.

Since introducing the first Amateur Night contests in 1934, the Apollo Theater has served as a testing ground for new artists working across a variety of art forms and has ushered in the emergence of many new musical genres—including jazz, swing, bebop, R&B, gospel, blues, soul, and hip-hop; and the Apollo’s forward-looking artistic vision continues to build on this legacy. For more information visit https://www.apollotheater.org/.

Amateur Night at the Apollo is sponsored by The Coca-Cola Company.

Get social! For exclusive photos, updates and more use the hashtags #AmateurNight

Follow the Apollo Theater:

Facebook.com/apollotheater

Twitter.com/apollotheater

YouTube.com/apollotheater

Instagram.com/apollotheater

The post AMATEUR NIGHT AT THE APOLLO appeared first on Good News!.

The AABR Summit IV is a 1-day gathering of Asian, Latino, African American corporate leaders, entrepreneurs, diversity and inclusion experts, and advocates to come together for in-depth discussions and to expand on the vital importance of Diversity and Inclusion as a business strategy. The Summit also continues to promote and advocate for the New Majority, the initiative to fortify the three minority groups and transforming how businesses operate, sell, recruit and grow.

For more information go to
http://aabusinessroundtable.org/

The post Asian American Business Development Center appeared first on Good News!.

Apollo Theater Announces the

First Phase in Creating

the Apollo Performing Arts Center

Two new theaters, office space, and support for artists and cultural organizations to open at the Victoria Theater Redevelopment Project
Fall 2020

Harlem, NY – (December 4, 2018). The Apollo Theater announced today that it is undertaking the initial phase of the iconic Theater’s transformation into the Apollo Performing Arts Center through two new theaters within the Victoria Theater Redevelopment Project at 233 West 125^th Street. The theaters will be the first physical expansion of the Apollo in its nearly 85-year history. Scheduled to open in fall 2020, the two new theaters at the Victoria space will allow the nonprofit Apollo Theater, which will operate the spaces, to increase the number of programming, educational, and community programs it offers. They will also house the Classical Theatre of Harlem, Harlem Arts Alliance, and Jazzmobile, the cultural partners designated by Empire State Development, enhancing Apollo’s advocacy for African-American, African-diasporic, and Harlem-based artists and culture. In conjunction with the initiative, the Apollo will develop a theater rental subsidy program for nonprofits, with details to be announced. The Victoria Theater’s revitalization into a creative and community resource expands on the Apollo’s mission to work with and support a greater number of emerging and established artists of color across disciplines, and serve as an artistic, educational, and community resource.

“The Apollo Theater is reaffirming its deep responsibility to our community and to the emerging and world-class artists with whom we work while, simultaneously, creating ways to offer even greater opportunities to artists, audiences, students, and the community and safeguarding the spirit and cultural character of Harlem,” said Apollo Theater President and CEO Jonelle Procope. “At the heart of this endeavor and the future Apollo Performing Arts Center is the Apollo’s desire to expand our many positive impacts. The Victoria revitalization is the right moment to support the important work New York’s cultural organizations are doing while expanding our programming and educational offerings, shepherding in the next generation of the creative workforce of color.”

The Apollo Theater will serve as the operator and manager for the theaters located within the Victoria Theater Redevelopment Project, a public/private partnership that also includes residential units, retail, and a hotel. The Apollo will manage the cultural initiatives, including two new, state-of-the-art, flexible performance venues, one with 99 seats and the other with 199 seats, and office space for the Apollo and partner cultural organizations. Separate developers will manage the commercial aspects of the building. The Victoria Theater Redevelopment Project is a part of the revitalization of 125^th Street by the State of New York.

Apollo’s 25,000-square foot facility, designed by Kostow Greenwood Architects, will be located on the third and fourth floors of the building. The expanded venue will allow the Apollo to serve the needs of its artists, artistic partners, staff, audiences, the community, and tourists who travel to Harlem every year.

“The Apollo is the soul of American culture, and the Apollo Performing Arts Center will allow us to share that culture with an even wider audience, not only with the Apollo’s own productions, but with other cultural institutions that will help us create and develop the kinds of resources that serve the creative community and audiences around the corner and around the world,” said Apollo Theater Executive Producer Kamilah Forbes. “The new theaters will allow the Apollo to provide support for artists throughout their career, especially emerging artists, and will provide an opportunity for us to grow our artistic programming as we continue to create a new, 21^st-century performing arts cannon and provide space to incubate, develop, and collaborate on new works that speak directly to the needs of our community. This expansion will allow the Apollo to look to the future while protecting the heritage that makes Harlem such an indispensable part of New York City and the world.”

Gifts and grants from a variety of public and private funders helped to make the theaters at the Victoria possible, including Booth Ferris Foundation, Empire State Development, the Harlem Community Development Corporation, The New York Community Trust – LuEsther T. Mertz Advised Fund, and the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone.

“With UMEZ’s substantial commitment to the Victoria Theater Redevelopment Project, and our grant support to the Apollo Theater, we believe these two dramatic new stages will showcase the wide-ranging creative talents that make Upper Manhattan their home base. These fully-equipped, multi-purpose theaters will further enliven 125^th Street, now re-emerging as a vibrant cultural corridor, particularly for artists of color,” said Blair M. Duncan, President and CEO of the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone. “We are proud to be supporting this dynamic project, which will bring both cultural and economic vitality to Upper Manhattan.”

“We are delighted to partner with the iconic Apollo Theater. The theaters at the Victoria will add vital new space for cultural and educational programming while preserving and restoring a reminder of Harlem’s rich history,” said Curtis Archer, President of the Harlem Community Development Corporation. “HCDC looks forward to bringing both a new mixed-use, mixed-income development and hundreds of new jobs to the neighborhood through the Victoria Theater Redevelopment Project as a whole.”

“The Classical Theatre of Harlem is thrilled for the opportunity to be a cultural partner with the Apollo in the theaters at the Victoria,” saidPeggy King Jorde, Board Chair Classical Theatre of Harlem. “This exciting new project will allow Harlem-based institutions such as CTH the much needed, state-of-the-art performance space to reach a wider audience, expand our programming, and work with like-minded organizations.”

“On behalf of the Harlem Arts Alliance membership we salute the developers, sponsors, and supporters in their collective partnership in the launch of the new cultural spaces in the historic Victoria Theater,” said Voza Rivers, Harlem Arts Alliance Chairman. “Thanks to all in adding another jewel to Harlem’s cultural assets.”

“For 55 years Jazzmobile’s mission has been to present, preserve, promote, and propagate jazz – America’s classical music. We welcome this opportunity to again partner with the Apollo Theater, who, like us has long been an advocate for this artform and for the community,” said Jazzmobile’s Director, Robin Bell-Stevens. “Through the theaters at the Victoria we are looking forward to having a year-round performance space, strengthening our relationship with the Apollo and The Classical Theater of Harlem (a longtime collaborator) as well as with the other organizations that will take advantage of these venues.”

About the Apollo Theater

The legendary Apollo Theater—the soul of American culture—plays a vital role in cultivating emerging artists and launching legends. Since its founding, the Apollo has served as a center of innovation and a creative catalyst for Harlem, the city of New York, and the world.

With music at its core, the Apollo’s programming extends to dance, theater, spoken word, and more. This includes special programs such as the blockbuster concert Bruno Mars Live at the Apollo, the world premiere theatrical reading of Ta-Nehisi Coates’s National Book Award-winning Between the World and Me, 100: The Apollo Celebrates Ella, the annual Africa Now! Festival, and the New York premiere of the opera We Shall Not Be Moved. The Apollo is a performing arts presenting organization that also produces festivals and large-scale dance and music works organized around a set of core initiatives that celebrate and extend the Apollo’s legacy through a contemporary lens; global festivals including the Women of the World (WOW) Festival and Breakin’ Convention; international and U.S.-based artist presentations focused on a specific theme; and Special Projects, multidisciplinary collaborations with partner organizations.

Since introducing the first Amateur Night contests in 1934, the Apollo Theater has served as a testing ground for new artists working across a variety of art forms and has ushered in the emergence of many new musical genres—including jazz, swing, bebop, R&B, gospel, blues, soul, and hip-hop. Among the countless legendary performers who launched their careers at the Apollo are Michael Jackson, Ella Fitzgerald, Stevie Wonder, Billie Holiday, James Brown, D’Angelo, Lauryn Hill, Dave Chappelle, Machine Gun Kelly, Miri Ben Ari, Sarah Vaughan, Gladys Knight, and Luther Vandross; and the Apollo’s forward-looking artistic vision continues to build on this legacy. For more information visithttps://www.apollotheater.org/

# # #

For more information, please contact:

Fatima Jones, Senior Director of PR & Communications

Apollo Theater

Fatima.jones@apollotheater.org

Josh Balber / Julie Danni

Resnicow and Associates

JBalber@resnicow.com / JDanni@resnicow.com

212-671-5175 / 212-671-5173

If you would rather not receive future communications from Apollo Theater, let us know by clicking here.
Apollo Theater, 253 West 125th Street, New York, NY 10027 United States

The post Apollo Theater Announces The First Phase In Creating The Apollo Performing Arts Center Opening Fall 2020 appeared first on Good News!.

October 6th – 7th 8 p.m.

We Shall Not Be Moved to be preceded by a Special Presentation of Apollo Uptown Hall: Movement Required

Featuring Panelists:

Iesha Sekou, CEO/Founder, Street Corner Resources, Jason Osder, Director of Let The Fire Burn documentary, Jennifer Jones-Austin, CEO & Executive Director, Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies, Marc Bamuthi Joseph, We Shall Not Be Moved Librettist, Michael O’Bryan, Project Manager of SMASH, and Rachel Shapiro, NYC’s DOE Manhattan Borough Art Director

And an excerpt of the award-winning documentary Let the Fire Burn

September 30, 2017, 4:00p.m.

(Harlem, NY, August, 10, 2017) The Apollo Theater will present the New York premiere of the genre-defying opera We Shall Not Be Moved, inspired by the 1985 MOVE crisis in Philadelphia, where a standoff between police and a Black liberation group resulted in the deadly bombing of a residential neighborhood, on October 6th and 7th at 8 p.m. This powerfully-poetic, interdisciplinary new opera draws on the collective talents of composer Daniel Bernard Roumain, spoken word artist Marc Bamuthi Joseph, and celebrated director, choreographer, and dramaturge Bill T. Jones.

In a production that combines spoken word, contemporary dance, video projection, and classical, R&B and jazz singing to an original score, We Shall Not Be Moved tells the story of five North Philadelphia teens on the run, raising timely questions of national identity, gender identity, the insidious nature of racism, police presence in minority neighborhoods, and the failure of the urban American education system. The runaways—a group comprising of a 15-year-old African-American girl and her “family,” one of whom is transgender—seek refuge in a condemned house at the site of West Philadelphia’s former MOVE compound, where they draw comfort and inspiration from the ghosts that haunt their new home, and come to consider their squatting not merely as self-preservation, but as an act of resistance.

From this site, the teenagers engage in their own confrontation with a police officer in the shadow of one of the darkest points in Philadelphia’s history—the place where, on May 13, 1985, local police concluded a standoff with the radical MOVE group by dropping explosives onto the organization’s row-house headquarters—killing eleven African-American MOVE members, five of whom were children, and wiping out an entire residential neighborhood, leaving more than 250 people homeless.

The opera’s world premiere will occur in September at Opera Philadelphia’s O17 Festival, followed by its New York premiere at the Apollo in October, and will finish its run at the Hackney Empire in London. In conjunction with the opera’s run at the Apollo, the Theater will present a special iteration of Apollo Uptown Hall: Movement Required on September 30th at 4 p.m., inspired by the themes of the production.

“It is an honor to be opening my first full season as the Apollo Theater’s Executive Producer with such a powerful and innovative new work, side by side with visionaries such as Bill T. Jones, Marc Bamuthi Joseph, and Daniel Bernard Roumain, who have so eloquently captured the essence of the social and political climate surrounding the 1985 MOVE bombing and have now crafted a perfectly relevant narrative that continues the conversation on today’s social issues,” said Kamilah Forbes, Apollo Theater’s Executive Producer. “As The Apollo expands its scope of programming, We Shall Not Be Moved embodies our commitment to bringing in original programming that is as diverse as our audiences and builds upon the Apollo’s rich legacy in contemporary ways.”

Librettist, arts activist, and spoken word artist Marc Bamuthi Joseph, describes his relationship to the opera and the acute relevance of its topic 30 plus years later:

“In the same way that we all inherit the legacy of systemic pathologies in our country, the main characters – including the police officer who serves as both antagonist and protagonist – are also part of that legacy, and they mine the specific history of the MOVE organization and the MOVE bombing as a foundational point. We focus on how the legacy of the MOVE ideologies and of this extrajudicial violence shows up today all over the country – and acutely in the city of Philadelphia.”

Driven by the We Shall Not Be Moved opera’s themes, the Apollo Uptown Hall: Movement Required will feature an excerpt of the award-winning documentary Let the Fire Burn, which covers one of the most tumultuous and largely-forgotten clashes between government and citizens in modern American history. A panel discussion focusing on some of today’s most prevalent problems in America, including tensions between law enforcement and community relations, as well as the lack of youth and family services, will follow, featuring speakers Iesha Sekou, CEO/Founder, Street Corner Resources, Jason Osder, Director of Let The Fire Burn documentary, Jennifer Jones-Austin, CEO & Executive Director, Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies, Marc Bamuthi Joseph, We Shall Not Be Moved Librettist, Michael O’Bryan, Project Manager of SMASH, and Rachel Shapiro, NYC’s DOE Manhattan Borough Art Director. The panel will be co-moderated by Imhotep Gary Byrd from New York City’s WBAI-FM and Solomon Jones from Philadelphia’s WURD-FM.

We Shall Not Be Moved at the Apollo Theater

Music by Daniel Bernard Roumain

Libretto by Marc Bamuthi Joseph

Director, choreographer and dramaturge: Bill T. Jones

The Apollo Theater, 253 West 125th Street

October 6th & 7th, at 8p.m.

Cast:

Un/Sung: Lauren Whitehead

Glenda: Kirstin Chávez

John Blue: John Holiday

John Little: Daniel Shirley

John Mack: Adam Richardson

John Henry: Aubrey Allicock

OGs: Michael Bishop, Duane Lee Holland, Jr., Tendayi Kuumba, Caci Cole Pritchett

Creative team:

Conductor: Viswa Subbaraman

Set design: Matt Saunders

Costume design: Liz Prince

Lighting design: Robert Wierzel

Projection design: Jorge Cousineau

Sound design: Robert Kaplowitz

Assistant director: Seth Hoff

Assistant choreographer: Raphael Xavier

We Shall Not Be Moved, is the second co-production in the Apollo Theater’s multi-year partnership with Opera Philadelphia that will continue the staging of contemporary operas at the Apollo in future seasons. Last season marked the first collaboration performance of the acclaimed opera YARDBIRD, by composer Daniel Schnyder and librettist Bridgette A. Wimberly.

TICKET INFO

Tickets for We Shall Not Be Moved are $28.50, $53.50 and $78.50 and are available at the Apollo Theater Box Office: (212) 531-5305, 253 West 125th Street, and Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000 or www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets are on sale now.

Apollo Uptown Hall is free. Pre-registration is strongly recommended. To register, visit www.apollotheater.org Entry is not guaranteed.

Follow the Apollo Theater:

Facebook.com/apollotheater

Twitter.com/apollotheater

YouTube.com/apollotheater

Instagram.com/apollotheater

SUPPORT

We Shall Not Be Moved at the Apollo Theater is sponsored by Merrill Lynch.

Leadership support provided by Ford Foundation and Rockefeller Brothers Fund. Additional generous commissioning support provided by the Ed Bradley Family Foundation.

ABOUT THE APOLLO THEATER

The legendary Apollo Theater—the soul of American culture—plays a vital role in cultivating emerging artists and launching legends. Since its founding, the Apollo has served as a center of innovation and a creative catalyst for Harlem, the city of New York, and the world.

With music at its core, the Apollo’s programming extends to dance, theater, spoken word, and more. This includes 100: The Apollo Celebrates Ella blockbuster concert, the annual Africa Now! Festival, and the recent New York premiere of the opera Charlie Parker’s YARDBIRD. The Apollo is a performing arts presenting organization that also produces festivals and large-scale dance and music works organized around a set of core initiatives that celebrate and extend the Apollo’s legacy through a contemporary lens; global festivals including the Women of the World (WOW) Festival and Breakin’ Convention, international and U.S.-based artist presentations focused on a specific theme; and Special Projects, multidisciplinary collaborations with partner organizations.

Since introducing the first Amateur Night contests in 1934, the Apollo Theater has served as a testing ground for new artists working across a variety of art forms, and has ushered in the emergence of many new musical genres—including jazz, swing, bebop, R&B, gospel, blues, soul, and hip-hop. Among the countless legendary performers who launched their careers at the Apollo are D’Angelo, Lauryn Hill, Machine Gun Kelly, Miri Ben Ari, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, James Brown, Michael Jackson, Gladys Knight, Luther Vandross, and Stevie Wonder; and the Apollo’s forward-looking artistic vision continues to build on this legacy.

The post The Apollo Theater Presents The New York Premiere of the Genre-Defying Opera We Shall Not Be Moved appeared first on Good News!.

Event Will Feature Musical Performances By

CeeLo Green, Sheila E., Charlie Wilson, and Wé McDonald of NBC’s The Voice

Verizon to Receive Corporate Award

For Leadership in Diversity, Community, and Innovation

Peabody Award Winning Director and Producer Stan Lathan

To Receive the Trailblazer Award

Monday, JUNE 12th AT 7PM

HARLEM, NY – May 10, 2017 – The Apollo Theater today announced details for its largest fundraising event – the 2017 Apollo Spring Gala, which will take place at the theater on Monday, June 12 at 7pm. The star-studded benefit concert will be hosted by award-winning actor and comedian Cedric The Entertainer and will feature performances by renowned artists, including CeeLo Green, Sheila E., Charlie Wilson, and Wé McDonald of NBC’s The Voice (who started her career winning Amateur Night at the Apollo). All proceeds from the celebration will support the non-profit organization’s year-round, world-class artistic, education, and community programming.

“Since its inception, The Apollo Theater has been home to legendary and up-and-coming artists alike, serving as an ever-changing driving force in popular music and culture not only in Harlem, but across the world,” stated Jonelle Procope, President & CEO of The Apollo Theater. “We are thrilled to announce this lineup of incredible talent for our upcoming Spring Gala that will help us to continue our legacy of cultivating talent by supporting the Theater’s year-round performing arts, education and community programming.”

Every year as part of the evening, the Apollo recognizes individuals and corporations for their outstanding contributions to the performing arts, community leadership and for their philanthropic support of initiatives in the African American community. This year, the Theater will present Peabody Award winning director and producer Stan Lathan with the Trailblazer Award for his substantial contributions to the performing arts. Lathan’s extensive credits include cultural classics ranging from “AMEN,” and “Sanford & Son” to “Def Comedy Jam” and “The Bernie Mac Show”, to Dave Chappelle’s recent comedy special, “Deep in the Heart of Texas.”

“If there’s anyone who deserves to be honored as a trailblazer, it’s Stan Lathan, and if there is any venue perfectly suited to showcase a great benefit concert it’s the Apollo Theater. I’m truly privileged to host this night celebrating the Apollo and Stan!” commented Cedric The Entertainer. “Regarding Stan, he really knows comedy, and he has produced & directed some of the most prolific comedians of all time across many iconic television shows. His talents have also stretched beyond comedy into other formats directing some of the most memorable dance performances on the small screen including Alvin Ailey, Martha Graham and Mikhail Baryshnikov. Stan is the man! I’m especially proud to be a part of this year’s Apollo Spring Gala because it’s an important and celebratory evening at the legendary Theater where all of the music and comedic greats have launched their careers. It’s of utmost importance to continue this tradition, raising funds for the Apollo’s incredible arts and education programs that will launch the world’s next generation of talent. Add to that some great performances by our special musical guests – – It’s going to be a high-energy, star-powered evening!”

This year’s recipient of the Corporate Award is Verizon, for their exemplary leadership in diversity, community leadership and innovation. Rose Kirk, President of the Verizon Foundation will accept the award on behalf of the company.

“Fueling tomorrow’s tech innovators while leveling the playing field for minority and underserved students is not only a priority for Verizon, it is our responsibility,” said Rose Stuckey Kirk, Chief Corporate Social Responsibility Officer & President, Verizon Foundation. “We are honored to be recognized by the Apollo Theater for the work we are doing to provide free technology, access and hands-on learning to students in need across America. We are at a critical point when the world around us is shifting, with technology at its core. We need more kids to have access to quality education in science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) so they are prepared for the jobs of tomorrow.”

The Apollo Spring Gala begins with red carpet arrivals at 6:00 PM followed by the gala concert and awards ceremony at 7:00 PM with Music Director Ray Chew. The evening will also include a post-performance party with a lounge created by celebrity event planner and Apollo board member Bronson van Wyck.

Gala Chairs are: Robert K. Kraft, Laura and Richard D. Parsons, Ronald O. Perelman and Anna Chapman, and Karen and Charles Phillips

Gala Vice Chairs include: 21st Century Fox, Katherine Farley and Jerry I. Speyer, and Christine Taylor.

To purchase Gala tickets or to make a donation to the Apollo Theater, please call 212-531-5330. For more information, visit www.apollotheater.org. Proceeds from the Apollo Spring Gala support the Theater’s year-round performing arts programming, innovative education initiatives, and community programs.

Tickets for the 2017 Spring Gala are now on sale. Performance only tickets go on sale to Apollo A-List members this Friday, May 12th at 10a.m. Subscribe to Apollo A-List at www.apollotheater.org. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Monday, May 15th at 10 a.m.

Get social! For exclusive photos, updates and more, use hashtag #APOLLOGALA and follow the Apollo Theater:

Facebook.com/apollotheater

Twitter.com/apollotheater

YouTube.com/apollotheater

Instagram.com/apollotheater

About the Apollo Theater

The legendary Apollo Theater—the soul of American culture—plays a vital role in cultivating emerging talents and launching legends. Since its founding, the Apollo has served as a center of innovation and a creative catalyst for Harlem, the city of New York, and the world.

With music at its core, the Apollo’s programming extends to dance, theater, performance art, spoken word initiatives, and more. This includes the October 2014 premiere and 2015 international tour of the dance celebration project James Brown: Get on the Good Foot, the annual Africa Now! Festival, Apollo Club Harlem, and the recent New York premiere of the opera Charlie Parker’s YARDBIRD. The Apollo is a presenting organization that also produces festivals, large-scale dance and music works organized around a set of core initiatives: Apollo Music Signature Programs—Amateur Night, Salon Series, Apollo Music Café; Legacy Series— work that celebrates and extends the Apollo’s legacy through a contemporary lens; Global Festivals including the Women of the World (WOW) Festival and Breakin’ Convention, international and U.S.-based artist presentations focused on a specific theme; and Special Projects, multidisciplinary work with partner organizations.

Since introducing the first Amateur Night contests in 1934, the Apollo Theater has served as a testing ground for new artists working across a variety of art forms, and has ushered in the emergence of many new musical genres—including jazz, swing, bebop, R&B, gospel, blues, soul, and hip-hop. Among the countless legendary performers who launched their careers at the Apollo are D’Angelo, Lauryn Hill, Machine Gun Kelly, Miri Ben Ari, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, James Brown, Michael Jackson, Gladys Knight, Luther Vandross, and Stevie Wonder; and the Apollo’s forward-looking artistic vision continues to build on this legacy.

The Apollo Theater is a not-for-profit organization with the mission to extend the institution’s role in fostering artistic innovation and in building appreciation of American culture around the world. For more information, visit www.apollotheater.org

The post APOLLO THEATER ANNOUNCES 2017 SPRING GALA appeared first on Good News!.

A Tribute to Legendary Songstress and Activist Abbey Lincoln
Starring Dee Dee Bridgewater, Dianne Reeves, and Esperanza Spalding
Under the Musical Direction of Terri Lyne Carrington

WOW Teen Summit
Featuring a talk by Oscar-nominated actress Gabourey Sidibe –
Presented in partnership with the PEN World Voices Festival of International Literature

A Day of Free Panel Discussions, Interactive Workshops, and Performances Celebrating Empowerment & Activism Featuring
Academy Award-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o
Three-time Olympic gold medalist Gabby Douglas
Women’s March Co-Chairs Carmen Perez & Tamika Mallory

Friday May 4th – Sunday May 7th

WHAT: Women of the World (WOW) Festival

The Apollo Theater will gather artists, activists, and leaders from around the globe for the return of the WOW – Women of the World Festival, a four-day festival presented in collaboration with the Southbank Centre London on May 4-7, 2017. Founded in 2010 by Southbank’s Artistic Director Jude Kelly and originating at Southbank Centre, London, the international festival celebrates women and girls and promotes gender equity. The Festival made its New York premiere at the Apollo in 2015.

Highlights of the WOW Festival include conversations with Lupita Nyong’o, Gabby Douglas and Gabourey Sidibe as well as performances by Dee Dee Bridgewater, Dianne Reeves and Esperanza Spalding.

Thursday, May 4, 2017
Live Wire: Performance and the Politics of Style
6:30PM – Apollo Theater Soundstage
A discussion led by scholar and author Salamishah Tillet, that will explore artists who assert their own narratives of artistic and political freedom in ways at times appealing and controversial.

Apollo Comedy Club Featuring Tacarra Williams, Vernita Bostick and Kate Wolff
Hosted by Mugga
10:00PM – Apollo Theater Soundstage
WOW takes over the Apollo Comedy Club with a special all-female line-up. Curated by Bob Sumner (producer of Def Comedy Jam, creator of LaffMobb on Aspire), the Apollo Comedy Club features the best up and coming talent in comedy today.

Friday, May 5, 2017
Jumping at the Sun: The Moth at the Women of the World Festival
7:30PM – Apollo Mainstage
Join The Moth and the Apollo for stories of conviction, humility, and voices that carry. Hosted by Detroit native Dame Wilburn, this performance features five storytellers telling true personal stories from Harlem to Africa — and beyond.

Apollo Music Café: Lindsey Webster with Opening Act Koku Gonza
10:00PM – Apollo Theater Soundstage
Lindsey Webster is an American contemporary jazz singer-songwriter whose song Fool Me Once reached number one on Billboard’s Smooth Jazz Songs chart in February and March 2016.

Saturday, May 6, 2017
WOW Teen Summit
Grrls, Pearls, Unfurl: Identity and Self Love in the Millennial Age
11:00AM – 12:30PM – Apollo Mainstage

The program will feature Gabourey Sidibe (presented in partnership with Pen World Voices) who will share her journey from Harlem to Hollywood with highlights from her irreverent and hilarious new memoir, This Is Just My Face: Try Not to Stare.

Abbey Lincoln Tribute Concert

8:00PM – Apollo Mainstage
Featuring Dee Dee Bridgewater, Diane Reeves, Esperanza Spalding; and Terri Lyne Carrington, Musical Director

Under the musical direction of GRAMMY Award-winning drummer, composer, and producer Terri Lyne Carrington, an all-star line-up of vocalists including Dianne Reeves, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Esperanza Spalding will celebrate the life, music and legacy of Abbey Lincoln, presented on tour by the Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C.

Apollo Music Café Featuring Carmen Rodgers and Zo!
10:00PM – Apollo Theater Soundstage
Carmen Rodgers, joined by Zo!, will present tunes from all of their projects including their newest releases Stargazer and Skybreak, and more!

Sunday, May 7, 2017
Big Ideas* Intimate Conversations
2:00PM – 7:00PM

A day of free panel discussions, interactive workshops and performances featuring Academy Award-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o, who will perform a dramatic reading of selections from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novel Americanah; three-time Olympic gold medalist Gabby Douglas, who will take part in an intimate conversation on cyber bullying; a panel with National Co-Chairs of the Women’s March on Washington Tamika Mallory and Carmen Perez as they discuss what it takes to create an inclusive movement that also stands against racism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, xenophobia and classism, and the issues shaping the feminist agenda in the 21st Century.

WHERE: The Apollo Theater
253 West 125th Street
New York, NY

WHEN: Thursday May 4th – Sunday May 7th

TICKETS: Visit wowapollo.com for more information. Tickets will be available at the Apollo Theater Box Office: (212) 531-5305, 253 West 125th Street, and Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000, www.ticketmaster.com

PHOTO OP: All Media MUST RSVP prior to event. ALL requests for coverage must be submitted on company letterhead to Nina Flowers via email to nina.flowers@apollotheater.org or fax 212.749-2743.

ABOUT US: The legendary Apollo Theater—the soul of American culture—plays a vital role in cultivating emerging talents and launching legends. Since its founding, the Apollo has served as a center of innovation and a creative catalyst for Harlem, the city of New York, and the world.

With music at its core, the Apollo’s programming extends to dance, theater, performance art, spoken-word initiatives, and more. Recent highlights include James Brown: Get on the Good Foot, which began an international tour in 2015, the Africa Now! Festival and Apollo Club Harlem. The Apollo is a presenting organization that also produces festivals, large-scale dance and music works organized around a set of core initiatives: Apollo Music; Signature Programs—Amateur Night, Salon Series and the Apollo Music Café; Legacy Series, work that celebrates and extends the Apollo’s legacy through a contemporary lens; Global Festivals, international and U.S.-based artist presentations focused on a specific theme; and Special Projects, multidisciplinary work with partner organizations.

Since introducing the first Amateur Night contests in 1934, the Apollo Theater has served as a testing ground for new artists working across a variety of art forms, and has ushered in the emergence of many new musical genres—including jazz, swing, bebop, R&B, gospel, blues, soul, and hip-hop. Among the countless legendary performers who launched their careers at the Apollo are D’Angelo, Lauryn Hill, Machine Gun Kelly, Miri Ben Ari, D’Angelo, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, James Brown, Michael Jackson, Gladys Knight, Luther Vandross, and Stevie Wonder; and the Apollo’s forward-looking artistic vision continues to build on this legacy.

The Apollo Theater is a not-for-profit organization with the mission to extend the institution’s role in fostering artistic innovation and in building appreciation of American culture around the world. For more information, visit www.apollotheater.org

Apollo Theater Information

Box Office Hours:

Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri – 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Wednesday – 10:00 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Saturday – 12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

The post The Apollo Theater Presents Southbank Centre’s Women of the World Festival appeared first on Good News!.