Artistic. Influential. Iconic. Harlem’s prized possession The Apollo Theater turns 80 years old this Sunday.
The home of “Showtime at the Apollo,” has hosted legendary performers ranging from hip-hop, swing, jazz, gospel and soul. Ella Fitzgerald, Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen and James Brown are a few music icons to grace the stage.
The theater was built in 1914 and originally opened as the Hurtig and Seamon’s New Burlesque Theater. The theater was white only and blacks weren’t allowed to perform or enter. After the theater closed in 1933, Sidney Cohen reopened the venue as The 125th Street Apollo Theater on January 26, 1934. Cohen and his partner Morris Sussman changed the format of the shows from Burlesque to redirect their marketing towards the growing African-American population in Harlem.
Cohen and Sussman focused on recruiting talented acts from the black community and the rest is history. The Apollo Theater continuously built the venue as a destination for talented black acts to launch and build their music careers. Bands such as Duke Ellington, gospel acts Staple Singers and Sister Rosetta Tharpe, and soul legends Ray Charles, Luther Vandross and Aretha Franklin all performed on the Apollo stage.
The Harlem theater was shut down in 1976 due to a rise in crime. The venue was briefly reopened in 1978, but saw major success with the reopening in 1981 and in 1987 with the introduction of the syndicated broadcast television show “Showtime at the Apollo.” The show featured live performances from professionals and artists looking to leave their mark in the historic building. The highlight of the show was the Amateur Night competition. Contestants would rub a log placed on the pedestal for good luck before gracing the stage. The crowd held no punches and made their opinions heard immediately as they would cheer loudly for the acts they found entertaining and would boo relentlessly for those that didn’t live up to the Apollo standards. The Sandman was always there to remove the unlucky artists with his broom.
Today, the theater lives on with captivating performances and is still a destination for aspiring artists to display their talents. “James Brown: Get On The Good Foot,” is a musical that celebrates the life and times of one of the theater’s most famous acts. The theater also features spoken word performances, various special events, and the Amateur Night still continues with live performances.
The Apollo Theater also continues to use social media to appeal to new generations of music lovers. As the theater celebrates its 80 years on Sunday, more information will come out about special events next week and throughout the year.
We thank the visionaries that gave birth to the Apollo Theater, the performers and individuals who have kept the legacy alive for nearly a century, and the artists who will continue to delight audiences in the special venue. Here’s to 80 more in Harlem!
-Patrick Hazel (@pattywack25)
