Artistic Statements - Apollo Theater

September 2022

The Next Movement

Dear Apollo Family,

Over the past several years, our lives have changed in many ways. Faced with a range of challenges, we forged new paths, tried new things, and found new ways to move forward. I am proud to be part of a historic institution that has always met the challenge of advancing our culture forward. The Apollo has built a dynamic platform for the elevation of Black voices and creativity through inspired innovation and a commitment to artistic excellence—forging a powerful legacy of forward movement. This fall we celebrate that ongoing tradition and look to the future with a season titled The Next Movement.

The Next Movement’s vibrant programming is led by trailblazing Black artists and thought leaders. Camille A. Brown and Dancers continue our commitment to dance culture with ink, part of Brown’s canon-building movement trilogy celebrating self-empowerment and resilience—now presented in full for the first time, in partnership with the Joyce Theater and featuring Brown’s final performances as a dancer in this repertory.

Tomorrow, we launch our Arts & Ideas series, its mission is providing resonant access to groundbreaking thinkers and cultural figures. The series kicks off with fashion industry icon Edward Enninful, who, in advance of his coming memoir A Visible Man, discusses his unprecedented career path and role as a champion of inclusivity with renowned Academy Award-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o. Later in the season, and in recognition of the upcoming 50th anniversary of Hip Hop, multi-platinum artist, philanthropist, and South Bronx native Fat Joe will share intimate stories from his new memoir, The Book of Jose.

Moving forward in our mission to amplify Africa’s rich influence on worldwide contemporary culture, next month Malian musician Oumou Sangaré, in partnership with World Music Institute, makes her Apollo debut—and a rare U.S. appearance—in a one-night-only performance.

Nothing speaks more meaningfully to forward movement than broadening the experiences of young people. Our School Day Live program this fall looks at the origins and history of the blues, with a live orchestra, and following a two-year hiatus, our teaching artists return to meet NYC students in their schools. Because learning is a lifelong process, we invite educators and the public to workshops led by Camille A. Brown & Dancers, and as part of the Apollo’s Live Wire series, we’ll take a deep dive into Hip Hop Style with local choreographers and the Fashion Institute of Technology.

We invite you to discover or revisit Apollo favorites including Amateur Night at the Apollo, the incubator of major talent and one of America’s longest-running events; the Kwanzaa:Regeneration Celebration featuring Abdel R. Salaam’s Forces of Nature Dance Theatre; the Apollo Music Café; Comedy Club; and community events for all ages.

Our three-year Master Artist in Residence program, inaugurated with Ta-Nehisi Coates and now in its second iteration, supports the creation of new artistic and civic works moving us all towards a diverse 21st century American performing arts canon. The program continues with current resident, Grammy and Emmy-nominated musician/producer Kamasi Washington.

Speaking of next movement, The Apollo will soon expand, welcoming audiences to an exciting new space just down the street. The Apollo’s Victoria, a renovated former movie and vaudeville house, will house two new black-box theaters for a range of Apollo programs, add administrative offices, and offer subsidized rental opportunities for community and non-profit arts organizations. Like all New Yorkers, we couldn’t be happier to have more space!

The Apollo is always in motion, offering illuminating and joyful experiences that center and amplify Black voices. We invite you to experience The Next Movement and join us on our amazing journey forward!

Kamilah Forbes
Executive Producer

Artistic Statement Archive

September 2021

The Renaissance is Now

“We build our temples for tomorrow, strong as we know how, and we stand on top of the mountain, free within ourselves.”  The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain, Langston Hughes

I believe that history is cyclical.  Like the Harlem Renaissance – which emerged out of the darkness of an authoritarian leadership regime, a major migration that dramatically impacted the demographics of who we are as America, and a global health pandemic – this moment in time again stands as a turning point for a new revival of artistic, creative, and innovative expression that has been inspired by the truths exposed in the wake of our current pandemics.

For the past few months, I have been inspired and motivated by the work and words of critically acclaimed dramaturg, director, historian and Apollo New Works artist Talvin Wilks, who shared:

Does a movement exist if there is no one to write about it, to document it, to claim it? The genius of Alain Locke and W.E.B. Du Bois and the impact of Crisis Magazine and Opportunity curated one of the greatest foundations of beauty, art, and propaganda. Let us remind ourselves that the anti-Black machinery in this nation was profound – restrictions on voting to the defense of lynchings – all happening at the same time as the Harlem Renaissance. It is against this backdrop that the Harlem Renaissance rises and flourishes, forged by the firebrand of Marcus Garvey, infused by the spirituality of Father Divine, instigated by the marching syncopation of Major James Reese Europe and the Harlem Hellfighters Band (369th Infantry Regiment), the beat of the Tom Tom, the Blues of Bessie Smith, Swing at the Savoy, The Duke at the Cotton Club, and the voices of Ida B. Wells and the anti-lynching movement. 

What we learn from the Harlem Renaissance is that revolution has to be curated, it doesn’t just happen. It is conjured, believed, doubted, debated. It is established and elusive. As we mark nearly 100 years since the start of this historic era, we know that without it the very foundation upon which we stand would be sinking sand. The Harlem Renaissance serves as a significant moment of collective witnessing, collective contemplation, and collective action holding firm the tradition of celebrating Blackness. It is an essential anchorage, an essential movement in a long lineage of many movements, setting the stage for the Black Arts Movement, the Hip Hop Movement, and the Afrofuturistic movement. We hold this era in the highest esteem, in all of its contradictions and triumphs.

Thank you, Talvin, for those deep and powerful words and connections that I hope resonate with you as much as they resonated with me.

And so, it is at this intersection of artistry and activism that the Apollo responds with a season of signature programs, audience favorites, and a preview of the first of a series of commissioned projects and new works by artists who are pushing the boundaries of their artforms while expanding the cannon of African American works.  We embrace the notion of our duty as artists, to lead, to reflect, and to respond. As much as this is a motion of growth and resurgence, it is also a moment of healing and reflection.  After 19 months of physical and emotional isolation, it is artists who will lead the way – a path to begin to feel again with the fullness of our unspoken humanity.

As we continue to welcome you back to the theater or engage with us digitally, we believe we are entering a new renaissance – an era that will propel the next century with extraordinary breath of cultural creativity. That is why we are thrilled to launch our fall season, “The Renaissance is Now,” which serves as a reminder that the Apollo has long been a hub of Black creativity, expression, and artistry and continues to be a trailblazer as we reimagine our future in pushing the culture forward and beyond.

– Kamilah Forbes

February 2020

If the past twelve months have shown us anything, it is the importance of making the most of the present, making our voices heard, and leaving a legacy that we as individuals and a as community can be proud of. It is in this vein that I introduce the Apollo Theater’s all digital Spring season line up of film, festivals, music, comedy, and more.

Our work this season is centered around what it means to be Black and alive. In a society where we’ve been forced to affirm our humanity through rallying cries like Black Lives Matter, we celebrate the joy and historical legacy of the Apollo Theater, while marking our presence in the social and cultural commentary of today’s society. We’re shifting the narrative from reverence to relevance. We honor the ritual and tradition of the past as we chart a path forward with our incredible roster of artists and audiences into the unknown. The works presented this season not only ask questions, but answer questions about who we are and want to be as Black people in America.

The performing arts are critical to our connection to one another and extending our work into the digital space offers an invitation to connect a global audience across time and space. Whether it be through our WOW – Women of the World Festival Festival, featuring brilliant women across the world, or giving us a glimpse back in time as we celebrate hip hop culture of the 80s and 90s with 30 years of House Party. We also continue to amplify and highlight the brightest among us through our Apollo Late Nights, Apollo Film series and Apollo Theater education programs. No matter where you are in the world, we welcome you to experience the magic of the Apollo Theater.

Even virtually, the Theater has unwaveringly remained a home and landing place for Black culture, innovation and truth telling. This moment is no different. Through all of the works this season and beyond, we seek to explore the myriad of individual identities that make up Black culture and how these identities come together to create a collective. Through each event we present, we acknowledge where we’ve been—and continue to— chart a path for where we plan to go. It is our goal to serve as a beacon of Black creativity and excellence.

It is from this space that artists, audiences, young people and our global communities will see themselves powerfully reflected in the works we present on our Digital Stage and know that……we are here… we are important…. we are a force… and we are the shape of things to come.

I look forward to continuing the journey with you and seeing you on the Apollo Digital Stage!

– Kamilah Forbes