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Apollo Mainstage
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Event Date
June 19, 2020
Event Time
Awards Presentation & Concert
Dinner & Dancing
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Apollo Mainstage
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Friday, June 19, 2020
Let us march on, ’til victory is won
The Apollo Theater commemorates Juneteenth and the liberation of enslaved African-Americans on June 19, 1865. On this day, we honor the lives and contributions of our ancestors and their fortitude that paved the way for the innovation, thought leadership, creativity and culture that the Apollo embodies today. We offer these resources, performances, and guides for young people based on past Apollo Theater productions, with the hope that they will be useful if you are seeking ways to engage in conversations and activities around race and injustice during this time.
A Statement from Executive Producer Kamilah Forbes:
In 1934, the year the Apollo Theater was founded, W.E.B. DuBois came to New York City and gave a speech stating that it was imperative that the African-American community “found its own institutions, to educate its genius, and at the same time, without mob violence or extremes of race hatred, to keep in helpful touch and cooperate with the mass of the nation.“
It was the same year the country was reeling from one of the highest rates of unemployment in our history and in the midst of the Great Depression, while also reckoning with public lynchings that were taking place across our country.
During that same period, Billie Holiday took to the Apollo Theater stage and sang Lewis Allen’s poem “Strange Fruit,” one of America’s most important protest songs.
The Apollo Theater has a deep history of nurturing Black artistic genius, promoting artistic excellence and Black artistic excellence as a foundation of American culture. We have always understood the relationship to culture and American citizenship.
Long before politicians passed civil rights legislations and voters went to the ballot box to elect the first Black president, Black artists and audiences thrived in the safety and love and creative spaces of the Apollo Theater as a way of celebrating their humanity and heritage.
The Apollo has never wavered, always believing that Black Art is paramount and that All Black Lives Matter.
And today our relevance and urgency couldn’t ring more true.
-Kamilah Forbes
Apollo Theater Resources
Ta-Nehisi Coates' Between the World and Me: A Resource Guide
This Resource Guide was created to integrate the book Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates and the subsequent Apollo theatrical production into classroom curriculum. Each lesson in the Resource Guide references themes discussed in the book. The Guide provides supporting resources and references inclusive of literature and poetry, film and video, works of art and music, and a review and interview with Coates.
View Resource Guide
Apollo Uptown Hall: Movement Required - A Community Conversation
Educators examine racism’s impact on law enforcement, education, and other civil services during Apollo Uptown Hall: Movement Required. This community conversation featured Marc Bamuthi Joseph, founding Program Director of Youth Speaks; Jason Osder, GWU assistant professor; Rachel Shapiro, NYC DOE Manhattan Borough Arts Director for the Office of Arts and Special Projects, and other notable activists and advocates. Apollo Uptown Hall: Movement Required was motivated by the themes from the Apollo and Opera Philadelphia’s October 2017 opera, We Shall Not Be Moved.
Watch Here
Opera Philadelphia's 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, this production explores that legacy today through the lives of five Philly teens who find power in family and resistance. CLICK HERE to view an interactive timeline highlighting social movements and events that occurred in the United States.
CLICK HERE to view the Student Study Guide.
Watch Full Performance
More Friends of the Apollo
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
Friday, June 19, 2pm ET / Virtual Event
This online event will feature music from Rootstock Republic, premiering a new arrangement of “Strange Fruit” the seminal song, made famous by Billie Holiday; an engaging dialogue with Chef and Historian Therese Nelson,Dr. Andrea Roberts, founder of Texas Freedom Colonies Project and two descendants of Texas’s Freedom Colonies–Fred McCray, and Lareatha Clay; and a celebration of Juneteenth through food with Chef and TV personality Carla Hall.
Along with Juneteenth festivities, Schomburg is hosting a teach-in on Tuesday, June 23, at 5 p.m. Brian Jones, Associate Director of Education at the Schomburg Center, will discuss abolitionist education with renowned authors, professors, and leaders from around the nation. In addition to these events, the Schomburg Center has compiled a Black Liberation Reading List, which can be found on their website.
Juneteenth Jubilee
Friday, June 19, 3pm ET / Harlem
The Blacksmiths & Intersectional Voices Collectives welcome all Black people, with special attention to Black queer and Trans people, in commemorating a rich history of Black music and activism in Harlem. Attendees are advised to wear white with a touch of red and remember their masks. The Blacksmiths & Intersectional Voices Collectives remind participants to take safety precautions while embracing the spirit of celebration. Festivities will include song, dance, speech, and a symbolic march.
Performers: Wynton Marsalis, Stretch Armstrong, Vuyo Sotashe, Ayanna Heaven, DJ Bianca, DJ Funmi, Marquis Hill, Michael Mwenso, C. Anthony Bryant, Shenel Johns, Bruce Harris, Jacqueline Acevedo, Linda Briceno, Savannah Harris, Giveton Gellin, Kyle Poole, Mathis Picard, and more.
Grand Marshall: George Faison
Route: Starting at 110th Street and Malcom X Blvd. North on Malcolm X, West on 125 to Frederick Douglass, North to 135, East back to Malcolm X, North to 145, West to St. Nick, down to St. Nick Park entrance at 135.
International Association of Blacks in Dance (IABD)
Friday, June 19th, 4pm ET / Virtual Event
In celebration of Juneteenth and Black Music Month, IABD invites you to experience a virtual roundtable discussion celebrating Black Dance and Black Music’s relationship with each other and its connection to Resistance, Revolution, Resilience and Remembrance. With guests Jamal Story (Independent Artist-Lead Guest), Tonya Amos (Grown Women Collective), Cleo Parker Robinson (Cleo Parker Robinson Dance), Melanie George (Independent Jazz Dance Artist/Choreographer), E. Moncell Durden (USC Kaufman School of Dance) and Pat Taylor (Jazz Antiqua).
Tune In
27th Annual Juneteenth Walk
Saturday, June 20th, 10am ET / Harlem
Join this long standing Harlem tradition in recognizing Juneteenth as the oldest known celebration of the emancipation of slavery. The walk will conclude with speakers outside of the State Office Building located at 163 West 125th Street. Masks will be required and social distancing rules apply.
Line up begins: 10am
Walk begins: 11am
Location: 116th Street between Malcolm X Blvd and 7th Ave.
Sponsors
No items found.
Friday, June 19, 2020
Doors Open
Show Starts
Ages
Where
Apollo Mainstage
Event Date
June 19, 2020
Event Time
Awards Presentation & Concert
Dinner & Dancing
Location
Apollo Mainstage
Share
Buy Tickets
Download Program Booklet
Sponsors
No items found.
Let us march on, ’til victory is won
The Apollo Theater commemorates Juneteenth and the liberation of enslaved African-Americans on June 19, 1865. On this day, we honor the lives and contributions of our ancestors and their fortitude that paved the way for the innovation, thought leadership, creativity and culture that the Apollo embodies today. We offer these resources, performances, and guides for young people based on past Apollo Theater productions, with the hope that they will be useful if you are seeking ways to engage in conversations and activities around race and injustice during this time.
A Statement from Executive Producer Kamilah Forbes:
In 1934, the year the Apollo Theater was founded, W.E.B. DuBois came to New York City and gave a speech stating that it was imperative that the African-American community “found its own institutions, to educate its genius, and at the same time, without mob violence or extremes of race hatred, to keep in helpful touch and cooperate with the mass of the nation.“
It was the same year the country was reeling from one of the highest rates of unemployment in our history and in the midst of the Great Depression, while also reckoning with public lynchings that were taking place across our country.
During that same period, Billie Holiday took to the Apollo Theater stage and sang Lewis Allen’s poem “Strange Fruit,” one of America’s most important protest songs.
The Apollo Theater has a deep history of nurturing Black artistic genius, promoting artistic excellence and Black artistic excellence as a foundation of American culture. We have always understood the relationship to culture and American citizenship.
Long before politicians passed civil rights legislations and voters went to the ballot box to elect the first Black president, Black artists and audiences thrived in the safety and love and creative spaces of the Apollo Theater as a way of celebrating their humanity and heritage.
The Apollo has never wavered, always believing that Black Art is paramount and that All Black Lives Matter.
And today our relevance and urgency couldn’t ring more true.
-Kamilah Forbes
Apollo Theater Resources
Ta-Nehisi Coates' Between the World and Me: A Resource Guide
This Resource Guide was created to integrate the book Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates and the subsequent Apollo theatrical production into classroom curriculum. Each lesson in the Resource Guide references themes discussed in the book. The Guide provides supporting resources and references inclusive of literature and poetry, film and video, works of art and music, and a review and interview with Coates.
View Resource Guide
Apollo Uptown Hall: Movement Required - A Community Conversation
Educators examine racism’s impact on law enforcement, education, and other civil services during Apollo Uptown Hall: Movement Required. This community conversation featured Marc Bamuthi Joseph, founding Program Director of Youth Speaks; Jason Osder, GWU assistant professor; Rachel Shapiro, NYC DOE Manhattan Borough Arts Director for the Office of Arts and Special Projects, and other notable activists and advocates. Apollo Uptown Hall: Movement Required was motivated by the themes from the Apollo and Opera Philadelphia’s October 2017 opera, We Shall Not Be Moved.
Watch Here
Opera Philadelphia's 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, this production explores that legacy today through the lives of five Philly teens who find power in family and resistance. CLICK HERE to view an interactive timeline highlighting social movements and events that occurred in the United States.
CLICK HERE to view the Student Study Guide.
Watch Full Performance
More Friends of the Apollo
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
Friday, June 19, 2pm ET / Virtual Event
This online event will feature music from Rootstock Republic, premiering a new arrangement of “Strange Fruit” the seminal song, made famous by Billie Holiday; an engaging dialogue with Chef and Historian Therese Nelson,Dr. Andrea Roberts, founder of Texas Freedom Colonies Project and two descendants of Texas’s Freedom Colonies–Fred McCray, and Lareatha Clay; and a celebration of Juneteenth through food with Chef and TV personality Carla Hall.
Along with Juneteenth festivities, Schomburg is hosting a teach-in on Tuesday, June 23, at 5 p.m. Brian Jones, Associate Director of Education at the Schomburg Center, will discuss abolitionist education with renowned authors, professors, and leaders from around the nation. In addition to these events, the Schomburg Center has compiled a Black Liberation Reading List, which can be found on their website.
Juneteenth Jubilee
Friday, June 19, 3pm ET / Harlem
The Blacksmiths & Intersectional Voices Collectives welcome all Black people, with special attention to Black queer and Trans people, in commemorating a rich history of Black music and activism in Harlem. Attendees are advised to wear white with a touch of red and remember their masks. The Blacksmiths & Intersectional Voices Collectives remind participants to take safety precautions while embracing the spirit of celebration. Festivities will include song, dance, speech, and a symbolic march.
Performers: Wynton Marsalis, Stretch Armstrong, Vuyo Sotashe, Ayanna Heaven, DJ Bianca, DJ Funmi, Marquis Hill, Michael Mwenso, C. Anthony Bryant, Shenel Johns, Bruce Harris, Jacqueline Acevedo, Linda Briceno, Savannah Harris, Giveton Gellin, Kyle Poole, Mathis Picard, and more.
Grand Marshall: George Faison
Route: Starting at 110th Street and Malcom X Blvd. North on Malcolm X, West on 125 to Frederick Douglass, North to 135, East back to Malcolm X, North to 145, West to St. Nick, down to St. Nick Park entrance at 135.
International Association of Blacks in Dance (IABD)
Friday, June 19th, 4pm ET / Virtual Event
In celebration of Juneteenth and Black Music Month, IABD invites you to experience a virtual roundtable discussion celebrating Black Dance and Black Music’s relationship with each other and its connection to Resistance, Revolution, Resilience and Remembrance. With guests Jamal Story (Independent Artist-Lead Guest), Tonya Amos (Grown Women Collective), Cleo Parker Robinson (Cleo Parker Robinson Dance), Melanie George (Independent Jazz Dance Artist/Choreographer), E. Moncell Durden (USC Kaufman School of Dance) and Pat Taylor (Jazz Antiqua).
Tune In
27th Annual Juneteenth Walk
Saturday, June 20th, 10am ET / Harlem
Join this long standing Harlem tradition in recognizing Juneteenth as the oldest known celebration of the emancipation of slavery. The walk will conclude with speakers outside of the State Office Building located at 163 West 125th Street. Masks will be required and social distancing rules apply.
Line up begins: 10am
Walk begins: 11am
Location: 116th Street between Malcolm X Blvd and 7th Ave.
suggested Events
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Sign up for the Apollo A-LIST to stay in the loop as additional programs and events are announced!
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The Apollo mainstage
Accessible Seating
The Apollo’s Historic Theater has 12 wheelchair seating locations available for every show, all on the Orchestra seating level. Tickets for wheelchair seating locations can be purchased at The Apollo Theater box office or on Ticketmaster.
Four wheelchair seating locations will be reserved until the day of each performance.Each seating level is accessible via the elevator inside The Apollo’s Historic Theater. Guests should be aware of the small steps leading toward the Mezzanine and Balcony seating levels. Depending on the guest’s ticket location for these two levels, additional walking may be required. If guests are not able to travel up and down steps, tickets for events should be purchased for the Orchestra level.
Four wheelchair seating locations will be reserved until the day of each performance.Each seating level is accessible via the elevator inside The Apollo’s Historic Theater. Guests should be aware of the small steps leading toward the Mezzanine and Balcony seating levels. Depending on the guest’s ticket location for these two levels, additional walking may be required. If guests are not able to travel up and down steps, tickets for events should be purchased for the Orchestra level.
VICTORIA THEATER 1
Accessible Seating
Victoria Theater 1 is a 199-seat flexible black box theater that can be transformed into a myriad of configurations and styles. It features an intimate lounge-like space that is ideal for stage productions, concerts, panel discussions, commercial shoots and private functions.
JONELLE PROCOPE THEATER
Accessible Seating
The Jonelle Procope Theater, named in honor of the former Apollo President/CEO, is a 99-seat flexible black box theater that can be transformed into a myriad of configurations and styles. It features an intimate lounge-like space that is ideal for intimate concerts, panel conversations, commercial shoots, private functions, exhibits, or installations.
The Apollo mainstage
Accessible Seating
The Apollo’s Historic Theater has 12 wheelchair seating locations available for every show, all on the Orchestra seating level. Tickets for wheelchair seating locations can be purchased at The Apollo Theater box office or on Ticketmaster.
Four wheelchair seating locations will be reserved until the day of each performance.Each seating level is accessible via the elevator inside The Apollo’s Historic Theater. Guests should be aware of the small steps leading toward the Mezzanine and Balcony seating levels. Depending on the guest’s ticket location for these two levels, additional walking may be required. If guests are not able to travel up and down steps, tickets for events should be purchased for the Orchestra level.
Four wheelchair seating locations will be reserved until the day of each performance.Each seating level is accessible via the elevator inside The Apollo’s Historic Theater. Guests should be aware of the small steps leading toward the Mezzanine and Balcony seating levels. Depending on the guest’s ticket location for these two levels, additional walking may be required. If guests are not able to travel up and down steps, tickets for events should be purchased for the Orchestra level.
Upcoming Events
Aug 11
Until Jun 30
The Apollo Stages at The Victoria Laura and Frank Baker Gallery
Got To Be There: The Apollo, Its People, and Its Stories
Step behind the curtain of the world-famous Apollo Theater. Located at The Apollo Stages at The Victoria’s Laura & Frank Baker Gallery, Got To Be There: The Apollo, Its People, and Its Stories is a first of its kind exhibition curated by The Apollo Archives. This collection of rare photographs, video recordings, and artifacts offers a rare glimpse into The Apollo’s 91 year history.
Free and open to the public with select viewings and conversations throughout the season, this stunning exhibition offers a glimpse into the many roles that The Apollo has played and continues to play in service to the arts, the Harlem community, and global pop culture at large.
Open Daily 10am – 6pm & 2 hours before curtain during performances
Mar 19
The Apollo Stages at The Victoria
Century of Black Theater Making: Living Legacy Gwendolen Hardwick
The Apollo Theater will host an evening in celebration of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture’s centennial, honoring the legendary Harlem-based theaterartist and writer Gwendolen Hardwick. In the late 1970s Hardwick co-founded the Flamboyant Ladies Theater Company with writer and activist Alexis De Veaux. A dynamic performer, visionary theater maker, and devoted community organizer, Hardwick, for over four decades, has helped shape and sustain vital creative spaces for Black and queer women writers and performers in New York.
Mar 26
The Apollo Stages at The Victoria
Melanin Madness Film Screening
Celebrate Women’s History Month with The Apollo and Harlem-based film collective Melanin Madness. After a sold-out 2025 Halloween-themed screening, we’re running it back, this time for the ladies.
That's right, we're back in the habit with another iconic classic, Sister Act 2! Sing, dance, laugh and celebrate Apollo greats Whoopi Goldberg and Ms. Lauryn Hill just a couple of years after she made her Amateur Night at The Apollo debut!
As always and in true Apollo fashion, the audience is a part of the experience so grab your crew and get ready to talk back, cheer and join the party in this evening of community, culture, and fun.
Mar 28
Laura & Frank Baker Gallery | Theater 1
Got To Be There, Community Conversations: Women of the Apollo
Join us for our first– in a series of community conversations centered on the launch of Got to Be There: The Apollo, Its Stories, and Its People – a gallery exhibition drawn from the collection of The Apollo Archives.
Women of the Apollo spotlights the women who’ve made The Apollo a cultural treasure – both on stage and behind the scenes. Join Apollo archivist, Brad San Martin, and special guests, including actress, Brianna Johnson, and Opera songstress, Nia Drummond for an afternoon of community, dialogue, and celebrating Black women.
Major: Don’t miss the unveiling of special Apollo archival discoveries unseen – until now- you just got to be there!
Apr 9
Apollo Stages at The Victoria
Apollo Comedy Club - April
Featuring SOFIA NEGRON, DEZZ WHITE, SHAWN HARVEY
HOSTED BY LARRY LANCASTER
Apr 10
The Apollo Stages at The Victoria
ELHAE
From Lotus Avenue to the A-train, ELHAE makes a quick stop in Harlem for an acoustic performance that blends alternative R&B with Hip Hop. His catalog includes thematic and seductive gems such as “Fun Fact”, “I Choose You (w. Ambre)”, “Doesn’t Matter (w. Kehlani)” and the deliciously pulsating dance hit “Touch (w. GoldLink)“.
Apr 22
Apr 22 & 23
Theater 1
School Day Live - The Girl Who Heard the Universe
The Girl Who Heard the Universe follows Zuri, a brilliant young sound scientist whose heart beats to rhythms no one else can hear. By day, she experiments with waves and vibrations in her Brooklyn bedroom-turned-laboratory, composing melodies that echo her boundless curiosity. By night, she gazes up at the stars, dreaming of how quantum particles might dance and sing across the cosmos. Blending music, science, and imagination, this story celebrates the power of wonder, the beauty of Black girl brilliance, and the belief that every sound—no matter how small—can change the universe.
Apr 26
Howard Theatre, Washington, D.C.
Best of The Apollo
Two Iconic Institutions. One Stage. One Night.
For the first time, The Apollo and the Howard Theatre come together for a one-night presentation of live music in Washington, D.C.
Hosted by Chris Spencer, the Best of The Apollo will feature a curated lineup of the biggest artists, along with rising stars of Harlem's Amateur Night at The Apollo Presented by Coca-Cola, giving D.C. audiences a front-row seat to the performers who have braved the "world’s toughest audience" and emerged victorious.
Best of the Apollo brings the legacy and energy of Harlem’s legendary stage to D.C. for a live music event celebrating Black music and the artists shaping it. Expect an unforgettable night of live music by award winning performers.
Apr 30
The Apollo Stages at The Victoria
PitchBLACK Awards Ceremony
PitchBLACK Awards is Black Public Media’s signature celebration honoring visionary media makers who tell stories about the global Black experience. Heralded as an event where industry leaders discover new talent, PitchBLACK is also an evening of inspiring content, special guest appearances and the presentation of funding awards to winning creators.
This year, Black Public Media continues its tradition of excellence with a special tribute to the 2026 BPM Trailblazers: Stanley Nelson and Marcia Smith, whose standard-setting body of work about the Black experience has garnered Emmy, Peabody and other distinguished awards.
PitchBLACK festivities will commence with a networking reception followed by the awards ceremony. The evening culminates with a lively afterparty featuring DJ Precise.
Join us at The Apollo Stages at the Victoria Theater on Thursday, APRIL 30, to celebrate PitchBLACK in Harlem and witness the magic!
Purchase your Tickets today!
May 7
Apollo Stages at The Victoria
Apollo Comedy Club - May
Featuring DWIGHT PRYDE, CALVON BROWN, MIKE ROSS
HOSTED BY STILETTO
May 8
The Apollo Stages at The Victoria
UPclose: Teedra Moses
Step inside an intimate speakeasy vibe for an unforgettable, intimate evening with contemporary R&B powerhouse Teedra Moses, an artist who effortlessly weaves strength and vulnerability into every note at Apollo Music Café: UPclose. In this rare, UPclose performance, the iconic chanteuse brings the soul-stirring songs of her legendary album Complex Simplicity to life in a setting designed for true connection.
box office
Support The Apollo
VISITOR INFORMATION
WEEKDAYS
10AM - 5PM
WEEKEND
Closed
*Tickets: Get tickets online through Ticketmaster.com or in person at The Apollo Stages at the Victoria Box Office
*Group Sales: To book your group of 10 or more, contact group.sales@apollotheater.org
(212) 531-5305
The Apollo Stages at The Victoria
233 W 125th St, Third Floor
New York, NY 10027
New York, NY 10027
*Tickets: Get tickets online through Ticketmaster.com or in person at The Apollo Stages at the Victoria Box Office
*Group Sales: To book your group of 10 or more, contact group.sales@apollotheater.org
WEEKDAYS
10AM - 5PM
WEEKEND
Closed
Accessibility
The Apollo is here for everyone. Artists, audiences, and all supporters should be able to experience The Apollo fully and in a way that is comfortable for them.
The Apollo has taken comprehensive steps to ensure that entrances, seating, restrooms, and more are as accessible and compliant as possible. Learn more about accessibility options and support services that might be right for you.
Learn More
All persons and bags are subject to search. Bags that have passed inspection must fit comfortably under your seat. Oversized bags are prohibited.
No outside food or beverage. Accommodations are made for patrons with medical needs. Please email access@apollotheater.org or call the box office at (212) 531-5305 for assistance.
