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.

A live performance exploring culture, mixed identity, and the power of being many things at once.

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What happens when who you are can't fit in a single box? When your skin doesn't match other people's expectations of your heritage, or when the communities you love aren't sure they claim you back?

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Black Gumbo is a story that starts there. It follows Mary Olivette Bookman, Mobile, Alabama-raised, New York-forged, racially ambiguous for her whole life . As she works through a deceptively simple school assignment: present your culture to the class. What unfolds is an honest, joyful, and deeply human reckoning with what it means to hold multiple identities at once, and to eventually stop asking permission to celebrate all of them.

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"I am Black, Native American, and French Creole of Color. Did you get all that just from looking at me?"

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This isn't a lecture. It's an experience of a living collage of stepping, gospel, Indigenous dance, and Zydeco that mirrors the layered, irreducible texture of its creator. Each performance is its own ingredient. Together, they become something entirely new: Mary's gumbo- our collective Gumbo. And in building it in front of the audience, she invites every student in the room to start building their own.

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For students who have ever been asked "but what are you, really?"  and for those who've never had to answer that question at all, Black Gumbo offers a rare thing: a stage that says all of it counts, and all of it belongs here.

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Derek Lee McPhatter - Writer

Michael Przygoda - Composer

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When was the last time you stopped to smell the roses? Apollo Works in Process: water riot  takes audiences on a journey of collective reflection on climate change and inspires action. Set in a near future Chicagoland, water riot follows an unlikely coalition of black activists, challenging an A.I. police state by staging a protest against the privatization of Lake Michigan.  

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With a soundtrack built around the legacy of Black voices as the foundation of rock, punk, experimental music, and the memories of moments of resistance and public protest; Derek Lee McPhatter’s water riot  invites audiences on a journey from anger, confusion, and despair towards determination, resilience and hope.

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Celebrate the 100th birthday of Miles Davis with a film and discussion honoring the man who transformed the sound of modern music. From groundbreaking albums like Kind of Blue to the electric experiments of Bitches Brew, Miles’ influence continues to echo through jazz, hip-hop, soul, and beyond. Relive Miles’ full 1970 performance at the Isle of Wight Festival in Electric Miles: Kind of Blue -- backed by legends Chick Corea, Carlos Santana, Dave Holland, Airto Moreira and more -- featuring exclusive interviews with Davis’ bandmates from that historic night.  Join The Apollo for a screening and conversation that explores the genius and legacy of an artist who never stopped evolving.

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Celebrate Pride at The Apollo Stages at The Victoria with an integral conversation on representation of Black gay men in media with A Visible Life.  

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Join social-media creator and comedian Lavelle Dontae and artist-educator Dr. John-Martin Green with artist-scholar williambryantmiles for an intimate discussion featuring short film excerpts, performances, and fellowship. A Visible Life  invites audiences to think about how both watching and crafting performance shapes and defines who they are, and who they aspire to be.

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Celebrate Pride at The Apollo with Apollo Works in Process: A Little Light, a new queer coming-of-age musical by Derrick Byars. A Little Light  tells the story of a young man navigating the rush of new love and the weight of generational survival. Centered on a Black family in a small Southern town, these new musical blends romantic comedy, theatrical camp, and emotional depth as soon-to-be college freshman, Jordan begins to step into the kind of life he’s only ever imagined.

Join us for a neo-soul dance party as we honor the late musical legend D’Angelo, whose revolutionary sound and artistry left an indelible mark on global culture. D’Angelo’s early roots can be traced to New York via The Apollo, where he won Amateur Night three times in a row then launched a career that would inspire a musical movement and soundtrack a generation. We invite you to meet us under the moonlight, slip on a pair of high-fidelity headphones and immerse yourself in D’Angelo’s music curated to perfection by the trailblazing sound collage artist and music maker DJ Reborn.

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Location: 10 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 1002

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