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.
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.
ABOUT APOLLO WORKS IN PROCESS:
Apollo Works in Process Series is part of Apollo New Works - a program that expands our commitment to supporting creative innovation by emerging and established artists whose work challenges, reflects and is in dialogue with the most pressing issues within our communities.
Apollo New Works is generously supported by the Ford Foundation with additional funding from the Mellon Foundation and Rockefeller Brothers Fund.
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.
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.
ABOUT APOLLO WORKS IN PROCESS:
Apollo Works in Process Series is part of Apollo New Works - a program that expands our commitment to supporting creative innovation by emerging and established artists whose work challenges, reflects and is in dialogue with the most pressing issues within our communities.
Apollo New Works is generously supported by the Ford Foundation with additional funding from the Mellon Foundation and Rockefeller Brothers Fund.
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.
For the first time, The Apollo and The Howard Theatre come together for a one-night presentation of live music in Washington, D.C.
With host Chris Spencer and special performances from the Clipse, Black Alley, and Gabby Samone plus, Grammy-Award winning artist Matthew Whitaker, and Wé Ani who got their start at 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.
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!
Join us on May 1st as part of the Creative Labor, Creative Conditions campaign, presented in partnership with the Doris Duke Foundation and The Moth.
Led by global storytelling nonprofit The Moth, this showcase brings Harlem-based artists together for an evening of live storytelling that honors The Apollo’s legacy and connects today’s arts workers to a long tradition of cultural labor under The Doris Duke Foundation’s May Day activation: Creative Labor, Creative Conditions initiative. The program will feature 3–5 Harlem-based artists sharing personal stories developed through a Moth storytelling workshop.
Featuring DWIGHT PRYDE, CALVON BROWN, MIKE ROSS
HOSTED BY STILETTO
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.
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?
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.
"I am Black, Native American, and French Creole of Color. Did you get all that just from looking at me?"
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Location: 10 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 1002
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.
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.
