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The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has selected the 47th Honorees for lifetime artistic achievements: acclaimed director and filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola; legendary American rock band the Grateful Dead (Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh, Bobby Weir); blues rock singer-songwriter and guitarist Bonnie Raitt; jazz trumpeter, pianist, and composer Arturo Sandoval; and The Apollo, which will receive a special Honors as an iconic American institution.
“Ian Kamau spins sadness into the sublime” - CBC Arts
The Apollo is proud to present Loss, produced by The Theatre Centre, at the Under The Radar Festival.
Loss brings an intergenerational family story to life through a stunning blend of live music, video, and powerful storytelling. Created by the Canadian visionary Ian Kamau and his father, famed documentarian Roger McTair, this multimedia performance dives deep into grief, healing, and the strength of community.
This isn’t just a show—it’s a journey that will move your spirit and spark conversations. Don’t miss your chance to witness the future of theater, where every moment pulls you deeper into an immersive, emotional experience.
The Apollo celebrates the 40th anniversary of the Black women-led theatrical dance company and social activism ensemble, Urban Bush Women with a stunning visual exhibition in the Laura and Frank Baker Gallery. With special pop-up performances on select dates, Lineage Legacy and Liberation: An Examination of Urban Bush Women’s Art-Making and Community Organizing Praxis contains rare photographs, performance footage, manuscripts, costumes and memorabilia from the groundbreaking ensemble’s 40-year history.
Curators:
UBW Co-Artistic Directors Mame Diarra Spies & Chanon Judson and Pia Monique Murray
Curatorial Consultant:
Laura Steward
Producers:
Jonathan D. Secor & Pia Monique Murray
Presented in Partnership with Urban Bush Women
ABOUT URBAN BUSH WOMEN:
Urban Bush Women is a groundbreaking Black women-led theatrical dance company and social activism ensemble, founded in 1984 by visionary choreographer Jawole Willa Jo Zollar as an engine and an amplifier for the unheard stories of Black Women+. Today, under the artistic leadership of Chanon Judson and Mame Diarra Speis, UBW combines revolutionary performance, deep-healing community engagement, and ancestral knowledge from the African diaspora into a cultural force that is urgent, forward-looking, and essential.
UBW embraces the power of radical storytelling to activate social change. Whether creating genre-defying work for the stage, guiding the development of Black Women+ choreographers and producers, organizing for justice through art-making, or inspiring leaders across generations, UBW is an innovator, operating at the vanguard.
Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 1974 classic film Claudine and the life of the late James Earl Jones at The Apollo Stages at The Victoria, in partnership with the Harlem Festival of Culture Foundation.
Experience the powerful performances of Diahann Carroll and James Earl Jones in this timeless story of resilience, love, and community. Claudine tells the tale of a strong-willed single mother raising six children in Harlem, whose budding romance with a charismatic garbage collector is tested by the struggles of life within an oppressive system.
Join Apollo Education for a full-day Professional Learning Workshop to explore the digital learning hub, Apollo Stories. This online resource of educator-created materials sparks critical thinking in students and ignites thought-provoking discussions on justice, culture, and identity.
Led by The Apollo Stories team, educators will receive expert guidance on integrating and adapting the free lessons featured on the platform into their classroom curricula. Gain hands-on facilitation experience, feedback, and dive into engaging, practical, classroom-ready activities.
Falling on the heels of Valentine’s Day, the singer, songwriter and poet known as sahn has taken pen to paper to create an introspective musical love letter that covers the elements of loss, renewal and everlasting love. sahn delivers a powerful evening of smokey, jazz-infused, songs and stories from her debut album “the mornings”.
Artistic StatementS
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
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
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’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, 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.
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
• A 99-seat and a 199-seat black box theater, providing space to incubate, collaborate, and workshop new performances.
• Subsidy programs for small and mid-sized, NYC-based cultural organizations to utilize and benefit from professional-level technical equipment and theater rehearsal and performance spaces.
• Administrative offices for The Apollo staff.
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A performance work for flexible spaces, farms, gardens, and waterbodies, In The Name Of The Mother Tree is a theatrical ceremony that combines music, dance, and poetry to tell the story of a community in the process of reclaiming earth-fortifying rituals after a major climate rupture.
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The inaugural Master Artist Residency was supported by the Ford Foundation. The Master Artist Residency program is generously funded by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
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Education Programs
The Apollo offers engaging music, dance, and theater instruction while highlighting its rich history and ongoing significance to Harlem and Black culture. Programs are inquiry-based, interactive, and interdisciplinary, and Apollo School Programs connect to national, state, and local arts and academic standards.
Discover more about The Apollo’s workshops and residencies, School Tours, School Day Live performances, distance learning options, and partnerships and special projects.
The Apollo Theater Academy provides opportunities for young adults in the performing arts and entertainment fields through workshops, internships, apprenticeships, and events.
- The Arts Administration Internship explores the impact of arts administration on live and recorded productions at The Apollo, where students develop a concept for the signature summer event, Teen Takeover.
- The Technical Stage Production Internship assigns students to work with members of The Apollo’s production crew, where they gain experience applying technical elements of theater such as lighting design, videography, audio engineering, carpentry, and production design to live and recorded stage productions.
- The Apprenticeship program provides college students and recent graduates with training and mentorship as they work with Apollo staff to design, implement, and produce their own projects and/or events.
With Professional Learning workshops, Apollo Education energizes, inspires, and provides K-12 educators with resources and hands-on activities to connect the arts to classroom curricula, all while meeting educational and arts standards.
Professional Learning workshops are available to educators from all grade levels and disciplines. Workshops are intended to benefit both educators and their students and to provide educators with methods and strategies for teaching and learning through the arts and across disciplines. The Apollo is a NYS-approved provider for Continuing Teacher and Leader Education (CTLE) credits.
Apollo Stories is an interactive digital learning hub for high school educators who want to spark critical thinking in the minds of their students. It provides lesson plans, resources, and activities that explore justice, culture, and identity. The inaugural lessons are built around The Apollo’s world premiere stage adaptation of Ta Nehisi-Coates' Between the World and Me.
Geared towards activating and amplifying the voices of high school-aged students, the program gives young people a framework to understand and navigate issues of contemporary America and reflects The Apollo’s commitment to utilizing the arts and humanities to foster conversation centered on the Black experience.
Apollo School Tours highlight the legendary history and performers of The Apollo, and the impact on music and performing arts development. All tours are thematic, inquiry-based, interactive, and use multimedia. They also connect to national, state, and local arts and academic standards. Bring your students to experience the legacy and learn the history of The Apollo!
For questions, please email The Apollo at school.programs@apollotheater.org.
