NYC premieres by Soul Science Lab and Dianne McIntyre Group, and  the return of Stefon Harris & Blackout; Annual favorites including celebration of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., beloved talent competition Amateur Night, and Apollo Music Café and Apollo Comedy Club, recognizing emerging talent

(Black PR Wire) Harlem, NY — In celebration of The Apollo’s 90th anniversary in 2024, the renowned institution announced today a selection of upcoming concerts, comedy shows, and educational programs across its stages as part of its Winter and Spring 2024 season–adding to the recently announced programming at The Apollo Stages at the revitalized Victoria Theater, set to open in February 2024. 

Exciting new programming across the multiple stages of The Apollo includes an array of Apollo commissions, including the recently announced Soul Science Lab’s The Renaissance Mixtape, an immersive theatrical concert that uses elements of hip-hop culture and visual storytelling to highlight voices of the Harlem Renaissance led by Brooklyn-based artists Chen Lo and Asante Amin, four-time Grammy nominee and Apollo New Works artist Stefon Harris and his band, Blackout, as well as In the Same Tongue, a vibrant movement, sound, and language-based work by legendary choreographer Dianne McIntyre with original music by celebrated composer Diedre Murray and poetry by the late Obie award-winning playwright Ntozake Shange.

The legendary Amateur Night at The Apollo returns for an abbreviated season from February to June, announcing a winner just in time for the Historic Theater renovations to begin, alongside other crowd favorites Apollo Comedy Club and Apollo Music Café. From conversations with prominent artists and creatives to annual audience favorites, this season’s programming continues to center and amplify Black artists, voices, and culture.

In honor of The Apollo’s inaugural season at The Victoria, thanks to generous support from The Jerome L. Greene Foundation, all tickets to Apollo-presented programming in those spaces will be capped at $20.

Explore the Winter and Spring 2024 season programming below. Additional programs with artists such as theater playwright and director Talvin Wilks  will be announced at a later date.  To learn more, visit https://www.apollotheater.org/spring-2024/

CALENDAR OF THE APOLLO’S WINTER AND SPRING 2024 SEASON:

All times below are listed in EST. 

Apollo Uptown Hall: MLK 

Sunday, January 14, 2024 

The Apollo’s Historic Theater | 2 PM

Free 

The Apollo has a decades-long tradition of serving as a convener for local community residents as well as people from across New York City. That tradition continues as The Apollo partners with WNYC in its annual celebration of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his enduring legacy on the culture. NPR’s Notes from America host Kai Wright moderates the first hour of this year’s celebration. Music, spoken word, and other forms of creative expression round out the afternoon. 

MLK Young Changemakers: Beloved Community 
Monday, January 15, 2024 
The Apollo Soundstage | 4 PM

Free

This year’s MLK Young Changemakers: Beloved Community explores the roots of Dr. King’s activism and the everyday faith that powered his vision of a beloved global community. The discussion will focus on issues of climate change, global migration and voting rights. Join the conversation as the changemakers of tomorrow share their voices and resources to help the next generation become catalysts within their own beloved communities, with live performances and opportunities for direct action.

From the Village to the Victoria: Gallery Opening & Talkback

Thursday, February 1, 2024

The Apollo Stages at The Victoria | 6:30PM

Free

Celebrate the first exhibition at The Apollo’s Laura and Frank Baker Gallery in the revitalized Victoria Theater with this visual exploration of Black artists and creativity from the 1950s through the early 2000s. Photographer and gallerist Alex Harsley’s stunning exhibition From The Victoria to The Village: A Visual History of Black Creative Spaces details the visual history of Black creative spaces in NYC. The opening night will be followed by a talkback with curator and author Halima Taha. From The Victoria to The Village will operate Tuesday to Sunday, 11 am to 6 pm, between February 1 and April 30, 2024.

Apollo Comedy Club 

Thursday, February 1, 2024

The Apollo Soundstage | 10 PM 

Tickets start at $30

Thursday, March 14 & April 4, 2024

The Apollo Stages at The Victoria | 10 PM

$20 

The Apollo Comedy Club presents a night of comedic sets in this long-running series that shines a spotlight on the best up and coming talent in comedy today, curated by Bob Sumner, the legendary producer of Def Comedy Jam known for his incredible eye for comedic talent.

Apollo Music Café  

February 2 & February 3, 2024

The Apollo Soundstage | 10 PM 

Tickets start at $30 (Plus $10 food and beverage minimum)

March 15 & April 5, 2024 

The Apollo Stages at The Victoria | 10 PM 

$20 (Plus $10 food and beverage minimum)

The Apollo Music Café series presents independent artists to a unique audience. Featuring diverse performances across a myriad of genres (R&B, hip hop, soul, jazz, funk, and rock), this series showcases artists drawn from the independent music scene who impact the way music is heard and experienced.

• Friday, February 2, 2024 | Blakely  
• Saturday, February 3, 2024 | We’ Ani  
• Friday, March 15, 2024 | Nella Rojas  
• Friday, April 5, 2024 | YahZa Oduro  

Soul Science Lab: The Renaissance Mixtape 

Friday, February 8 – Sunday, February 11 

The Apollo Stages at the Victoria | See performance details below 

$20  

The Apollo Stages at The Victoria open with The Renaissance Mixtape, an immersive theatrical concert that uses elements of hip-hop culture and visual storytelling to sample some of the most poignant, poetic, and profound voices of the Harlem Renaissance and its contemporary impact. Led by Brooklyn-based artists and Apollo New Works artists Soul Science Lab’s Chen Lo and Asante Amin, The Renaissance Mixtape follows two young artists who use music, images and choreography to reflect on compelling aspects of the Harlem Renaissance that parallel their contemporary experience. Under the direction of Awoye Timpo, The Renaissance Mixtape weaves digital imagery, original music and narrative text to bring you into an exciting journey where past meets present while envisioning Black culture, history and art 100 years into the future.  

• Friday, February 8, 2024 | 8pm  
• Saturday, February 9, 2024 | 2pm  
• Sunday, February 10, 2024 | 8pm  
• Monday, February 11, 2024 | 3pm  

Stefon Harris & Blackout 

Sunday, February 18, 2024

The Apollo Stages at the Victoria | 4 PM, 8 PM 

$20 

The inaugural season of The Apollo Stages at The Victoria continues with four-time Grammy nominee and Apollo New Works artist Stefon Harris and his band, Blackout. This prolific vibraphonist, educator, and thought-leader who has been heralded by the Los Angeles Times as “one of the most important young artists in jazz” alongside his savvy quintet will bring their intriguing take on acoustic and electronic jazz in this one-day-only concert. The evening will feature an exploration of rarely seen improvisational techniques featuring Stefon’s innovative new app that gives artificial intelligence the ability to improvise unpredictable harmony in tandem with artist-created melody and rhythm, resulting in a unique collaboration between software and human. 

Amateur Night at The Apollo   

Every Wednesday, February 21 – June 26, 2024  

The Apollo’s Historic Theater | 7:30 PM  

Tickets start at $30  

Amateur Night has long been revered by artists as a transformative experience where up-and-coming talent feel the power of the legendary performers who have come before them, and where audience responses can help make or break a career. The current Amateur Night season will open on Wednesday, February 21, 2024 and continues each Wednesday night through the Grand Finale on June 26, 2024. 
 
Season Opener  

Wednesday, February 21, 2024  

A new season of Apollo’s signature series returns! Known as one of New York’s most popular live entertainment experiences, Amateur Night at The Apollo attracts performers and audiences from around the world in a classic talent competition that has launched the careers of countless legendary artists, from Ella Fitzgerald, Luther Vandross, Lauryn Hill, H.E.R, Machine Gun Kelly, Jazmine Sullivan and more.  
 
Grand Finale  

Wednesday, June 26, 2024  

Winners from the Semi-Finals return in this final competition, in which the Grand Finale winner is crowned and receives $20,000, alongside the “Child Star of Tomorrow,” who wins $5,000. 

Film Screening: The Melt Goes on Forever 

Thursday, February 22, 2024 

The Apollo Stages at the Victoria | 7:30 PM 

$15  

Dive into the world of art and activism through the extraordinary journey of visual artist, David Hammons. The Melt Goes On Forever: The Life & Times of David Hammons (2022) is a groundbreaking documentary that chronicles the singular career of the elusive African-American artist from Watts rebellion era ’60s L.A. to global art world prominence today. Hammons’ category-defying practice – rooted in a deep critique of American society and the elite art world – is in the words of one art critic “an invitation to confront the fissures between races” as the artist seeks to challenge normative ideas of culture to envision a new one for the 21st century. Following the screening stay for a talkback with filmmakers Judd Tully and Harold Crooks and Apollo New Works artist Alex Harsley whose work will be on display in The Apollo’s Victoria Theater gallery. 

Amateur Night Live Auditions

Saturday, February 24, 2024

The Apollo’s Historic Theater | 9 AM 

Amateur Night at the Apollo is looking for the best singers, dancers, comedians, rappers, spoken word artists, variety acts and musicians for 2024. Adults aged 18+ who are chosen from the audition will have the chance to perform and compete for the grand prize of up to $20,000. Performers ages 5-17 can compete to be recognized as a “Child Star of Tomorrow” for an opportunity to win a prize of $5,000.  Live auditions will be held at the Apollo Theater located at 253 West 125th Street, New York, NY 10027. Please arrive early. Only the first 200 acts will be seen. 

Dianne McIntyre: In the Same Tongue

Thursday, April 12 – Sunday, April 14, 2024

The Apollo’s Stages at the Victoria | 8 PM, 2 PM, 8 PM, 3 PM

$20

Dance at The Apollo Stages at The Victoria opens with a vibrant movement, sound, and language-based work, by legendary choreographer Dianne McIntyre. In the Same Tongue (2023) unites a vigorous company of dancers and musicians to explore how dance and music “speak” to each other. With original music by celebrated composer Diedre Murray, and poetry by the late Obie award-winning playwright Ntozake Shange this work incorporates live music and dynamic vignettes to reveal how language creates worlds of beauty, alienation, harmony, tension, or peace.

APOLLO EDUCATION PROGRAMS

The Apollo continues its robust education programs that extend its commitment to acting as a catalyst for opportunity for the more than 20,000 students, teachers, and audiences it engages annually. The programs use The Apollo’s storied history as a cultural, civic, and community resource and its influence on Black culture to build knowledge and highlight the impact The Apollo has had on arts and culture worldwide, and also supports future generations of arts and entertainment practitioners both inside and out of the classroom.

School Day Live returns with two exciting programs, aimed at students ranging from grade 3 to grade 12. Alongside The Apollo’s in-person educational programming is The Apollo’s recently launched digital education platform, Apollo Stories, designed to ignite meaningful conversations on justice, culture, and identity through free, educator-curated lessons for high school-aged students. With programs and workshops offered in person and remotely, The Apollo provides several routes for students and educators to connect the performing arts to academic subject areas, incorporating National Core Arts Standards. The Apollo also offers a myriad of internship and apprenticeship opportunities for the next generation to learn about performing arts careers behind the scenes. To learn more, visit apollotheater.org/education. 

School Day Live – Two Wings to Heaven: The Story of Bessie Coleman

Thursday, March 14 & Friday, March 15, 2024

The Apollo Stages at the Victoria | 11 AM

$5

Award-winning storyteller and actress, April Armstrong, tells Bessie Coleman’s triumphant story from childhood to renowned pilot in this original stage play. Using dialogue, song, movement and imagery; to illuminate the history of the  1920s, the science of aeronautics, and the need for civil rights for women and people of color. This fanciful tale includes a dreamy visit from Harriet Tubman, Joan of Arc and Paul Lawrence Dunbar, historic figures whose stories gave Bessie the inspiration she needed to transform into a lesson of winning against insurmountable odds. Production Adapted for Young Audiences, appropriate for grades 4 – 12.  For more information visit https://www.apollotheater.org/education/schools/

School Day Live – Bombazo Dance Company: Cocobale

Friday, April 12 , 2024

The Apollo’s Historic Theater| 11 AM

$5

Explore the rhythm of resistance through music and dance at this School Day Live. Uncover the history of Cocobale, Puerto Rico’s forgotten stick fighting dance first practiced amongst enslaved people on the Island during the Bomba gatherings. Bombazine Dance Company: Cocobale celebrates and explores the history of Puerto Rico’s first musical genre, Bomba. With music and dance dating back to the 17th century, this School Day Live is one for the history books. Most appropriate for students grades 3-12.  For more information visit https://www.apollotheater.org/education/schools/

ABOUT THE APOLLO

The legendary Apollo Theater—The Soul of American Culture—plays a vital role in cultivating emerging artists and launching legends. Since its founding, The Apollo has served as a center of innovation and a creative catalyst for Harlem, the city of New York, and the world. With music at its core, The Apollo’s programming extends to dance, theater, spoken word, and more. This includes the world premiere of the theatrical adaptation of Ta-Nehisi Coates’s Between the World and Me and the New York premiere of the opera, We Shall Not Be Moved; special programs such as the blockbuster concert Bruno Mars Live at the Apollo; 100: The Apollo Celebrates Ella; and the annual Africa Now! Festival. The non-profit Apollo Theater is a performing arts presenter, commissioner, and collaborator that also produces festivals and large-scale dance and musical works organized around a set of core initiatives that celebrate and extend The Apollo’s legacy through a contemporary lens, including the [at] The Intersection Arts and Ideas Festival, Women of the World (WOW) Festival as well as other multidisciplinary collaborations with partner organizations. Since introducing the first Amateur Night contests in 1934, The Apollo has served as a testing ground for new artists working across a variety of art forms and has ushered in the emergence of many new musical genres—including jazz, swing, bebop, R&B, gospel, blues, soul, and hip-hop. Among the countless legendary performers who launched their careers at The Apollo are Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, Luther Vandross, H.E.R., D’Angelo, Lauryn Hill, Machine Gun Kelly, and Miri Ben Ari; and The Apollo’s forward-looking artistic vision continues to build on this legacy. For more information about The Apollo, visit www.ApolloTheater.org.

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Source: Apollo Theater