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The Apollo Theater (formerly the Hurtig & Seamon's New Theatre; also Apollo Theatre or 125th Street Apollo Theatre) is a multi-use theater at 253 West 125th Street in the Harlem neighbourhood of Upper Manhattan in New York City.
It is a popular venue for black American performers and is the home of the TV show Showtime at the Apollo. The theater, which has approximately 1,500 seats across three levels, was designed by George Keister with elements of the neoclassical style.
The facade and interior of the theater are New York City designated landmarks and are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The nonprofit Apollo Theater Foundation (ATF) operates the theater, as well as two smaller auditoriums at the Victoria Theater and a recording studio at the Apollo.
The Apollo was developed by Jules Hurtig and Harry Seamon as a burlesque venue, which opened in 1913 and originally served only white patrons.
In 1928, the Minsky brothers leased the theater for burlesque shows. Sidney Cohen acquired the theater in 1934, and it became a venue for black performers. Frank Schiffman and his family operated the theater from 1935 to 1976.
A group of black businessmen briefly operated the theater from 1978 to 1979, and former Manhattan borough president Percy Sutton bought it at an auction in 1981.
The Apollo reopened in 1985 following a major refurbishment that saw the construction of new recording studios.
In September 1991, the New York State Urban Development Corporation bought the Apollo and assigned its operation to the ATF. Further renovations took place in the mid-2000s, and an expansion of the theater was undertaken in the early 2020s.
Among the theater's longest-running events is Amateur Night at the Apollo, which takes place every Wednesday and involves audiences who judge the quality of novice performances. Many of the theater's most famous performers are inducted in the Apollo Legends Hall of Fame, and the theater has also commissioned various works and hosted educational programs.
Over the years, the theater has hosted many musical, dance, theatrical, and comedy acts, with several performers often featured on the same bill. In addition, the theater has hosted other events including film screenings, recordings, and tapings, as well as non-performance events such as speeches, debates, and tributes.
Over its existence, the Apollo has had a wide impact on African-American culture and has been featured in multiple books and shows.
The Apollo Theater is located at 253 West 125th Street, between Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard (Seventh Avenue) and Frederick Douglass Boulevard (Eighth Avenue), in the Harlem neighborhood of Upper Manhattan in New York City.
The irregular land lot has frontage on both 125th Street to the south and 126th Street to the north. The site covers 1,621.5 m2, with a frontage of 15 m on 125th Street and a depth of 61 m.
The theater is adjacent to the Victoria Theater to the west. Several MTA Regional Bus Operations routes stop outside the theater, while the New York City Subway's 125th Street/St. Nicholas Avenue station, served by the A, B, C, and D trains, is located one block to the west.
The theater was designed by George Keister with elements of the neoclassical style. It was one of several theaters that Keister designed in that style, along with the Belasco Theatre, Bronx Opera House, Selwyn Theater, and Earl Carroll Theatre.
More information: Apollo Theater
Strangers sit in a room together
Harvey Fierstein
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