The Apollo Launches Fall/Winter Season With “The Next Movement” In Harlem

The Apollo Theater today announced details of its fall/winter 2022 season titled The Next Movement, taking place live and in-person at the Apollo and featuring a broad range of events.

The Apollo has long been a place of dynamic energy and forward motion; this season, the theater honors that longstanding tradition through a series of performances and programs that look to the future.

From ink, performed by Camille A. Brown & Dancers in Brown’s last performances as a dancer in this repertory, to a conversation with legendary British Vogue Editor-in-Chief Edward Enninful discussing his forthcoming memoir The Visible Man, this season’s programming continues to center and amplify Black artists and voices from the African diaspora.

“The Apollo is constantly evolving and pushing forward,” said Jonelle Procope, Apollo Theater President and CEO. “This fall/winter season will further exemplify our commitment to providing a platform for Black creativity. By spotlighting a wide range of artistic expression, from music and dance to fashion and film, this season will show us everything the next movement has to offer.”

The Next Movement season features a series of conversations on the impact of Black art and its indelible mark on our cultural landscape—featuring figures like Hip Hop legend Fat Joe and Fashion Institute professor and curator Elena Romero. 

It will also welcome back Apollo favorites including the annual Kwanzaa Celebration, featuring the renowned New York-based dance company Abdel Salaam’s Forces of Nature Dance Theatre; and a continuation of its Live Wire series, which spotlights the contribution of Black arts and culture to the broader American canon.

Apollo Music Café returns with performances from George Lovett, Stout, and Jade Novah, while Comedy Club will feature Dylan Tucker, Saya Meads, and Kenney Woo, among others.

“From empowering emerging artists and cultivating new work, to providing a platform for established stars from the African diaspora, we are excited to use our stage to support the changemakers that will lead the next movement,” said Kamilah Forbes, Apollo Theater Executive Producer.

This fall, in conjunction with the World Music Institute, the Apollo will host the Grammy Award-winning Malian musician Oumou Sangaré, one of West Africa’s most celebrated vocalists, whose performance will span traditional Wassoulou music to contemporary sounds from Africa, as well as songs from her recent critically acclaimed album, Timbuktu.

The weekly series Amateur Night at the Apollo continues to bring into the spotlight the top singers, dancers, comedians, and more from across the nation every Wednesday.

On September 24, the world-famous, longest-running talent competition will hold Amateur Night Auditions for the next wave of undiscovered stars.

Known for its notoriously tough “Be Good or Be Gone!” audience who “cheer” or “boo” each contestant, attendees are crucial in determining which participants will go on to compete for the chance to win this year’s champion title and grand prize of $20,000.

Since its inception in 1934, Amateur Night has played a major role in the cultivation of artists who have gone on to influence genres across the musical spectrum, win numerous Grammy Awards, and perform to sold-out crowds, from Ella Fitzgerald to Lauryn Hill, Machine Gun Kelly, Jazmine Sullivan, and H.E.R.

CALENDAR OF THE APOLLO’S FALL/WINTER 2022 SEASON: 

In Conversation: Edward Enninful

Thursday, September 8 | 7:30pm EST

The Apollo’s Historic Theater – Live and In-person

Tickets start at $40 (includes a copy of A Visible Man)

Part of the Apollo’s Half off for Harlem ticket program

In anticipation of his upcoming memoir A Visible Man, fashion icon Edward Enninful will be visiting the Apollo during this year’s New York Fashion Week. From spearheading “The Black Issue” at Italian Vogue, which featured only Black models, to exemplifying a near-improbable career trajectory for a Black, gay and working-class immigrant, Enninful has become a champion for inclusivity, paving a path forward for many in the fashion industry. This program is part of the Apollo’s arts and ideas series of conversations.

Amateur Night Auditions

Saturday, September 24 | 10am – 6pm EST

The Apollo’s Historic Theater – Live and In-person

The Apollo will hold in-person auditions for the 2023-24 season of its signature program, Amateur Night at the Apollo, the original talent show and one of the longest-running events in New York City. Auditions will be held at the Apollo on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at 9am EST through 6pm EST. Amateur Night producers will audition the first 250 vocalists, rappers, dancers, instrumentalists, comedians, spoken-word artists, and other performers vying for a coveted spot on the Apollo’s stage, where they will compete for a chance to win the $20,000 Grand Prize. Performers between the ages of 5 and 17 will compete for a spot in the “Child Star of Tomorrow” category and a $5,000 prize. The Grand Finale of the 2022 Amateur Night season takes place on Wednesday, November 23.

School Day Live: String Stories: The Roots and Fruits of the Blues
Groove Diplomacy Future Music Orchestra
Thursday, October 13 | 11:30 a.m. EST
Apollo Mainstage
Tickets: $5

Apollo School Day Live introduces the “Apollo Experience” to new generations of young theatergoers while providing exciting opportunities to learn about the arts, history, and culture. This performance highlights the history of the Blues and the evolution of its accompanied instruments such as the guitar and banjo from the West African griot tradition, to the African American a capella spiritual tradition and work songs. Students will learn about the music called the Blues, its origins, how the sound of the music varies regionally, the relationship of the Blues to the culture and history of Black people in America, and how the Blues evolved to shape and influence other music genres such as Jazz, Rhythm & Blues and Rock & Roll. Musicians highlighted in this performance include Sister Rosetta Tharp, Elizabeth Cotten, Odetta, and Memphis Minnie. This is a multi-media presentation that features still and moving images.

The Groove Diplomacy Future Music Orchestra under the direction of drummer LaFrae Sci is comprised of vocalists and instrumentalists. Most appropriate for students grades 3 – 12.

Professional Learning Workshop for Educators: Camille A. Brown & Dancers

Tuesday, October 18 | 5pm – 6:30pm EST

The Apollo’s Soundstage – Live and In-person and via Zoom

Tickets: $25

$15 for NYCDOE Educators

Presented by the Apollo’s Education Department

Led by artists from Camille A. Brown & Dancers, and building on the company’s vision of fostering learning, creativity, cultural pride, and joy through the art of social dance, this professional development workshop for educators is based on CABD’s Social Dance for Social Change initiative, which reclaims Black narratives and gives African Diaspora dance its rightful place in American culture. For this event, CABD teaching artists will facilitate a workshop modeling the Company’s student-centered pedagogical approach to dance training, delving into social dance’s historical context and demonstrating its efficacy as a tool to help students develop essential life skills—critical thinking, self-expression, empathy, teamwork, and self-confidence. A conversation with CABD Company dancers via Zoom will follow, with a focus on the cultural and community importance of social dance, while demonstrating how it is incorporated into Brown’s Trilogy of works on race, culture, and identity. The in-person workshop is appropriate for grades 3-12. The Zoom meeting with dance company members is appropriate for educators in high school and post-secondary education but open to all workshop attendees.

Oumou Sangaré

Saturday, October 29 | 8pm EST

The Apollo’s Historic Theater – Live and In-person

Tickets start at $33.50

Presented by World Music Institute in association with the Apollo Theater

The Apollo partners with World Music Institute to present Malian musician and Grammy Award winner Oumou Sangaré for a one-night-only performance. For her Apollo debut, Sangaré, who is referred to as “The Songbird of Wassoulou,” will perform music that spans traditional Wassoulou music to contemporary sounds coming out of Africa, complementing the Theater’s mission in displaying how Africa’s influence has not only expanded, but revolutionized culture and contemporary trends around the world.

Camille A. Brown & Dancers Finale Dance Workshop – Every Body Move & Groove
Sunday, October 30 | 3:45pm – 5:00pm EST
Offsite: New York Live Arts, 219 W. 19^th Street, 10011 – Live and In-person
Free for all with RSVP
Space is limited
Presented in conjunction with the Joyce Theater

This intergenerational, inclusive, and upbeat workshop celebrating Camille A. Brown & Dancers’ three-part series at The Joyce Theater and the Apollo is a way for audience members to experience history and gain insight into social dance styles born from African American culture. Based on moves found in Camille A. Brown’s trilogy dances, this dance party led by Camille A. Brown & Dancers’ experienced facilitators will take participants on a dance journey through time. Groove to dances from the Frug to the Electric Slide, from the Kid-n-Play to the Running Man, and more.

ink
Friday, November 4 & Saturday, November 5 | 8pm EST

The Apollo’s Historic Theater – Live and In-person
Tickets start at $30
Part of the Apollo’s Half off for Harlem ticket program

 
Camille A. Brown & Dancers make their Apollo debut with the uptown premiere of ink—an exploration of self-empowerment, Black love, brotherhood, and resilience. A mix of tap, jazz, African, modern, hip hop, and social dance moves performed to riveting live music that ranges from jazz and funk to afrobeat and gogo, ink celebrates the rituals, gestural vocabulary, and traditions that remain ingrained within the lineage of the African Diaspora. ink is a part of a cross-town celebration of director and choreographer Camille A. Brown, presented in partnership with The Joyce Theater.

Apollo Live Wire: Dance, NYC Street Style, and Hip Hop

Tuesday, November 8 | 7pm EST

The Apollo’s Soundstage – Live and In-person
Tickets: Free with RSVP
Registration is required: https://www.fitnyc.edu/museum/events/

Join choreographers from the Hip-Hop Dance Conservatory (H+) and Keep Rising to the Top (KR3TS) together with FIT professor Elena Romero, who will discuss the evolution of Hip Hop style—from authentic NYC street style to what is now a more intentional representation of that style. H+ and KR3TS support young dancers as they prepare for a career in the performing arts. Professor Romero has a long career in fashion journalism and is co-curator of an upcoming exhibition at The Museum at FIT on Hip Hop style. This event is organized by The Apollo and The Museum at FIT in preparation for the exhibition Fresh, Fly, and Fabulous: Fifty Years of Hip Hop Style, slated to open at The Museum at FIT in 2023 and as part of the Apollo’s Live Wire series.

In Conversation: Fat Joe 
Tuesday, November 15 | 7:30pm EST

The Apollo’s Historic Theater – Live and In-person

Tickets start at $40 (Includes a copy of The Book of Jose)

Part of the Apollo’s Half off for Harlem ticket program

The Apollo recognizes the 50^th anniversary of Hip Hop with a peek between the pages of Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum-selling artist, entrepreneur, and philanthropist Fat Joe’s new memoir, The Book of Jose. Fat Joe pulls back the curtain on his larger-than-life persona in this gritty, intimate memoir about growing up in the South Bronx and finding his voice through music. This program is part of the Apollo’s arts and ideas series of conversations.

 
ImageNation’s Cocktails and Sol Cinema: Film to be announced
Thursday, November 17 | Reception at 6pm EST, film screening at 7pm EST
The Apollo’s Soundstage – Live and In-person

Tickets start at $26.50

The Apollo continues its collaboration with ImageNation by co-presenting the Cocktails & Sol Cinema Series, a social gathering that includes a film screening, cocktail reception, and a post-show conversation with the filmmakers. The film schedule will be announced shortly. Visit www.ApolloTheater.org for more information.

Apollo Winter Wonderland  
Saturday, December 10 | 2pm – 6pm EST
The Apollo’s Historic Theater and under the Apollo Marquee – Live and In-person

Free to all

Under the twinkling lights of our famous marquee, the Apollo invites audiences to bring the family for holiday-themed activities including picture taking with Santa Claus and amazing performances. This event is hosted by the Apollo Theater’s Tour Director and Ambassador, Billy Mitchell. 

Amateur Night Holiday Show 
December 10 | 7:30pm EST

The Apollo’s Historic Theater – Live and In-person
Tickets start at $28
Part of the Apollo’s Half off for Harlem ticket program
Featuring Apollo “Child Star” alums: Michelle Galvis, Christian Guardino, Kofi, Alexis Morrast, Austin Paul, Jr. And Matthew Whitaker

The Apollo Amateur Night Holiday Special showcases talented young alumni of the show’s Apollo Stars of Tomorrow segment. The program captures the spirit of young performers all hoping to follow in the footsteps of Apollo Legends like Ella Fitzgerald and H.E.R., whose careers were launched on the stage of the Apollo. 

Kwanzaa: Regeneration Celebration featuring Abdel R. Salaam’s Forces of Nature Dance Theatre Company and Friends; Special Guest Artist Pauline Jean 
Friday, December 30 | 7:30pm EST

The Apollo’s Historic Theater – Live and In-person

Tickets start at $25

The Apollo Theater celebrates its annual Kwanzaa Celebration featuring the renowned New York-based dance company Abdel Salaam’s Forces of Nature Dance Theatre and guest performances. Since 2006, the Apollo has established an annual show to celebrate this holiday tradition on one day of the Kwanzaa holiday. The Apollo’s celebration is a joyful evening of dance and music honoring the principles of Kwanzaa—family, community, and culture. 

Apollo Comedy Club

The Apollo’s Soundstage – Live and In-person
Doors open at 9pm EST | Shows begin at 10pm EST
Tickets start at $26.50

Thursday, October 6: Dylan Tucker, Saya Meads and Kenney Woo

Thursday, November 10: Aminah Shabazz, Anthony Oakes, and Rio Paris

Thursday, December 1: Mason Victor King, Lisha Perkins, and Comedian Roy

The Apollo Comedy Club celebrates the theater’s rich comedic roots. Presented in partnership with the legendary Bob Sumner (producer of Def Comedy Jam, creator of Laff Mobb on Aspire), the Apollo Comedy Club features the best up-and-coming talent in comedy today. The comedy shows precedes the Theater’s weekend music series, Apollo Music Café, extending the Theater’s late-night offerings.

Apollo Music Café 
The Apollo’s Soundstage – Live and In-person
Doors open at 9pm EST | Shows begin at 10pm EST

Tickets start at $26.50

Friday, October 7: George Lovett
Saturday, October 8: Stout

Friday, November 11: Grace Gibson

Saturday, November 12: Jade Novah

Friday, December 2: Lawrence Flowers & Intercession

Saturday, December 3: David Michael Wyatt

 
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, pop, funk, and rock), this series showcases artists drawn from the independent music scene who impact the way music is heard and experienced.