Apollo Theater in Harlem, Theaters in Manhattan

The Apollo Theater in Harlem, located at 253 West 125th Street in the Harlem neighborhood of Upper Manhattan, is a historic venue for black American performers. It opened its doors in 1913. It is a designated a New York City landmark and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.

C. J. Stumpf & H. J. Langhoff of Wisconsin, acquired land on 125th and 126th Street from the Cromwell estate and Lit family, around 1911 or 1912. They announced plans for the "New Harlem Theatre" on June 23, 1912, in the New York Times, for burlesque shows. Hurtig & Seamon, who had a lease on the old Opera House Building, leased the new theater for thirty years. Sydney S. Cohen negotiated the transaction.

The theater was designed by George Keister with elements of the neoclassical style. A groundbreaking ceremony occurred in January 1913, when it was known as Hurtig & Seamon's New Theater. It was originally restricted solely to white patrons.

In 1928, the Minsky brothers leased the theater for burlesque shows, but after 1932, licenses for burlesque in New York City was not to be renewed. In 1934, Sidney S. Cohen acquired the theater and renamed the 125th Street Apollo Theatre. Morris Sussman was the manager. They changed the format of the shows to variety revues and redirected their marketing to the African-American community in Harlem. It was the first theater in NYC for black performers. Since then, The Apollo played a major role in the emergence of jazz, swing, bebop, R&B, gospel, blues, and soul. Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, Sammy Davis Jr., James Brown, Gladys Knight, Luther Vandross, D’Angelo, Lauryn Hill, and many others began their road to stardom on the Apollo stage.

Today, The Apollo is a nonprofit presenting concerts, theatrical and dance performances, film screenings and educational programs.