This tour is about visiting the Apollo Theater in Harlem, including how to tour the Apollo, get tickets for shows, as well as other tips on planning your visit here.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE APOLLO THEATER
This neo-classical theater originally opened as the Hurtig and Seamon New Burlesque Theater in 1914.
The owners were Jules Hurtig and Harry Seamon, two of the biggest burlesque producers of the day.
Like most theaters in the United States at that time, the theater was only open to white patrons and only offered opportunities to white performers.
When Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia imposed a ban on burlesque in 1933, the theater had to shut its doors.
The theater reopened as the Apollo Theater and began its new life in 1934, under owner Sidney Cohen.
The now-renamed Apollo Theater was geared towards the African-American community in Harlem, which had become a hotbed of culture during the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920’s.
They prioritized giving performing opportunities to African-American performers, though they booked white performers as well.
Within the next few years, future legends Ella Fitzgerald and Pearl Bailey would be introduced to Harlem audiences via the theater’s “Amateur Night.”
(Ella Fitzgerald was only 15 years old at the time!)
Billie Holiday, Lena Horne, and the Count Basie Orchestra also debuted at the new theater in those first few years.
PLAN YOUR VISIT
Since their tours only run when there are at least 20 people in a group or you pay for 20 people, most people visit the Apollo Theater to see a show and we have a section on shows at the theater.
For most visitors to NYC, Harlem is a 30 - 60-minute trip, so it makes sense to plan out your visit.
Check out our guide on things to do in Harlem for more trip ideas.
TIP: Our daily, pay-what-you-wish, guided tour of Harlem, as well as our GPS-enabled audio tour version both end at the theater.
How to Get to the Apollo Theater
The Apollo Theater is located in the heart of Harlem, at 253 West 125th Street.
Regardless of how you get here, we recommend using this link for directions to the Apollo Theater from anywhere in the New York City area.
The nearest subway stations are the 125th station for the A, B, C or D trains, or the 125th station for the 2 or 3 trains.
Be sure to read our posts on navigating the NYC subway system and on choosing the right MetroCard.
TIP: If you are considering a hop-on-hop-off bus ticket, then note that all of the hop-on, hop-off bus companies offer stops at the Apollo Theater.
Read about the different bus company tickets on our blog.
APOLLO THEATER TOURS
The Apollo offers tours for groups of 20 people or more and by reservation only.
The tours are not free, but they are well worth the cost! They are led by the resident historian of the Apollo Theatre, Mr. Billy Mitchell.
Mr. Mitchell has been working for the Apollo Theatre since 1965 when he was hired as a teenager to be a backstage gofer for visiting celebrities.
He has seen much of the Apollo’s history firsthand and is full of stories about the legendary performers that have graced this venue.
His passion for the theatre is completely infectious. (It’s the only place he has ever worked!)
Tour Times
- Monday: 11 am, 1 pm
- Wednesday: 11 am only
- Saturday: 11 am and 1 pm
Some things to know…
You must call ahead to ask about availability. You can contact Billy Mitchell, Tour Director, at 212-531-5337.
You can also email inquiries via a direct link on their website (www.apollotheatre.org). Select the drop-down for “Programs,” and then select “Historic Tours.”
- Tours are available for groups of 20 or more.
- If you wish to attend as a smaller group or as an individual, no problem!
- You can be added to an already-scheduled group tour, space permitting.
- All tours are 60-75 minutes long.
- The cost to take a tour as a small group or an individual is $17 per person on weekdays and $19 per person on weekends.
- If you are booking with a group of 20 or more people, the tour will cost $15 per person on a weekday, and $17 per person on a weekend.
TICKETS TO SHOWS
If you want to see a show at the Apollo Theater, you will have a variety of options!
They have a very full schedule of performances year-round, and their calendar can be found on their website.
Tickets can usually be purchased sometimes at a discount on Groupon.
Amateur Night at the Apollo
The Apollo has perhaps become best known for their “Amateur Night,” which has seen the debuts of the Jackson 5, Lauryn Hill, James Brown, and countless others.
Amateur Night has several vaudeville-style quirks, including an “Executioner” who, along with the audience, decides when a performer must leave the stage.
This is done ceremoniously with a broom that “sweeps” performers offstage.
The audience members are openly encouraged to be verbal with their opinions of the performances.
The original host of Amateur Night, Ralph Cooper, said of the very first time, “I told them the rules: ‘If you like the performer, cheer. You know how to cheer, don’t you?
And the audience let out a roar that rattled windows all over Harlem.”
Sitting on the stage at each Amateur Night is a stump from the Tree of Hope (right), a tree taken from a stretch of Seventh Avenue in Harlem that was once called the Boulevard of Dreams.
Each performer rubs the Tree of Hope for good luck, hoping that they will follow in the footsteps of all of the greats that got their start at the Apollo on Amateur Night.
The competition was televised from 1987 to 2008 as a part of the Showtime at the Apollo broadcast.
In total, 1093 episodes were recorded.
Goldstar often offers 50% off on tickets to see Amateur Night at the Apollo.
