NYC & Company Names Apollo Theater Culture Spot For February

2/1/12


NYC & COMPANY NAMES APOLLO THEATER CULTURE SPOT FOR FEBRUARY



—New York City’s Iconic Landmark Welcomes Visitors with Special Discounts—




New York City (February 1, 2012)—NYC & Company, New York City's marketing, tourism and partnership organization, today named the Apollo Theater its February Culture Spot, a monthly program designed to highlight different arts organizations and encourage local and visitor exploration. A world-famous music hall as well as a state and City landmark, the Apollo Theater showcases weekly live performances from both professional and up-and-coming artists in the Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan. Staple events at the venue include its weekly Amateur Night—a larger-than-life talent show where audience approval is measured by cheers and boos, and credited for launching the careers of such artists as Ella Fitzgerald, James Brown, Gladys Knight & the Pips and Stevie Wonder. To celebrate its Culture Spot designation, from February 1 to 29, the Apollo Theater will offer visitors $3 off Amateur Night performances, $5 off shows at the Apollo Music Café purchased before the day of the show and $3 off its historic tours (Wednesdays at 11am).

“The Apollo Theater has played a legendary role in pop culture, introducing numerous top artists and performers to the public for the first time,” says Annie Bergen, vice president for arts and cultural programs at NYC & Company. “The Apollo’s influence can be felt worldwide, where its name has become synonymous not only with great talent but with African-American history. We're proud to invite visitors to learn about its rich legacy and partake in the excitement of Amateur Night.”

“Since its inception in 1934, the Apollo Theater has been the epicenter of African-American culture and a driving force in shaping America’s music landscape,” said Jonelle Procope, president and CEO of the Apollo Theater. “From the days of Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong to Celia Cruz, the Jackson Five, Jay-Z and beyond, the Apollo has definitely secured its place in history as America’s most respected and enduring cross-cultural venue. We are happy to open the Apollo’s doors and invite the community, New York City residents and visitors alike to join us.”

Throughout February, Amateur Night at the Apollo Theater will take place on Wednesday nights at 7:30pm and feature aspiring singers, dancers, musicians, comedians, rappers and spoken-word artists. The first event of the 78th year will kick off on February 1 with special guest Jennifer Holliday—the original Dreamgirl—singing “And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going,” a song most frequently sung by Amateur Night contestants. The Apollo Music Café, a lounge-like space situated on the third floor’s Soundstage, will welcome acoustic soul from artists Candice Anitra and Jeremy James on February 10, and hip-hop duo Asa Buchanon and Phase-One of Bugnanas with lyricist MC Invincible on February 11. Tour Director Billy Mitchell will offer one-hour excursions through the theater informing guests about the building’s history and telling stories about the legends that were created there.
 



The Apollo Theater will also host an Open House Weekend in collaboration with Carnegie Hall’s Neighborhood Concert Series on Friday, February 3, through Sunday, February 5. New York City residents and visitors alike will be able to experience the Apollo’s vibrant history through film clips and shorts, tours, exhibition panels and a special community sing-a-long led by 10-time Grammy Award–winning Christian jazz vocal group Take 6.

To take advantage of the Apollo Theater’s limited time visitor offers, patrons can pick up a discount coupon February 1 to 29 at Official NYC Information Centers in Midtown Manhattan, Times Square and Harlem, or Official NYC Information Kiosks at City Hall and in Chinatown; the coupon can also be downloaded from nycgo.com/culturespot starting today.

To celebrate the month’s Culture Spot pick, Annie Bergen will host a special podcast with the Apollo’s Tour Director and Resident Historian Billy Mitchell. Trivia questions about the interview will be asked over Twitter (@nycgo) each week in February for a chance to win one Apollo Theater t-shirt and one coffee table book titled Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing published by Smithsonian Books. To listen to the podcast and learn more about the Culture Spot program, visit nycgo.com/culturespot.

For the latest announcements on NYC & Company programs, follow @nycgo_press. Visit nycgo.com to find out everything there is to see and do in New York City.



About the Apollo Theater:
The Apollo is a national treasure that has had significant impact on the development of American culture and its popularity around the world. Since introducing the first Amateur Night contests in 1934, the Apollo Theater has played a major role in cultivating artists and in the emergence of innovative musical genres including jazz, swing, bebop, R&B, gospel, blues, soul, and hip-hop. Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, Sammy Davis Jr., James Brown, Michael Jackson, Bill Cosby, Gladys Knight, Luther Vandross, D’Angelo, Lauryn Hill and countless others began their road to stardom on the Apollo’s stage. The Apollo Theater’s new artistic vision builds on its legacy. New Apollo programming has music as its core, driving large-scale and more-intimate music, dance and theater presentations. The Apollo will continue to present historically relevant presentations, as well as more forward-looking, contemporary work. Based on its cultural significance and architecture, the Apollo Theater received state and City landmark designation in 1983 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. For more information, visit apollotheater.org.



About NYC & Company:
NYC & Company is the official marketing, tourism and partnership organization for the City of New York, dedicated to maximizing travel and tourism opportunities throughout the five boroughs, building economic prosperity and spreading the positive image of New York City worldwide. For more information, visit nycgo.com.



About the NYC & Company Foundation:
The NYC & Company Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable and educational organization whose mission is to support tourism to New York City by promoting the arts and cultural organizations that make visiting New York City a special and exciting experience. Since its inception in 1999, the Foundation has focused on educating domestic and international audiences about the vibrant and diverse cultural community throughout New York City.



 



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