The Apollo Theater Tour with Billy Mitchell

New York City 2009

Thanksgiving Tour

New York City | New York

03 Dec 2009 | Thu

Day 09 of 11

The Apollo Theater Tour with Billy Mitchell
Empire State Building

The Apollo Theater Tour with Billy Mitchell

The Apollo Theater is the epicenter of American entertainment. Located in the heart of Harlem, New York City, the theater has been an iconic venue for over 75 years and continues to showcase some of the most renowned performances to date. From Ella Fitzgerald winning Amateur Night at 17 years old to Michael Jackson’s final public performance with The Jacksons, visitors can now take a special tour that offers exclusive access to this historical venue.

The-Apollo-Theater-01 — The Apollo Theater – Harlem, New York City

The Apollo Theater was established on January 26th, 1934, and since its initial opening has become a staple in African-American culture. It’s hosted big names like Aretha Franklin, Billie Holiday, James Brown, and many more. On the tour, you’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at these historic performers, as well as learn about their stories that have made such an impact on music history.

The Apollo Historic Tour provides patrons with the opportunity to visit our historic theater and explore the legendary history of the Apollo with behind-the-scenes access to the place “Where Stars are Born and Legends are Made!” This tour connects the past, present, and future of the Apollo through the entertaining and inspiring storytelling of Apollo historian Billy “Mr. Apollo” Mitchell.

Mr. Billy Mitchell has interacted with thousands of visitors from around the world, transporting them through the Apollo’s history and pivotal eras in Harlem with a unique presentation that is part performance and part historical lecture. With his backstage memories and stories about Apollo legends like James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Mary J. Blige, and more, Mr. Mitchell provides a unique behind-the-scenes insight that only a true insider can give.

– Apollo Theater Website Apollo Historic Tours with Billy “Mr. Apollo” Mitchell

The Apollo Theater is a music hall 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. It is a noted venue for African-American performers, and is the home of Showtime at the Apollo, a nationally syndicated television variety show which showcased new talent, from 1987 to 2008, encompassing 1,093 episodes; the show was rebooted in 2018.

The theater, which has a capacity of 1,506, opened in 1913 as Hurtig & Seamon’s Music Hall. It was designed by George Keister in the neo-Classical style. Alterations were made that year for showing movies, and it was renamed the Apollo Theater. (It was often referred to as the “125th Street Apollo” to distinguish it from the legitimate Apollo on 42nd Street). In 1924, the Minsky brothers leased the theater for burlesque shows. In 1934, it became a venue for black performers and was opened to black patrons for the first time. In 1983, both the interior and exterior of the building were designated as New York City Landmarks, and the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. It is estimated that 1.3 million people visit the Apollo every year.

– Wikipedia Apollo Theater