Apollo Theater

The Apollo Theater at 253 West 125th Street between Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard and Frederick Douglass Boulevard in the Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City is a music hall which is a noted venue for African-American performers. It was the home of Showtime at the Apollo, a nationally syndicated television variety show which showcased new talent, from 1987 to 2008, encompassing 1093 episodes.

The theater, which has a capacity of 1506, was built in 1913-14 as Hurtig & Seamon's New Burlesque Theater, and was designed by George Keister in the neo-Classical style. It became the Apollo in 1934, when it was opened to black patrons – previously it had been a whites-only venue. 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.

History

Creation and rise

The building which later became the Apollo Theater was built in 1913-14 and was designed by architect George Keister, who also designed the First Baptist Church in the City of New York. It was originally Hurtig and Seamon's New (Burlesque) Theater, which enforced a strict "Whites Only" policy. The theatre was operated by noted burlesque producers Jules Hurtig and Harry Seamon, who obtained a 30-year lease. It remained in operation until 1928, when Billy Minsky took over. The song "I May Be Wrong (But I Think You're Wonderful)" by Harry Sullivan and Harry Ruskin, written in 1929, became the theme song of the theater..

The Apollo (Glasgow)

The Apollo was a music venue in Glasgow, Scotland, that operated in the city between September 1973 and its closure in June 1985. It was opened by Unicorn Leisure, on September 5 1973, after acquiring a lease from the owners, George Green Ltd. It was then officially opened to the public on 8 September 1973 and its debut live performance, held on 5 and 6 September 1973, featured country singer-songwriter Johnny Cash. It also played host to folk singer-songwriter John Denver, who sold out 3 concerts. While in operation, the venue hosted a number of popular music acts; however, due to the poor condition both structurally and ergonomically the building became a financial burden which lead to its closure in 1985 and further demolition in September 1987. The Apollo was located in the same building as Green's Playhouse, a cinema and ballroom that operated from 1927 to 1973 at 126 Renfield Street in Glasgow's city centre, and is now occupied by Cineworld Glasgow Renfrew Street.