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The Apollo Breaks Ground on Largest
Restoration, Renovation, and Modernization of its Historic Theater in 90+ Years
Historic Theater Goes on Hiatus Until Summer 2026
At a groundbreaking ceremony on Monday June 30, The Apollo and a host of partners, elected officials, and invited guests officially kicked-off the largest full-scale restoration, renovation, and modernization of its iconic Historic Theater, temporarily “dropping the curtain” on a stage that has been the epicenter of Black culture and entertainment for more than three generations. The renovation project is planned to last until summer 2026 and will honor the legacy of The Apollo while enhancing the audience experience with a renovated and expanded lobby with a café and bar for community gatherings and performances, new and restored seating, significant upgrades to backstage areas for artists, a revitalized, globally recognized historic Apollo marquee, and more. Photos and video from the event can be found here.
At the groundbreaking, Michelle Ebanks, President and CEO of The Apollo, was joined by Charles Phillips, Chairman of The Apollo Board of Directors, Patricia M. Zollar, Vice Chairman of The Apollo Board of Directors, Dawanna Williams, Chair of The Apollo Real Estate Committee, Senator Cordell Cleare, New York State Assemblyman Jordan Wright, Deputy Borough President Keisha Sutton-James, Deputy Commissioner Alton Murray, Sirius XM President and Chief Content Officer Scott Greenstein and Billy “Mr Apollo” Mitchell. With over 200 invited guests in attendance, the groundbreaking ceremony also featured performances from Apollo’s Amateur Night artists Mariah Rae and Greginald Spencer. Additional speakers and performances included Vince Toye, Head of Community Development Banking at J.P. Morgan, David Clower, President of National Trust Community Investment Corporation, Brinda Ganguly, Executive Vice President at New York City Economic Development Corporation and artist Dietrice Bolden. Following the ceremonial curtain drop and remarks, guests recessed to The Apollo’s Stages at the Victoria Theater, the newly opened theaters, gallery space, and offices a few doors down the block on Harlem’s 125th Street, for additional remarks and a reception.
At the groundbreaking ceremony, Michelle Ebanks said: “Today’s groundbreaking marks the beginning of a new chapter in The Apollo’s journey—a curtain drop in every sense of the word – taking us from a place of reverence to a place of relevance. As we prepare to renovate and reimagine this legacy space, we do so not to erase its history, but to elevate it. To honor the shoulders we stand on, while building a more modernized foundation for those who will come after us.”
Construction on the theater—which first opened in 1914 and was renamed The Apollo in 1934— is taking place in phases until completion in summer 2026. The Apollo will continue performances throughout the process, alternating the use of its new Stages at the Victoria Theater, its Soundstage, and in partnership with other New York City cultural organizations, with the Fall 2025 season to be announced in the coming weeks. The Historic Theater is expected to be dark for approximately 13 months for work on its lobby, doubling its size and opening it up onto 125th Street; a new entryway with a new, interactive digital Wall of Fame, a bar and café, new seats, a new marquee and blade, restored plasterwork, and much more.
Following the 2024 opening of The Apollo Stages at the Victoria Theater, the first expansion in the nonprofit’s 90-year history, the Historic Theater renovation and expansion further enhances The Apollo’s mission to champion artists, shepherd the Black cultural narrative, and provide vibrant, artistic, and community programs that build on the cultural heritage of Harlem.
The Historic Theater Renovation project is led by Beyer Blinder Belle Architects + Planners, in collaboration with consultants Charcoalblue (theater design and acoustic), Flyleaf Creative (signage design), Consigli Construction (contractors) and Envoie Projects LLC (project management).
Funding for the Historic Theater Renovation and Restoration project is made possible by Empire State Development Corporation, Harlem Community Development Corporation, J.P. Morgan, National Trust Community Investment Corporation, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, New York City Economic Development Corporation, New York City Neighborhood Capital Corporation, Octagon Finance LLC, Sirius XM Holdings Inc., United Fund Advisors LLC, and Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone Development Corp., among other generous donors to The Apollo.
The legendary Apollo—the soul of American culture—plays a vital role in cultivating emerging artists and launching legends. Since its founding, The Apollo has served as a center of innovation and a creative catalyst for Harlem, the city of New York, and the world. In 2024, The Apollo opened The Apollo Stages at the Victoria Theater, marking the first ever expansion and renovation of The Apollo in its 90+ year history. For more information about The Apollo, visit www.ApolloTheater.org.
With music at its core, The Apollo’s programming extends to dance, theater, spoken word, and more. This includes the world premiere of the theatrical adaptation of Ta-Nehisi Coates’s Between the World and Me and the New York premiere of the opera We Shall Not Be Moved; special programs such as the blockbuster concert Bruno Mars Live at the Apollo; 100: The Apollo Celebrates Ella; and the annual Africa Now! Festival. The non-profit Apollo is a performing arts presenter, commissioner, and collaborator that also produces festivals, large-scale dance and musical works organized around a set of core initiatives that celebrate and extend The Apollo’s legacy through a contemporary lens, including the Women of the World (WOW) Festival as well as other multidisciplinary collaborations with partner organizations.
Since introducing the first Amateur Night contests in 1934, The Apollo has served as a testing ground for new artists working across a variety of art forms and has ushered in the emergence of many new musical genres—including jazz, swing, bebop, R&B, gospel, blues, soul, and hip-hop. Among the countless legendary performers who launched their careers at The Apollo are Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, Luther Vandross, H.E.R. D’Angelo, Lauryn Hill, Jazmine Sullivan, Machine Gun Kelly, and Miri Ben Ari; and The Apollo’s forward-looking artistic vision continues to build on this legacy. For more information about The Apollo, visit www.ApolloTheater.org.
