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    Apollo Theater

    4.4 (59 reviews)

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    Amateur Night
    Loretta M.

    The theater is undergoing renovations. We had to enter the back door which wasn't a problem. Thank goodness it wasn't raining because the main lobby was closed. The biggest issue was the restrooms. One was first closed and the basement facility's had multiple stalls closed. The show was packed and this was not appropriate for guests. While not the Apollo's fault, Raphael Saadiq was the absolute worst concert I have ever been too. He talked way too much and sang way too little. Driving 2 hours, paying for parking, I was expecting a phenomenal show from a phenomenal artist. What a let down . I wish a could request a refund.

    Whitney D.

    The Apollo is a historical place in Harlem NYC. So much talent has walked these halls, performed on this stage. I can't believe I have never been here until recently and I am a native New Yorker! They have this event every wed or almost every wed called Amateur night at the Apollo. Where kids from 5-17 years old perform on stage. Anything from dance, singing or any other talents they may have. They have 2 rounds a night. The winners from each round then go onto another round I believe the following week. Everyone also gets these fans with boo and yass on either side. For the older round it seemed we used these. This is a fun night out for anyone local or tourist! They have a little bar area and they have a merch area too. The staff seemed nice. I just wish one of the ushers didn't walk back and forth in the aisle so much when the person wasn't like helping anyone to their seats. It was a little hard to see when it happened. The Apollo also hosts concerts as well. I highly recommend coming here at least once.

    Roy C.

    Pro: It's the Apollo Theater!!! Sure, I can go into the history of the venue and its showcasing of African American talent since the 1930s. Sure, I can cite that this place was vital for launching the careers of timeless talents like Billie Holiday, Sammy Davis Jr., and Luther Vandross. Sure, I can reflect on how many Amateur Nights at this venue kept America entertained. But I'll keep my praise brief with one simple sentence: It's the Apollo Theater!!! Con: none. Why? Because it's the Apollo Theater! :) Bottom Line: History. Culture. Arts. Resilience. This is what the venue stands for.

    Amateur Night at the Apollo - Stars of Tomorrow kids talent portion with the amazing 13-year old singer Mia Soleil Sanchez
    Mike R.

    The Apollo's amazing and thoroughly enjoy "Amateur Night at the Apollo," an outstanding variety talent competition tradition for now 90 years. For those who haven't seen it earlier on TV, some of the world's most famous performers have been discovered through Amateur Night, so watching it enables you to catch a star on the cusp of stardom! In this absolutely beautiful performance space, the theater organizes this event to bring to the stage adult acts plus (my favorite portion) "The Stars of Tomorrow," with incredibly talented and courageous kids. (Note - This last time we watched Mia Soleil Sanchez, a 13 year old who played keyboard and sang so well I suggest you check her videos online!) Amateur Night is structured to engage the audience to give feedback, along with a provide "YASS!!" or "BOO!!" paddle. DJs and hosts on stage warm up the audience in advance. After the "future stars" perform, a siren and The Executioner will dance off acts that get audience disapproval. Have heard a couple of times in the audience, someone who is just intent on heckling, which could bring things down. The audience is encouraged to be lively, especially when they bring all the surviving acts on stage to determine the winner by applausemeter. Given what we encountered during the last Amateur Night I attended, here's some advice to foreigners, out-of-towners, and young folk possibly not familiar with the Amateur Night experience: BE CONSIDERATE and DON'T NON-STOP TALK THROUGH THE SHOW!!! It's DISRESPECTFUL to BOTH those who are brave enough to get up on stage and ALSO to your audience neighbors who came to watch the acts! If you feel compelled to have a side conversation mid-show, either go up to one of the bars or lobby or alternatively save it to Intermission or afterwards! Others, who also bought tickets, (1) don't want to and (2) shouldn't have to be in a position to tell you to "SHUT UP!" That being said, Amateur Night is one of those fantastic, unique entertainment experiences New York has to offer - a fun time in my neighborhood I enjoy sharing with my friends and out-of-town guests. Will be back for more!

    Iconic
    Nancy M.

    It's the Apollo Theater! It is an American Icon! The theater itself has been well maintained, which is important considering its important place in history. Have been here twice for Amateur night and had an absolutely amazing, wonderful, and delightful experience both times. Love the Apollo theater and am so thankful for all that it has contributed to the world.

    90th Amateur Night
    Christy M H.

    My sister and I attended the 90th annual amateur night. We were blown out of our seat with the talent we saw and were so proud to share the moment with people in the community. The Apollo is definitely a place of gathering, celebration, love, laughter and HISTORY. It was my very first time in the Apollo and I couldn't help but think about all of the talent that walked those halls. Everything was beautifully decorated and maintained the old school aesthetic it's always had. The staff was wonderful, helpful and diverse. I was happy to see so many different people working together. It was truly a place of magic and unity.

    Apollo Theatre
    Cheryl M.

    I enjoyed the night. It was a great night with the children singing their hearts out. A Christmas extravaganza

    Exterior
    Taylee M.

    Another well-known Harlem gem is the infamous Apollo theatre. I've had the pleasure of attending several jazz concerts here and all the greats have played it. Tonight, we went to Amateur night and it's quite the show! It's very interactive and happens to be the longest running talent show in the US. Think 'American Idol' but the audience actively judges who wins and proceeds to the next round. Booing is allowed and our audience took that to heart

    Leah M.

    Great experience at beautiful historical theatre. The performances lived up to all my memories and expectations. During my visit most performances were good or better during amateur night. No one was tapped danced off stage. LOL We were a generous crowd. The building looked as if a lot of money time and effort has been invested. It's beautifully maintained. The staff was professional and pleasant. When I purchased souvenirs the prices were very reasonable! If you have the opportunity to visit I highly recommend it. There a are some great shops and restaurants in the area to fill a long enjoyable visit!

    Lisa P.

    Of course we just wanted to take pictures in front of the Apollo and maybe get a tour. Just our luck, they were having a special event. We inquired how we could be a part of this since it started at 11a and it was now after 5p. Supervisor came and spoke to us and offered us a 10$ ticket which was the college discount for the remainder of the show. We said yes please and thank you very much. Best 10$ ever spent! The first panel discussion that we were a part of included sports, racism and bringing community together. The second panel included celebrity chefs discussing the process of their recipe development and what things they have coming up. Last but not least was Kerry Washington sharing her writing process and a bit of her new book. Again, the best 10$ ever spent. I left out to use the restroom and one of the members of Ghetto Gastro was in the hall. I introduced myself and explained how my son and I purchased his sweet potato pancake mix in Target in North Carolina. He was nice. Then, my FAVORITE Carla hall was very engaging and taking pictures. It was a long day for us. I didn't mind my two french braids or the tourist hoodie. I refused to miss an opportunity. LOVED visiting the Apollo!

    Apollo stage
    Karena M.

    I recently visited the Apollo theater. I was there for Luenell's stand up comedy. Getting inside the venue was pretty easy and surprisingly fast. If you visit here, pay attention to the multiple check points/bag checks. There's more then one. I noticed the line that was coming from the East side, was long. However the line coming from the West side had no wait. I was able to walk right now. Inside is absolutely beautiful. This building has alot of history and everything looks expensive vintage. I was seated on the main level so i didnt have to take any stairs up or anything. As soon as you step into the venue area, there is a bar. I was able to get drinks. I got patron with cocacola and a tequila sunrise. Both drinks were made well. They cost about $27 total. They have alot of ushers that assisted guest with getting to their seat. I thought that was great because it helped get guest to their seat quickly. DURING the show, multiple guest in front of me were seated in the incorrect seat. I think the numbers and letters identifying the rows are not bright or visible enough. It was quite confusing for older folks. The sound quality during the show was perfect. You can legitimately hear people talking from the upper deck. That's how strong the sounds vibrate through that building. We were able to hear Luenell's clearly. Before the show ended, we ran to the bathroom. We were trying to avoid the crowd. The bathroom could be updated, it resembles a school bathroom. It was clean and there was an attendant handing out paper towels after you washed your hands. Getting out the venue was also a breeze. We avoided the crowd so it worked out. Overall, i cant wait to come back and see another show here.

    Amateur Night at the Apollo on 10/05/2022
    Rebecca R.

    While on vacation visiting NY, I had bought tickets for the Apollo Theater Amateur Night show on 10/05/2022 and all I can say is...SO MUCH FUN and definitely, a must-do if ever in the NY area! I mean, getting to check out the historic Apollo Theater is awesome in itself but attending an Amateur Night show takes it to the next level! If you never watched an Apollo Amateur Night episode on tv, this is the concept...people have to audition to appear on the show to showcase their talent (singing, dancing, ect) and the audience decides if that person is good enough to continue to perform by not booing them off the stage. If there are enough audience boo's, that performer is then escorted off the stage by the Apollo "jester", who basically tap dances them off the stage. A winner is than chosen from those who didn't get boo'd off stage by the audience members at the end of the night by cheering for your favorite performer(s). A noise meter is used to capture how loud of applause each performer receives. There were 7 performances on the night we attended (5 adult performances and 2 kid performances). The majority of the performances were singing/dancing acts but there was a spoken word performer. One of the performances and the winner, was a woman from Tokyo, who sang a Whitney Houston song. Her voice was so powerful (see video). In between acts, there is a comedic host who keeps the audience engaged & talks big noise about some of the performances! He was hilarious! The night was definitely a fun night from beginning to end! And I DEFINITELY took my role, as an Apollo audience member very seriously, and may even started the boo's for one of the performances (see attached video) :))...what?! No judgment..I had a job to do ;)). Parking: we found free street parking near the theater a few streets down & had no issues. Seats: We had the perfect seats and were right in the middle looking down on the stage. Below are the seats/section and see pic included in this review of the view we had. Sec CMEZZ, Row A, Seats 105 & 106 Till Next Time, ~Rebecca

    Gift shop
    Crystal B.

    I enjoyed visiting this legendary institution. They were closed for shows, in fact, they've been closed for two years but the gift shop was open. The gift shop is rather small for the history of this place but it's nice that there is one. The theater isn't as modern as I'd thought but we've come to learn that the state of New York currently owns the theater and I'm sure renovations are not a priority. Anyway, it was nice to visit the place where legends were born and got their chance at fame. We saw the lucky stump and a wall plastered with famous folks from the 1950's and on. Fun fact: my folks are from Brooklyn and my grandma and her twin sister actually performed here as adolescents. While they didn't get booed or swept off by the executioner, they never became famous either. However, they were super famous in our family, so there! Lol As you know, Luther Vandross, Lauren Hill and Dave Chappelle all were booed here early on in their careers during amateur night but hey, they eventually made it to fame. So there's hope for anyone! Apollo Amateur Night is returning this year and they're looking for new talent. If you got what it takes, go for it!

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    Review Highlights - Apollo Theater

    Sadly I was at the tapping of an Amateur Night the day news broke that R&B singer Aaliyah's plane went down.

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    Santo Rico Dance School

    Santo Rico Dance School

    4.0(10 reviews)
    1.0 miEast Harlem

    This is a long, long overdue review so what I'm about to write may no longer apply…read more.. Anyway, way back in the day I was REALLY into salsa. This would have been in the timeframe of 2007-2010 perhaps... I had already taken classes at lots of other dance schools in Manhattan. I would say I was at a high intermediate level. I took my dancing very seriously, and I was more inclined to like the 'dancer's dancer' type studios....where it was all about carrying oneself like a professionally trained dancer. Eventually, of course, Santo Rico came onto my radar and I decided one day to brave it, and go for a group lesson there, all on my own. Now I'd already heard this would be a 'tough school', but....I was so not prepared for what I encountered. Perhaps I should first say that I already knew that the NYC ON-2 scene could be extremely competitive. I'd attended classes and socials at all the usual places...Carlos... Jimmy...Joe...Frankie....YSBD, etc., and had a few privates with Magna, Griselle, etc. When I first walked into Santo Rico, I naturally saw a bunch of other dancers in the studio who'd either just finished a class or were there for the next class. You could have cut the tension with a knife. (Or was I simply projecting, based upon what I'd already heard about this place??) Anyway, when it was time, I joined my group lesson. I recall the group was on the smaller side...there were maybe just six or so women and a more or less equal number of men. The teacher was a young latin male....perhaps in his late 20s at the time? As they say, a female salsa dancer is only as good as her lead. ;-) The man is supposed to give clear cues, and the woman is supposed to know how to interpret them. Up until this point, I normally had never had problems in group classes. But with this instructor, when it came time for us to rotate partners, and HE became my partner, it seemed that during our routine practice, I didn't 'interpret' a cue that he'd given me, 'correctly'. Most would say that HE was in the wrong...that he must not be a very good lead. But he, being the very small-minded man that he apparently was, actually 'yelled' at me, saying something like 'why did you do that....I didn't want you to turn!' (or something like that). I was so embarrassed and shocked that...I probably just blurted out something like '...I thought that's what you wanted me to do...'. In retrospect, his behavior was brutish, inappropriate and uncalled for. I, being so immersed in the NYC salsa scene at that time, however, allowed myself to feel embarrassed... as if maybe I DID do something wrong. But in fact, that's why we supposedly attend such schools...to LEARN. And I mean, it WAS my first time there, as this instructor full well knew. I understand that Santo Rico is all about creating the best of the best salsa dancers...that it's all about precision...and that their female dancers can spin on a dime. (It was their 'gangster' video from around 2008 or so, that inspired me to want to train there.) But, you can still try to create an atmosphere of excellence without having to be mean and embarrassing students. My experience there was such that I had no desire to return.

    Love this place . My cousinbrought me here in the early 2000s. Great place to learn . My cousin…read moreused to dance for them and went on to perform with tito nieves and Mark Anthony . You won't be disappointed . Sign up . The classes are fun , and the teachers are on point .

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    Santo Rico Dance School
    Santo Rico Dance School

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    Speakeasy Dollhouse - Photo by Margee Challa

    Speakeasy Dollhouse

    3.7(67 reviews)
    1.9 miYorkville, Upper East Side

    Speakeasy Dollhouse is a truly fun immersive theater event where you can be as involved or as…read moreuninvolved as you prefer, and all the action/romance/violence/intrigue happens in the space around you. You arrive through a relatively creepy outdoor alleyway guarded by some probably-corrupt policemen. If you get there early enough, you'll witness what appears to be an assault of some kind (more on that later). After passing through a tiny Alice-in-Wonderlandesque door, you find yourself in the 1920s. It's hard to tell at first what's going on and where to look, but if you ask around, you'll eventually find Frank Spano, the proprietor. From there the love triangle surrounding him becomes apparent, and story starts to unfold. There's good swingy jazz, varied drinks (served in teacups or paper bags, a la prohibition style), a lot of good looking people, and a fair amount of pageantry (burlesque, singing, fighting, a funeral, gunplay, a murder trial, etc.). Look to get paid off by local mobsters to lie in court, gossip with local crooked politicians over poker and whiskey, walk in on an illicit affair or marital spat, or get into the smuggling business by brokering a deal between Spano and the local authorities to release his impounded truck full of Canadian Club. If you've got a strong back, become a pallbearer at Frank's funeral. Don't miss seeing the nude corpses in the medical examiners office, including the person on the losing end of the assault I mentioned earlier. Not for the faint of heart. The best part of the story is that its all based on actual events in creator Cynthia von Buhler's family history. Truth is indeed stranger than fiction, but whether or not it's all really true, you will have fun one way or another. My advice is not to come with people you haven't seen in a while, because I t's better if you have to strike out on your own a bit to mingle and become a part of the story. Even if you just go for a night out on the town with no intention of talking to anyone other than your SO, dress up in your 1920s finest so you can be an extra in everyone else's fantasy, which is a great way to spend a Saturday evening.

    I like this play so much I have seen it twice and will probably go again when I'm next in NYC. The…read moreproducers have done an amazing job of recreating an authentic speakeasy ambience in an old LES tenement. I felt like I'd stepped back in time and loved that so many participants dressed up and took their roles seriously. On my first visit, I was cast as Dominick's teacher and I loved my role. Both Mary Spano and her son, Dominick, made me feel as if I was really part of their story. It's hard for me to think of them as actors because I so thoroughly identified with them and their story. Stepping back, though, all the actors were terrific and very welcoming. They seamlessly absorb the crowd in the story. But Mary Spano and Dominick's performances really stood out. I felt for both these characters and especially for Mary. I was there when she was in labor, holding her hand and praying with her. On my second visit, I was cast as Dutch Schultz' girlfriend. Dutch was very quick with the improvised repartee we exchanged and handsome to boot; so I enjoyed that role and got to confront his wife by the bar. Still my favourite spot was in Mary's room - where a lot of the key action unfolds, including the secrets we learn about the Spano marriage. Mary and Dominick delivered poignant performances each time. And the atmosphere inside the Speakeasy is sexy and fun. Highly recommended for a great evening out.

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    Speakeasy Dollhouse - Photo by Margee Challa

    Photo by Margee Challa

    Speakeasy Dollhouse - Tickets to our new show, Minky Woodcock: The Girl Who Handcuffed Houdini, are now available!

    Tickets to our new show, Minky Woodcock: The Girl Who Handcuffed Houdini, are now available!

    Speakeasy Dollhouse - Photo by Margee Challa

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    Photo by Margee Challa

    Harlem Repertory Theatre - 2012 DREAMGIRLS

    Harlem Repertory Theatre

    4.2(13 reviews)
    1.0 miEast Harlem

    Every year I send my Mother, Grandmother and Aunt to a show for Christmas, this year when I was…read morelooking for a show at the Apollo again, I was unable to find a show they would find appealing. However, I came across this show on Goldstar and thought it would be an excellent idea. The small theatre located in East Harlem was a wonderful experience. I wasn't sure what to expect due to the size of the venue and when we arrived the ticket line was a bit disorganized, but that was basically the sole negative. As I have never seen the "Wizard of Oz" this was going to be a new experience for myself and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. The acting was pretty good and I enjoyed the comedy throughout the show and live band that was on the left side of the stage. My family was pleased and enjoyed the show-- as it's a small intimate venue the cost was extremely low but they still delivered a quality product. The characters also stayed late to take pictures with any and everybody.-- thanks again Scarecrow and Dorothy. I would definitely venture here again, and have interest in watching "A raisin in the sun" here next month, once it starts up again.

    I had the pleasure of seeing "A Raisin in the Sun" at this homespun theater, and the acting was…read moresuperb at a bargain price. The production was wonderful. I only wished they had mics, and there was a point when someone was "slapped" on stage, but there was no sound. Also, you can very much hear all of the sounds of traffic and talking from outside the theater, especially if you sit higher up, but this also happens in some really nice theaters in Midtown. Sound issues aside, there aren't any "bad" seats in the house. The energy and love of acting are apparent here. That makes up for some shortcomings: a location inside a nondescript tower, a theater that eschews ornate decorations for practical seating, and a neighborhood that can be a tad "lively." I'll definitely be back and will continue to bring people. Thank you HRT for providing theater at an affordable price to an area that may not normally get the opportunity. Tip: The theater sells a lot of tickets discounted through Goldstar.

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    Harlem Repertory Theatre - 2018 JAMAICA

    2018 JAMAICA

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    A Harlem Christmas Carol

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    Apollo Theater - theater - Updated May 2026

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