Apollo Theater
Storied music hall where Amateur Night has launched generations of legendary artists.
Location
About this audio guide
This guide to the Apollo Theater in New York centers on November 21, 1934, when seventeen-year-old orphan Ella Fitzgerald climbed onto this stage on a dare, planning to dance. After watching a local duo's footwork stop the room cold, she made a split-second decision to sing instead, choosing a Connee Boswell number she'd never rehearsed. The Apollo crowd was already famous for turning on weak acts before they could finish a verse.
This audio guide was created using AI.
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