After launching a two-year campaign in 2009 to mark its 75th anniversary, the Apollo Theater has rolled out a number of marketing initiatives—from a festival produced in partnership with Carnegie Hall to the retrospective exhibition that will open at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in April. All of the efforts are aimed at broadening the historic venue's audience and highlighting its impact on the community. Wednesday saw the return of one of the theater's oldest live shows, amateur night, revamped for a new generation of showgoers.
Faced with the complexities of producing a live performance that hinges on audience participation, the Apollo brought in producer Marion J. Caffey, a Broadway writer, director, and choreographer, to introduce new elements. "Amateur night has always been about the connection between the audience and the artist, and about what's next," said Caffey, who is overseeing the weekly competition until its finale in October. "We decided to take a look at the show to find new ways to keep it fresh and exciting for performers and audiences alike."
Treating each component of the night as part of the overall show, Caffey reconfigured the pre-show period to include DJ Jess, who, in addition to encouraging the audience to dance along to his music, is accompanied by video footage of past performances and other significant moments in Apollo history. "That time was usually just an hour of people walking in once the house opened. We want to engage the audience and let them know that they're in for an interactive night and one they will more than likely have to participate in."
Also new is the Apollo trivia segment during DJ Jess's set, which showcases interesting facts and figures about the former burlesque house. "We get a lot of history out there, a lot of trivia, and educate people while they're having fun. And I think that was my big goal, to educate people about the Apollo and the music," Caffey said.
A show section dubbed "Step Up to the Mic," in which audience members are invited to perform on the stage for a chance to win prizes, is also designed to keep guests involved, as is the theater's YouTube channel, where users can view and comment on videos of each week's winner and runners up.
Judged by the cheers and boos of the audience, amateur night is a talent contest that was first introduced in 1934 and helped launch the careers of artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Michael Jackson, and Sarah Vaughan. Although the Apollo hopes to attract more performers and crowds with Caffey's new additions, the theater is not looking for a dramatic change in format. "You have to stick to a formula that works. We do look to better that formula week to week, month to month, but we rely on the audience and the contestants to give us the two main elements."
