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AMATEUR NIGHT AT THE APOLLO

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Wed, Mar 20 | 7:30 PM EDT | Apollo Historic Theater Wed, Mar 20 | 7:30 PM EDT

Amateur Night at the Apollo

Known as one of New York’s most popular live entertainment experiences, Amateur Night at The Apollo attracts performers and audiences from around the world in ...

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Amateur Night Ad
Wed, Mar 27 | 7:30 PM EDT | Apollo Historic Theater Wed, Mar 27 | 7:30 PM EDT

Amateur Night at the Apollo

Known as one of New York’s most popular live entertainment experiences, Amateur Night at The Apollo attracts performers and audiences from around the world in ...

Learn More
Amateur Night Ad
Wed, Apr 3 | 7:30 PM EDT | Apollo Historic Theater Wed, Apr 3 | 7:30 PM EDT

Amateur Night at the Apollo

Known as one of New York’s most popular live entertainment experiences, Amateur Night at The Apollo attracts performers and audiences from around the world in ...

Learn More
Amateur Night Ad
Wed, Apr 10 | 7:30 PM EDT | Apollo’s Historic Theater Wed, Apr 10 | 7:30 PM EDT

Amateur Night at the Apollo
Semi Final

The competition heats up as winners from the first round of Amateur Night return for a chance to advance one step closer to the $20,000 ...

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Amateur Night Ad
Wed, Apr 17 | 7:30 PM EDT | Apollo Historic Theater Wed, Apr 17 | 7:30 PM EDT

Amateur Night at the Apollo

Known as one of New York’s most popular live entertainment experiences, Amateur Night at the Apollo attracts performers and audiences from around the world in ...

Learn More
Amateur Night Ad
Wed, Apr 24 | 7:30 PM EDT | Apollo Historic Theater Wed, Apr 24 | 7:30 PM EDT

Amateur Night at the Apollo

Known as one of New York’s most popular live entertainment experiences, Amateur Night at The Apollo attracts performers and audiences from around the world in ...

Learn More
Amateur Night Ad
Wed, May 1 | 7:30 PM EDT | Apollo Historic Theater Wed, May 1 | 7:30 PM EDT

Amateur Night at the Apollo

Known as one of New York’s most popular live entertainment experiences, Amateur Night at The Apollo attracts performers and audiences from around the world in ...

Learn More

Amateur Night Auditions

Think you have what it takes?

Amateur Night Auditions are open to singers, dancers, comedians, rappers, spoken word artists, musicians, and variety artists. Those chosen from the audition will have the chance to perform and compete for the grand prize of up to $20,000. Performers ages 5-17 can compete to be recognized as a “Child Star of Tomorrow” for an opportunity to win a prize of $5,000.

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Amateur Night Auditions

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About the Show

Known as one of New York’s most popular live entertainment experiences, Amateur Night at the Apollo attracts performers and audiences from around the world in a classic talent competition that has launched the careers of countless legendary artists, from Ella Fitzgerald to Lauryn Hill, H.E.R, D’Angelo, Jazmine Sullivan, and Machine Gun Kelly.

Be a part of the notoriously “tough” audience in an interactive evening unlike any other, and lend your voice to decide who will “be good or be gone” to win the triumphant grand prize of up to $20,000. The family friendly show, great for all ages, also includes the Child Stars of Tomorrow who also compete for a chance to win $5,000. 

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History & Legacy

Amateur Night’s history begins with Ralph Cooper, an actor and producer, who started the original Harlem Amateur Hour in April 1933 at Frank Schiffman’s Lafayette Theater.  In 1934, Cooper began the Wednesday Amateur Night at Sidney Cohen and Morris Sussman’s 125th Street Apollo Theatre. Cooper’s Amateur Night in Harlem radio shows were broadcast live from the Apollo over WMCA and carried on a national network of 21 stations. When Amateur Night at the Apollo debuted in 1934, it quickly became the leading showcase for many young, talented, new performers such as a 15-year-old Ella Fitzgerald, who went on to become one of the first Amateur Night winners.

Amateur Night at the Apollo has since become the quintessential talent competition, serving as the model for Star Search and American Idol. The show marries world-class talent with a distinctive, vaudeville-like atmosphere, and has depended on audience participation since the very beginning. This popularity contest has proven an effective measure of star potential, becoming a launch pad for some of the nation’s greatest entertainers.

The showcase has played a major role  in the emergence of innovative musical genres including jazz, swing, bebop, R&B, gospel, blues, soul, and hip-hop, and works to cultivate aspiring performers in their artistic evolution as entertainers while creating access to professional performance and recording opportunities. Many Amateur Night performers have gone on to perform live opening acts at music concerts for professional artists like Nancy Wilson, George Clinton, and Cameo. Others have performed on America’s Got Talent, Good Day New York, and other local and network television shows. The legendary Apollo has launched the careers of icons such as Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, James Brown, Sarah Vaughan, Dionne Warwick, Luther Vandross, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Lauryn Hill, D’Angelo, and H.E.R., and continues to maintain its position as the nation’s most popular arena for emerging and established African-American performers.

In recent years, the Apollo has increased its global reach by bringing Amateur Night to audiences around the world with international editions in England and Japan, as well as livestream broadcasts that can be viewed by audiences from all corners of the globe.

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Congratulations Amateur Night 2023 Season Winners!

  • Z6N_5836

    Child Star of Tomorrow Winner

    Nathanael Barlow

  • Z6N_6116

    Grand Finale Winner

    Dee Dee Simon

Amateur Night At The Apollo Amateur Night At The Apollo

The Crew

  • Marion J. Caffey, Amateur Night Producer, on stage at the Apollo

    Marion J. Caffey

    Producer

  • Capone, Amateur Night host, on stage at the Apollo

    Capone

    Host

  • C.P Lacey, Amateur Night's Executioner on stage

    C.P Lacey

    Executioner

  • Greginald Spencer, Set it Off Man, talking into a mic on the Apollo stage

    Greginald Spencer

    Set It Off Man

  • IMG_7711

    DJ Jess

    Amateur Night DJ

The Band

  • Michael Mitchell

    Michael Mitchell

    Musical Director

  • DaiQuan Davis Photo (1)

    Dai Quan Davis

    Drummer/Producer/Composer

  • Matt O press pic

    Matt Oestreicher

    Guitar/Keys/Charting

  • Reggie Young Cropped

    Reggie Young

    Bassist

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