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Helmed by Academy and Emmy Award-winning director Roger Ross Williams, The Apollo chronicles the unique history and contemporary legacy of the New York City landmark, the Apollo Theater. The documentary weaves together archival footage, music, comedy and dance performances, and behind-the-scenes verité with the team that makes the theater run. The Apollo features interviews with artists including Patti LaBelle, Pharrell Williams, Smokey Robinson, and Jamie Foxx.
The Apollo covers the rich history of the storied performance space over its 85 years and follows a new production of Ta-Nehisi Coates’ Between the World and Me as it comes to the theater’s grand stage. The creation of this vibrant multi-media stage show frames the way in which The Apollo explores the current struggle of black lives in America, the role that art plays in that struggle and the broad range of African American achievement that the Apollo Theater represents.
The Apollo Theater is internationally renowned for having influenced American and pop culture more than any other entertainment venue. The space has created opportunities for new talent to be seen and has served as a launchpad for a myriad of artists including Billie Holiday, Aretha Franklin, Ella Fitzgerald, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, The Jackson 5, Luther Vandross, Dave Chappelle, Lauryn Hill, Jimi Hendrix, and more.
Original Release
11/01/2019
US Release
11/01/2019
Links
Cast
Name | Character |
---|
Cholly Atkins | Self |
Florence Ballard | Self |
Angela Bassett | Herself / Self |
James Brown | Himself / Self |
Shirley Chisholm | Self |
Ta-Nehisi Coates | Self |
Charles 'Honi' Coles | Self |
The Edwards Sisters | Themselves |
Duke Ellington | Himself / Self |
Ella Fitzgerald | Herself / Self |
Directors
Writers
Roger Ross Williams, Cassidy Hartmann, Jean Tsien
Cast
Name | Character |
---|
Cholly Atkins | Self |
Florence Ballard | Self |
Angela Bassett | Herself / Self |
James Brown | Himself / Self |
Shirley Chisholm | Self |
Ta-Nehisi Coates | Self |
Charles 'Honi' Coles | Self |
The Edwards Sisters | Themselves |
Duke Ellington | Himself / Self |
Ella Fitzgerald | Herself / Self |
Kamilah Forbes | Self |
Jamie Foxx | Himself / Self |
Redd Foxx | Himself / Self |
Aretha Franklin | Herself / Self |
Doug E. Fresh | Self |
Savion Glover | Self |
Bianca Graham | Self |
Benton Greene | Self |
Dick Gregory | Self |
Lauryn Hill | Herself / Self |
Producers
Name | Role |
---|
Marc Ambrose | Executive Producer |
David Blackman | Executive Producer |
Christopher Clements | Executive Producer |
Dan Cogan | Executive Producer |
Steven H. Cohen | Executive Producer |
Nicholas Ferrall | Executive Producer |
Paula M. Froehle | Executive Producer |
Julie Goldman | Executive Producer |
Poppy Hanks | Executive Producer |
Carolyn Hepburn | Executive Producer |
Jayson Jackson | Executive Producer |
Charles D. King | Executive Producer |
Dave Knott | Executive Producer |
Ken Pelletier | Executive Producer |
Kim Roth | Executive Producer |
Nigel Sinclair | Executive Producer |
Roger Ross Williams | Producer |
Cassidy Hartmann | Producer |
Adrienne Collatos | Producer |
Lisa Cortes | Producer |
Amy Dax | Producer |
Jeanne Elfant Festa | Producer |
Ben J. Murphy | Producer |
Ayesha Nadarajah | Producer |
Karen Sim | Producer |
Windsor Wong | Producer |
Nigel Sinclair | Producer |
Editors
Year | Type | Category | Won |
---|
2020 | Emmy | Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special | Won |