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WHEN you think of the Apollo Theater, immediately images of blackentertainers of the past and present come to mind - the Cotton Club era when Duke Ellington's sophisticated style and Count Basie's rawedged rhythms filled the house, or more recently when the names of Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin glittered on its marquee.
Perhaps after years of live broadcasts on WMCA Radio, the Apollo may be synonymous with Amateur Night. Possibly you can recall standing in a long line on 125th Street, just waiting to cheer on a friend who was brave enough to sing or dance on the fabled Wednesday night, or maybe you were the one booing some terrified soul off the stage?
Whatever memories are reawakened by the Apollo, they are probably as rich and endearing as the history of the grand showplace itself. The years since 1934, when the Hurtig & Seamon Theater was renamed the Apollo, have seen much change, both good and bad. But through it all the Apollo, planted squarely on the main drag of Harlem, continues to shape the world of the black community.
Like the Apollo, Harlem has recently experienced a physical and spiritual resurrection following years of neglect and dormancy. During the mid-70s the playhouse, in response to falling audiences, ended its live presentations in favor of a film-only policy. Simultaneously, the neighborhood that surrounds the Apollo was reeling from the impact of extensive urban decay.
However, after a multimillion-dollar overhaul involving public and private funds in 1985, the resurgence of the Apollo provided a psychological lift which has since spurred redevelopment along 125th Street. Currently, the music hall is owned by the Apollo Investment Group, an organization headed by...