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About a week ago I visited the American History Museum. It definitely took me by surprise, and is probably now my favorite museum in D.C. I spent at least an hour on each floor and loved every exhibit. However, my favorite part of this museum would have to be the exhibit on the Apollo Theatre. In this exhibit there was a video chronicling how it had shaped entertainment in general and most specifically African American entertainment. This video showed some of the most famous comedians performing at the Apollo and even how many of these people got their start during the famous "Amateur Night." Amateur night performers were given a chance to showcase what they've got in the historical theatre. But , this was no easy task since the audience was encouraged to quickly and loudly voice their opinions of each performance . Great performances were met with loud applause and those deemed not so great, well, met with an equally vocal unhappy response! The exhibit also featured many outfits that famous performers had worn at the Apollo. My favorite part of the exhibit was the display that had Sammy Davis' tap shoes from when he was younger and had first performed at the Apollo. The exhibit also went into detail as to how some of our favorite performers today got their big start at the Apollo's Amateur night. Some of these stars include, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder and James Brown. What a great way to showcase a very important part of American entertainment history.
-M.T.
I just logged on to write something exactly like this. Today, our office's editor, Jim Deutch, took us on a tour of the Apollo Exhibit specifically. He had been asked (in 2009, along with my boss Arlene) to help curate the exhibit. Jim told us about how the objects were obtained, some from smaller museums, private exhibits, some donated last minute by the Apollo performers themselves. The curator of the exhibit is a historian, hence the design- as you travel along the walls (starting on the right side of the entrance), the story of the theater's history becomes clear. Once a burlesque house, the theater became the Apollo when the Harlem area became an important cultural neighborhood for African Americans in New York.
ReplyDeleteI loved the performer cards on the wall. While most of them are in Smithsonian archives, there is at least one original card and several facsimiles there as well. These index cards were written by the owner (from the 1930s-1970s), Frank Schiffman, to remind him of the quality of the acts. His comments include how much he paid them, how they were received, what he personally thought of their performances and potential. For example, in 1965 he paid Pearl Bailey $15,000 for a performance, writing "the absolute mistress of comedy-song. Has audience in her hands from start to finish. Excellent!!!" Since the Apollo didn't make many recordings for posterity, these cards are a goldmine for historians.
The exhibit is much more lively than most museum exhibits. The use of color, light, and a level of business that doesn't go too overboard really makes for a good experience. And while it's fun to look at the material culture, the history is much more interesting.
-KS