Kindergarten Visits the Apollo Theater

The adventure started off with a short bus ride to 125^th Street.  After a group photograph under the famous Apollo marquee, the boys were ready to begin their tour.  

Our guide explained the history of the theater and how it came to be a landmark.  She told the boys that the Apollo is 105 years old, at which point several boys shouted out, “Almost as old as St. Bernard’s!”  A scavenger hunt sent the boys through the rows of red velvet seats looking for historic markers such as ornate moldings and seat numbers.

The boys sat on stage and heard about all of the legends who have played at the Apollo like Aretha Franklin, Duke Ellington, Gladys Knight, and Diana Ross.  After rubbing a large tree stump, called the Tree of Hope, for good luck, the boys performed the “Hello Song” on the Apollo stage.

A back stage trip to the dressing rooms completed the tour.  The boys may be too young to fully appreciate what the Apollo Theater means to Harlem and to music in general, but when they do, they will recall with fondness the day their kindergarten class performed on this legendary stage.