The Apollo theater is a concert hall and club for one and a half thousand places associated almost exclusively with African-American performers. It is located in Harlem, one of the most historically significant in the USA "black" areas.

The building by architect John Keister was built in 1914 for the New burlesque theatre. Ironically, the school practiced a strict policy of "whites only". Burlesque (musical Comedy) then it went out of fashion in the Old World, but in America prospered mainly because it came down to outright strip. Fiorello La Guardia (LGA), which became in 1934 the mayor of new York, launched a campaign against burlesque, and the Apollo, along with other similar theaters were threatened with closure. The owners changed the time format of the show in various revues and reoriented to the audience from growing Harlem community (by this time just ended the first phase of the so-called Great migration of black southerners to the North and West of the country).

One of the novelties, replacing burlesque, in "Apollo" steel "Amateur night". In fact it was a contest: once a week a young unknown singers up on stage, and after the first issue from the reaction of the audience depended, to speak to them further or not. So in 1934 on "Amateur night" came aspiring dancer Ella Fitzgerald. She was 17, she was a troubled teenager in "Apollo" came by accident. Before it performed a dance duet of the sisters of Edward, and Ella was afraid realized that the sisters not to be outdone. And then she decided to sing, imitating his idol, Connie Boswell. Taken Ella first few notes were a failure, the audience laughed, but leading Ralph Cooper took pity on her and helped her to start again. The second attempt was successful. Thus began the career of the "Queen of jazz".

On the stage of the Apollo began not only Ella Fitzgerald – here was made by Billie holiday, Stevie wonder, Michael Jackson (as part of family groups), James brown, Lauryn hill, Jimi Hendrix.

Now at the Apollo are favored by many celebrities, but "Amateur" nights are not forgotten: every Wednesday at the scene of rising new artists. They definitely touch on happiness to the "tree of hope" – a huge piece of the trunk, put up in a conspicuous place. Once the tree is grown between the Apollo and the theatre of Lafayette, and superstitious actors stood under its branches, so as not to frighten off good luck. When the tree is cut down, part of the trunk got "Apollo".

However, beginners luck depends not only on the tree. As before, the fate of the presenters decide the audience: or they start to cheer or down thumbs down – and then a special person, "executioner", a huge broom sweeps losers from the scene. The broom, which was once almost swept Ella Fitzgerald.