“Live at the Apollo” made its annual return to Shippensburg University on Thursday, Feb. 19.
The event featured energetic karaoke performances by students and faculty celebrating the history of the famous Apollo Theater in Harlem in New York City.
Stewart Hall was packed with attendees who performed, participated in the raffle and enjoyed the food and festivities. Some performances were accompanied by singing and laughter from the crowd, adding to the festive atmosphere.
The event was sponsored by the Residents Hall Association (RHA) and the Diane L. Jefferson Multicultural Student Association (MSA).
The Apollo Theater is famous for contributing to the widespread popularity of the jazz, gospel and blues genres, and its impact on the careers of artists like Aretha Franklin. The back of Stewart Hall was lined with infographics that placed a spotlight on the many artists who performed at the Apollo.
Members of RHA and MSA had more to share about the impact of the Apollo.
“Live at the Apollo is a celebration of culture, productivity and community. It honors the stage that uplifted a lot of performers of color,” RHA member Caroline Russel-Dezala said. “Bringing in and shining a light on the artistry that our students have here at Shippensburg University and recognizing all the work that Apollo Theater did for them and for people of color in general.”
This year’s “Live at the Apollo” night featured over a dozen student performers. The performers covered songs by famous artists like Brandy and Monica, Michael Jackson and Lil’ Wayne.
Between performances, Manuel Ruiz, assistant vice president for inclusion, belonging and social equity, pulled raffle tickets and announced the winners of the three prizes. The third-place prize was three paint-by-numbers kits, followed by a JBL speaker and then a record player for the first-place prize. The raffle prizes were provided by RHA.
To round off Thursday night’s festivities, students were encouraged to uplift each other’s voices on campus and to participate in student organizations to lead change.
The Slate welcomes thoughtful discussion on all of our stories, but please keep comments civil and on-topic. Read our full guidelines here.