Jonelle Prokop, who has been president and chief executive of Harlem’s Apollo Theater for nearly two decades, will be stepping down in June, the theater announced Tuesday.
Procope, who has led the nonprofit since 2003 after joining as a board member in 1999, said: The next leader who can step in and lead Apollo into the future. ”
Procope has overseen the transformation that transforms the theater from a struggling non-profit organization into the largest African-American performing arts-presenting organization in the country. On Tuesday, Apollo also raised $63 million in a capital campaign to completely renovate the 108-year-old building and support his new 99-seat and 199-seat performance spaces managed by Apollo. announced. The show will welcome its first audience in fall 2023 at the nearby Victoria Theatre.
The renovation of the Apollo Theater will begin in Spring 2024, with the first cultural program scheduled to begin in Spring 2025. In addition to a new lobby cafe and bar open to the public, plans include additional and upgraded seating and new lighting. Updated audio system and building exterior.
Prokop said of the capital campaign:
During his 20 years at the Apollo, 70-year-old Prokop implemented a long-term plan for the restoration and expansion of the theater. She grew the organization’s community and educational programs, serving more than 20,000 students, teachers, and families each year before the coronavirus pandemic hit.
Prokop said he is most proud of the relationships the theater has developed with cultural partners such as writer Tanahishi Coates. His 2015 book Between the World and Me, which explores racial injustice in America, was adapted into a joint performance that premiered in theaters in 2018.
Another of these partnerships was the revival plan for Charles Randolph Wright’s play Blue, which was canceled due to the pandemic. Directed by Phylicia Rashad, it was set to star Leslie Uggams and Lynn Whitfield. Prokop said Apollo still hopes production will take place, but no plans have yet been made.
Charles E. Phillips, chairman of Apollo’s board of directors, said a search committee would be set up this fall to begin a nationwide search for Procorp’s successor, noting that it would not be an easy task.
“It’s hard to find a consistently good leader like Jonelle for this long,” Phillips said. “She almost turned Apollo over with one hand.”