Decades after her first appearance, Billie Holiday is coming back to the Apollo Theater — this time as a hologram.
The iconic Harlem theater announced Wednesday that a new daytime show will open later this year featuring a singing Holiday hologram, The Wall Street Journal reports. She will be accompanied by recorded music, and will welcome guests with a speech. Holiday was selected for the show because she performed at the Apollo numerous times over the course of her career. "An important part of our mission is finding ways to connect our rich history with our present," said Jonelle Procope, president and chief executive of the Apollo. "This technology is going to give us the best of both worlds."
Procope said thousands of tourists visit the Apollo every year, but most come in the day and don't stay for night performances. By adding an earlier show, the theater will enable those visitors to take a tour and catch a program. The hologram is being developed by Hologram USA, which says this is the first venue in the U.S. to have a permanent hologram installation. "The show will have narrative elements that speak to Billie's life and struggles, as well as her lasting legacy," chief executive Alki David said.
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