Uggams, 'Babyface' join Apollo Theater board

NEW YORK (AP) - President and CEO Jonelle Procope says they will help guide the vision, programming and fundraising of the legendary musical theater in Harlem...

Luther Vandross was outed as gay after his death.

NEW YORK (AP) — Leslie Uggams, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds and Marcus Samuelsson are among seven new board members at New York City’s Apollo Theater.

President and CEO Jonelle Procope says they will help guide the vision, programming and fundraising of the legendary musical theater in Harlem. They were elected to the board Tuesday night.

Uggams is a Tony award-winning Broadway actress and singer who once performed 29 Apollo shows a week.

Samuelsson is the former chef of New York’s Swedish restaurant, Aquavit. He’s opening a new restaurant in Harlem this month called The Red Rooster. He prepared the first state dinner at the Obama White House.

Edmonds, an R&B artist and producer, is a 10-time Grammy award winner.

The Apollo is currently celebrating its 75th anniversary. The theater has propelled the careers of such legendary artists as Ella Fitzgerald and Michael Jackson.

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.

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