A strong case could be made that New York City’s Apollo Theater, not Radio City Musical Hall, is the most storied live performance venue in the history of the United States. Its famous amateur hour has been won by everyone from Ella Fitzgerald to Jimi Hendrix, and the long list of performers who were at one time booed off the stage is perhaps even more impressive. One of those slandered comedians was Jamie Foxx, though the setback only inspired him to work harder. Eventually, he found his place on In Living Color and later won an Academy Award. Now he’s looking to revive the classic series Showtime At The Apollo for a new start.

Cable network BET has given a pilot order for the potential series that ...