125th STREET takes place during one hectic night at the legendary Apollo Theatre in Harlem, New York. It's the sizzling summer of 1969 and with the whole city in turmoil, Tony Sorrento's Big Night Out is beamed live across the nation from the Apollo stage.
But tonight, Tony's Big Night Out could be his last if he doesn't get hip and get with the times - a painful process for Tony who has talked the theatre's owner, Mo Finkle, into letting him broadcast from the most 'happening' spot in New York.
The show features America Search For A Star, an amateur talent competition, and tonight there's another problem for our archaic host - only one of his pre-auditioned amateurs has shown up, a real amateur gleaned from our audience of 2002. The die has been cast for the rest of the night where anything can happen - and probably will!
To make matters worse, a riot is raging in the streets outside and the major stars on the bill are caught up in the pandemonium, unable to reach the theatre. All of which leaves our host with a major problem. The nation awaits. Tony has to go live. The show must go on! Will Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Solomon Burke, Joe Tex, and the backstage wannabes be able to fill the shoes of Aretha, Marvin, James, Dionne and the Chiffons?