Reflecting in gold-beige brick, the Ambassador Theatre stands ready to transport you. This Broadway theater, located at 219 West 49th Street, opened in 1921. Herbert J. Krapp designed it for the Shubert brothers. The Ambassador Theatre has 1125 seats and is currently operated by The Shubert Organization.
The Ambassador Theatre is part of a theatrical complex near 48th and 49th Streets. The Shuberts developed it after World War I. The theater’s facade features golden brick. It has a curved entrance at the southeast corner. This design faces Broadway. A lobby guides patrons to the rear of the orchestra level. Inside, Adam-style detailing decorates the auditorium. There is a large balcony and box seats feature decorated arches.
The Ambassador Theatre’s auditorium has a unique diagonal axis. This maximizes seating on its 100 by 100 feet lot. This diagonal design could accommodate 1300 seats. A typical layout would only allow 900 seats. The auditorium is wider than it is short. Some say that this contributes to a lackluster career, but that is not the case now.
Originally, the auditorium sparkled with solid gold leaf. The color scheme featured gold and red. The Ambassador opened with the musical The Rose Girl on February 11, 1921. Blossom Time became a hit later that year. It ran for 516 performances. The Ambassador hosted operettas in the early 1920s. Many early productions were not successful, however.
The Shuberts sold the Ambassador in 1935. It served as a CBS broadcast studio and a movie theater. Later, it became a DuMont Television Network studio in the early 1950s. The Shuberts regained ownership in 1956. They returned it to live theater. Many of the Ambassador’s shows had short runs.
Since 2003, the Ambassador Theatre has housed the musical Chicago. By 2014, Chicago became the second-longest-running Broadway show. In 1985, New York City designated the auditorium interior as a landmark. The exterior’s landmark status was initially refused but later granted.
Visiting the Ambassador Theatre means seeing a show like Chicago. Its hexagonal auditorium and Adam-style plasterwork grab your attention. Marble walls lead to the balcony. A chandelier hangs from the domed ceiling.
The Ambassador Theatre has seen many changes. It has been a movie house and a television studio. Now, it is a celebrated Broadway venue. The Ambassador stands as a testament to New York’s vibrant theater scene.