Ambassador Theatre New York

Ambassador Theatre Tickets

Chicago on Broadway

What’s On at Ambassador Theatre

The Ambassador Theatre has been home to the iconic Chicago musical for the past twenty-one years. Since its debut in 2003, this show has delighted audiences with its glitz, glamor, and unforgettable performances. Set in the roaring 1920s, it tells the story of two rival vaudevillian murderesses, Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart, who are locked up in Cook County Jail. With the help of prison matron Mama Morton and slick lawyer Billy Flynn, they turn their crimes into sensational media frenzies. Chicago has won six Tony Awards, two Olivier Awards, and a Grammy, and continues to captivate and entertain theatergoers worldwide.

About the Ambassador Theatre

Unlike many Broadway venues, the Ambassador Theatre has operated under the same name since opening in 1921. Initially part of a complex including the Eugene O’Neill Theatre, Walter Kerr Theatre and demolished 49th Street Theatre, it is the only one to remain under the ownership of the Shubert Organization.

When the theater mogul Shubert brothers planned their theater complex, the Ambassador’s plot was set diagonally. This created a unique, hexagonal auditorium. With an unassuming brown-brick exterior and Adamesque plasterwork interior designed by architect Herbert Krapp, the venue has long been used for musicals and plays, with a brief interval as a radio and movie house in the 1940s-50s.

Since opening with a performance slate of operettas and musical comedies, the Ambassador Theatre has enjoyed many successful shows. From Danny Kaye’s Broadway debut in The Straw Hat Revue (1939) to Christopher Walken and Rosemary Harris in The Lion in Winter (1966), plenty of leading lights in the acting world have drawn audiences. More recent productions have been similarly successful, including the Pulitzer-winning Topdog/Underdog (2002) and the longest-running American musical on Broadway, Chicago (2003-present).

Know Before You Go
• Children under four are not permitted into the theater
• One set of restrooms serves the whole audience; queues get long during the intermission
• Bag check may be in operation; leave plenty of time to reach your seat
• The bar is known for its expensive drinks; set a budget before buying

Map and Address

219 West 49th Street, New York, NY 10019

The Ambassador Theatre is located at 219 West 49th Street, a short walk from Broadway itself. Other landmarks such as Times Square are in the neighborhood so anyone wanting to enjoy a show can plan a whole day out checking off the must-sees of New York City. Like many other New York venues, it enjoys a central location perfect for tourists, locals and theater fans to access quickly on public transport including buses and the subway network.