219 West 49th StreetThe Ambassador Theatre is a Broadway theatre located at 219 West 49th Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue in Midtown Manhattan. Since January 29, 2003, the Ambassador stage has been hosting the release of the Chicago musical returned to Broadway in 1996. After 26 years, Chicago is still the one musical with everything that makes Broadway shimmy-shake: a universal tale of fame, fortune, and all that jazz, with one showstopping song after another and the most astonishing dancing you’ve ever seen. No wonder Chicago has been honored with 6 Tony Awards®, 2 Olivier Awards, a Grammy®, and thousands of standing ovations.
Designed by architect Herbert J. Krapp for the Shuberts, the structure is noteworthy in that it is situated diagonally on its site to fit the maximum number of seats possible. Its external appearance, indistinguishable from many other Broadway houses, does not hint at the unusual layout within. The building has been designated a New York City landmark. The theatre's proscenium opening is 44 feet 11 inches (13.69 m) with a grid height of 54 feet 9 inches (16.69 m).
The theatre opened on February 11, 1921, with the musical The Rose Girl. The Shuberts sold the property in 1935, and for the next two decades it was used as a movie theater and television studio for NBC and later the DuMont Television Network, when it was known as the Ambassador Tele-Theatre. In 1956, the Shuberts assumed ownership again and returned it to strictly legitimate use.