Embassy Theatre Information
The famous Embassy Theatre wasn’t always known by that name. When it originally opened on May 14, 1928, it opened its doors as the Emboyd Theatre in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The venue was designed to be a movie palace and vaudeville house that provided a regal and majestic atmosphere for the highest of performance entertainment at the time. It came complete with a pipe theatre organ and featured an attached seven-story, 250-room hotel that wrapped around the north and west sides of the venue. The entire facility’s design was commissioned to A.M. Strauss and John Eberson by Clyde Quimby, the theatre operator at the time.
Located in the heart of downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana, the Embassy Theatre is a historic landmark that has been a cornerstone of the city’s thriving cultural scene since it first opened way back in 1928.
Regarded as one of the finest and most visually striking buildings in the region, the Embassy displays stunning Beaux-Arts architecture, strongly influenced by the classical architecture of ancient Greece and Rome.
The venue’s opulence and exquisite design and facilities appealed to fans of Vaudeville, which was at the height of its popularity as an art form. The stage featured comedians, musicians, acrobats, and magicians. The venue was home to the biggest shows by the brightest stars of stage and screen including Duke Ellington, Marilyn Maxwell, Red Skelton, Tony Bennett, and more. The original venue even played host to Bob Hope’s first emcee job. The future looked bright for the venue, but the trouble was yet to come.
When television and ‘talkies’ became more popular, the age of silent films and vaudeville acts were coming to a close. The Emboyd theatre had been losing customers and was later sold to the Alliance Amusement Corporation who renamed the venue to The Embassy Theatre.
The name has stuck since then and continues to be connected to the Indiana Hotel. The theatre still features its famous 1,100 pip Page theatre organ which was restored between 1976 and 1996.
The venue was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975, the same year it was reopened after renovations as a performing arts center. The newly rebranded Embassy Theatre sees use for concerts, Broadway show tours, symphonies, family shows, and other larger events. The stage features a red sequined velour main curtain and was expanded in 1995 to its current size of 44’7’’ by 54’. The hotel has also been restored around the same time to include a new marquee to the front facade and several curbside improvements.
What started as a movie palace and vaudeville house has now become a live performance arts center and resort unlike any other in the world.
A variety of shows
Throughout the years, it gained a reputation for hosting world-class performances, including popular musicians like Tony Bennett, Chicago, Willie Nelson, Kenny Rogers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and The Temptations.
It’s also become a top spot for tickets to major Broadway productions, including Les Misérables, The Lion King, Wicked, and Hamilton, to name a few. You can also check out comedy shows hosted at the Embassy, featuring favorite comics such as David Sedaris, as well as dance performances like Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker. It also serves as the home for the esteemed Fort Wayne Philharmonic and the Fort Wayne Ballet.
The Embassy Theatre also participates in annual events such as the ‘Fort Wayne Film Festival,’ screening a wealth of independent films that draw in large crowds each year.
Location
The Embassy Theatre is located in downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana, an area that’s known for its historical architecture and vibrant community. Situated at 125 W. Jefferson Blvd, the theater is easily accessible and offers lobby areas for gatherings, receptions, and community events.
Fort Wayne itself (the second-largest city in Indiana) is known for its vibrant festival scene, with events like the Three Rivers Festival and Germanfest celebrating the city’s cultural diversity and camaraderie. The Embassy remains a cultural cornerstone in Fort Wayne, known for its rich history.
During your visit, you can learn about the Historic Fort Wayne – a replica of the original fort from the 19th century. This location features reenactments, educational tours, and various community events, giving a glimpse into the city’s military past.
History of the Embassy Theatre
The theater’s history first began in 1928, when the doors of the Emboyd Theatre opened in Fort Wayne, Indiana. First built as a movie palace and vaudeville venue, the Emboyd was a reflection of the period’s entertainment, complete with a Grande Page Pipe Organ.
Eventually, in 1952, the Emboyd Theatre and the adjoining Indiana Hotel were sold collectively to the Alliance Amusement Corporation. This is when the name changed to the Embassy Theatre. A decade later, the Embassy Theatre and its Grande Page organ struggled to stick around, as other downtown theaters in Fort Wayne were closed. But in 1972, community leaders and volunteers came together to form the Embassy Theatre Foundation. The ‘Save the Embassy’ campaign raised $250,000 to save the building from demolition.
The Embassy was recognized on the National Register of Historic Places, and more and more stars began to play at the location. The historic building was once again catapulted to stardom with the first Festival of Trees held in 1985. This continues to be a tradition that draws in thousands each year.
The theater has undergone multiple renovations over time, including the addition of a mezzanine, which provides a space for social events. Since then, it’s hosted a number of stars from stage and screen, including Jerry Seinfeld, John Legend, Sting, Gladys Knight, Mandy Patinkin, and Willie Nelson.
It continues to be preserved today with a continued effort from volunteers and staff.
See the links below for more information on the Embassy Theatre:
Embassy Theatre Parking:
Find out more about parking at the Embassy Theatre.
Ticket Policies:
Read about our ticket guarantees and strict ticket verification policies.
Embassy Theatre Seating Chart:
View the Embassy Theatre seating chart and read seating information.