Take in a Show in Teatro de los Insurgentes

José María Dávila built this theater, a venue designed by architect Alejandro Prieto. Ground was broken in 1952, and by the following April 30 the play Yo Colón by Alfredo Robledo and Carlos León premiered, starring Mario Moreno Cantinflas, one of Mexico’s most beloved comedians of all time.

Teatro de los Insurgentes was one of the largest theaters of its time, holding almost one thousand people. Its interior boasts a thrust stage with an Italian-style setup with a broad proscenium extending towards the amphitheater and a stage with a thirty-foot wide revolving circle with an elevating center piston.

The theater’s front is covered by a mural by Diego Rivera. The mural’s name is unknown, but it represents the history of theater in Mexico. On the left hand side, historical figures such as Hernán Cortés, Miguel Hidalgo, and Benito Juárez appear, summarizing history from the conquest of Mexico up to Independence. In the center, there are scenes of aristocratic balls, the figure of the actor Cantinflas in the middle, and a group of people representing the country’s poor. Then on the right side, there are scenes from the Mexican Revolution with pre-Hispanic rituals and sacrifices. The enormous mural measures 151 feet wide by 33 feet high. The painting is made with synthetic materials using the dry setting technique, and it is covered with glass mosaic tiles made in Italy.