Teatro de los Insurgentes

Teatro de los Insurgentes () is a theater located on Mexico City's Avenida de los Insurgentes. Opened in 1953, the theater seats 959 spectators. History The construction of Teatro de los Insurgentes was funded by José María Dávila in 1953 as part of President Miguel Alemán's program of urban renewal. Architect Alejandro Prieto, chosen by Dávila, was in charge of designing the theater. Dávila commissioned muralist Diego Rivera to paint La historia del teatro, a visual history of the theatre in Mexico on the building's façade. The Marxist artist placed the character of Cantinflas in the center of the mural in the form of a Robin Hood figure, distributing the wealth of the rich to the poor. The mural also references Mexican historical characters like Miguel Hidalgo or José María Morelos. The theater's inaugural performance was Cantinflas' elaborate return to the stage after considerable success in films. The work, Yo, Colón, placed Cantinflas in the role of the Paseo de la Reforma statue of Christopher Columbus, who came to life and made candid "discoveries" about contemporary Mexican society. The play was written by Alfredo Robledo and Carlos León, Federico Ruiz was the music composer and Guillermo Keys-Arenas was in charge of choreographing the show. In 2005, Rivera's mural was restored, funded by Televisa, owner of the theater.