Mercury Theatre Orson Welles

breaking federal theatre project in 1937, welles , houseman founded own repertory company, called mercury theatre. name inspired title of iconoclastic magazine, american mercury. welles executive producer, , original company included such actors joseph cotten, george coulouris, geraldine fitzgerald, arlene francis, martin gabel, john hoyt, norman lloyd, vincent price, stefan schnabel , hiram sherman.

think greatest directorial talent ve ever had in [american] theater, lloyd said of welles in 2014 interview. when saw welles production, saw text had been affected, staging remarkable, sets unusual, music, sound, lighting, totality of everything. had not had such man in our theater. first , remains greatest.

the mercury theatre opened november 11, 1937, caesar, welles s modern-dress adaptation of shakespeare s tragedy julius caesar — streamlined anti-fascist tour de force joseph cotten later described vigorous, contemporary set broadway on ear. set open no curtain, , brick stage wall painted dark red. scene changes achieved lighting alone. on stage series of risers; squares cut 1 @ intervals , lights set beneath it, pointing straight evoke cathedral of light @ nuremberg rallies. staged political melodrama happened night before, said lloyd.

beginning january 1, 1938, caesar performed in repertory shoemaker s holiday; both productions moved larger national theatre. followed heartbreak house (april 29, 1938) , danton s death (november 5, 1938). being presented in pared-down oratorio version @ mercury theatre on sunday nights in december 1937, cradle rock @ windsor theatre 13 weeks (january 4–april 2, 1938). such success of mercury theatre welles appeared on cover of time magazine, in full makeup captain shotover in heartbreak house, in issue dated may 9, 1938—three days after 23rd birthday.