New York in New York County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Mercury Theatre

By Larry Gertner, October 18, 2018

1. Mercury Theatre Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

"Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world
Like a Colossus...
-William Shakespeare

On this site in 1937, legendary American actor-writer-producer-director Orson Welles founded the Mercury Theatre with John Houseman. Here Welles directed groundbreaking productions of Julius Caesar, The Shoemaker's Holiday, Heartbreak House, and Danton's Death. Wells and the Mercury would go on to make history with The War of the Worlds broadcast and Citizen Kane. Astonishingly, he would accomplish all this by his 26th birthday.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Entertainment. A significant historical year for this entry is 1937.

Location. 40° 45.269′ N, 73° 59.121′ W. Marker is in New York, New York, in New York County. Marker is on West 46th Street near Sixth Avenue, on the left when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 5 Bryant Park, New York NY 10036, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Garment District Mural (within shouting distance of this marker); Benito Juarez (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Crystal Palace

By Larry Gertner, October 18, 2018

2. Mercury Theatre Marker

The marker is to the left of the 5 Bryant Park entry.

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(about 400 feet away); Josephine Shaw Lowell Memorial Fountain (about 400 feet away); Early Bryant Park (about 400 feet away); Knickerbocker Hotel (about 400 feet away); The Town Hall (about 600 feet away); Buildings Overlooking Bryant Park (about 700 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in New York.

Also see . . . Mercury Theatre (Wikipedia). (Submitted on October 18, 2018.)

<i>Portrait of Orson Welles</i> image. Click for full size.

Carl Van Vechten (photo courtesy of the Libary of Congress), March 1, 1937

3. Portrait of Orson Welles

Playbill for <i>The Tragedy of Julius Caesar</i> by William Shakespeare image. Click for full size.

Mercury Theatre (courtesy of the New York Public Library), 1937

4. Playbill for The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare

Production by Orson Welles. Music by Marc Blitzstein. Starring Joseph Holland, George Coulouris, and Joseph Cotten.

Credits. This page was last revised on October 21, 2018. It was originally submitted on October 18, 2018, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. This page has been viewed 85 times since then and 2 times this year. Last updated on October 19, 2018, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 18, 2018, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. 3. submitted on October 18, 2018. 4. submitted on October 18, 2018, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Sacramento, California. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.