Knowra The Mercury Theatre The Mercury Theatre The Mercury Theatre was a New York theater company founded by Orson Welles and John Houseman in 1937. It became known for adventurous stage productions and radio drama.
Julius Caesar (Mercury Theatre production) : The Mercury Theatre’s 1937 stage adaptation of Shakespeare’s tragedy, set in fascist Italy. This production established the company’s reputation for politically charged, modern Shakespeare.
Orson Welles : An American actor, director, writer, and producer known for influential work in theater, radio, and film. He co-founded the company and directed many of its defining productions.
Federal Theatre Project : A United States government program that funded theater productions during the Great Depression. Welles and Houseman developed their partnership while working within this program.
Mercury Theatre on the Air : A CBS radio anthology series produced by the Mercury Theatre from 1938 to 1940. It carried the company’s repertory approach from the stage into weekly radio broadcasts.
The War of the Worlds (1938 radio drama) : A 1938 radio adaptation of H. G. Wells’s novel, directed and narrated by Orson Welles. The broadcast became the company’s most famous radio production.
John Houseman : A theater and film producer, actor, and director who collaborated with Orson Welles. He co-founded the company and managed its early theatrical work.
Works Progress Administration : A New Deal agency that employed millions of Americans on public works and cultural projects. Its support for the Federal Theatre Project formed the company’s institutional backdrop.
Panic broadcast : A radio program that causes widespread alarm by being mistaken for a real emergency report. Public reaction to the 1938 broadcast made the Mercury name widely known.
The Cradle Will Rock : A 1937 political musical by Marc Blitzstein about labor organizing and corporate power. The Mercury Theatre mounted the production after federal officials closed its original venue.
Agnes Moorehead : An American actor whose career included stage, radio, film, and television performances. She was a prominent member of the Mercury Theatre’s acting company.
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