[1] 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.

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 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.

Also in the cast were Burt Rodríguez as Leading Player, Héctor Ortiz as Pippin, Guillermo Rivas as Charles, Anita Blanch as Berthe, and Jacqueline Voltaire as Fastrada.