Mérida’s Biggest Theater Yet Takes Shape in Itzimná

Mérida is getting a new stage to call its own. A theater under construction in the Itzimná neighborhood, facing Itzimná Park, is set to open in 2027 as the city’s largest performance venue, with room for 1,100 spectators.

Called Teatro de la Ciudad, the project is being built with an investment of more than MX$100 million (about US$5.9 million) and is backed by a group of entertainment companies and one familiar face from Yucatecan comedy. Escena Producciones, TusBoletosMX, Producciones Carba and La Gran Audiencia are among the businesses behind it, alongside actor Óscar Martínez, known locally for his “Tila María” character in regional theater.

The venue will split its capacity between the ground floor and a mezzanine, which together hold 350 people, according to Mario Cuevas of Escena Producciones. The stage itself will measure 14 by 10 meters (about 46 by 33 feet), with professional rigging, specialized acoustics and lighting systems built in. “It will be the theater with the greatest capacity in the city,” Cuevas said in an interview with the paper. “The difference is that it will have the conditions and characteristics of a real theater in every sense.”

That distinction matters in a city where Mérida’s grandest stage, the historic Teatro Peón Contreras, has sat closed since a 2022 fire and has faced repeated delays in its restoration. Cuevas said the new venue draws on 32 different engineering disciplines, from acoustics and sightlines to fire suppression and sound insulation, so touring companies can perform without hauling in their own audio, lighting or staging gear.

Shared Ambition

Martínez said the idea traces back to a shared ambition among the partners. “As an actor, as a comedian, there’s always the dream of having your own theater,” he said. The venue won’t be limited to local performers like Martínez, either. Organizers plan to make the space available for rent to producers and companies from Yucatán and beyond, positioning it as an open forum rather than a house venue tied to one production company. Cuevas said the site was chosen partly for meeting civil-protection requirements on access roads and emergency exits, and the project includes adjoining parking.

The project has been years in the making. Land scouting began around 2018, and the pandemic forced a pause in 2020. Backers say Mérida’s growth in the years since has made an investment of this size viable again, and they’ve drawn comparisons to Mexico City theater districts where cultural venues have boosted nearby restaurants and shops.

Construction is nearing its final stretch. Civil work is about 90% complete, electrical installation is roughly halfway done, and stage-area work is about 30% along. Developers estimate six to eight months of work remain. Once open, they expect to stage about 20 productions a year. The venue is also projected to create 30 to 50 direct operating jobs, with each production employing roughly 40 additional workers, including technicians, stagehands and box-office staff.

Fast Facts

• Name: Teatro de la Ciudad
• Location: Itzimná neighborhood, facing Itzimná Park
• Capacity: 1,100 (750 ground floor, 350 mezzanine)
• Stage size: 14 by 10 meters (about 46 by 33 feet)
• Investment: More than MX$100 million (about US$5.9 million)
• Expected opening: 2027; construction 6-8 months from completion
• Backers: Escena Producciones, TusBoletosMX, Producciones Carba, La Gran Audiencia and actor Óscar Martínez
• Jobs: 30-50 direct operating positions, plus about 40 per production
• Planned use: About 20 productions a year; available for rent to outside companies

With reporting from Diario de Yucatán