About
Augusto Boal was a Brazilian playwright and director, founder of the Theatre of the Oppressed. Born in Rio de Janeiro, he studied chemical engineering and later theater in New York. Director of the Arena Theatre in São Paulo from 1956 to 1971, he was arrested and exiled by the military dictatorship. He taught at the Sorbonne and created centers for his method. Returning to Brazil in 1986, he developed Legislative Theatre as a city councilor. His work, translated into over 25 languages, has influenced participatory theater worldwide.
* 1931-03-16 — † 2009-05-02
Major works
- Teatro do Oprimido (1974)essay
- Games for Actors and Non-Actors (1992)manual
- The Rainbow of Desire (1995)essay
- The Aesthetics of the Oppressed (2006)essay
Key milestones
- 1971Arrested and tortured by the Brazilian military dictatorship, then exiled.
- 1993Elected city councilor of Rio de Janeiro, he developed Legislative Theatre.
- 2008Nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Themes
Theatre of the OppressedSpectator participationSocial justiceDemocracyLiberation through art
Sources: britannica.com · theguardian.com · montgomery.dartmouth.edu