Portuguese
The “Centro de Teatro do Oprimido – CTO” (in English, Center of Theater of the Oppressed) is a social-cultural nonprofit association. Its main goal is the democratization of the means of cultural production through diffusion of Theater of the Oppressed’s method in Brazil and in the world. Based in the city of Rio de Janeiro – Brazil, the institution was created by initiative of the dramaturg Augusto Boal. As an invitation of the educator and anthropologist Darcy Ribeiro, Boal comes back to Brazil in 1986, where he creates the “Centro de Teatro do Oprimido” (in English, Theater of the Oppressed), acting initially in the formation of cultural animators in CIEP’s project – “Centros Integrados de Educação Pública” – (in English, Integrated Centers of Public Education) – a project conceived by Darcy. In 1996, the institution formalizes itself, already with the members that would continue until today and broaden.
During its 26 years of existence, CTO has noticeable and remarkable knowledge in the methodology of Theater of the Oppressed and established solids partnerships with NGO, Universities, governments and social movements. Through Interpretation Laboratories and Dramaturgy Seminars, both of permanent character, are elaborated and produced social-cultural projects, theatrical shows and varied artistic products, having as foundation the “Estética do Oprimido” (in English, the Aesthetics of the Oppressed).
Teatro do Oprimido (in English, Theater of the Oppressed)
It is about an aesthetic method which gathers exercises, games and theatrical techniques that aim the physical and intellectual des-mechanization of its practitioners and the democratization of the theater, establishing practical conditions for that the oppressed appropriates itself of the means to produce theater and expand its expression possibilities, establishing a direct, active and purposive communication between spectators and actors.
Having as one of its main references the Pedagogy of the Oppressed, of Paulo Freire. Boal and Freire could be consider brothers of theories and practices on behalf of the oppressed. The method is based on “Estética do Oprimido”, which is founded on the belief that we are all better than we suppose to be, and able to do more than we actually performed: all human being is expansive. Through aesthetic means it provides the discovery of productive and creative possibilities and ability to represent the reality producing Word, Sound and Image from its own aesthetic experience.
The “Curingas” of CTO develop several programs of popular participation from the formation of popular groups of “Teatro-Fórum” (in English, Theater-Forum) and, in the last twenty years, have broadcast the “Capacitação de Multiplicadores” (in English, Capacity of Multipliers) throughout Brazil and in the world involving educators, community leaderships, agent of popular participation, peasants, prison guards, prisoners, health professionals, artists and Human Rights militants.
CTO also features of an international program of residence and workshops in other languages in its own headquarters or in other countries. CTO already received students, professors, artists and representatives of social-cultural movements from (America) Argentina, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Equator, USA, Mexico, Uruguay, Venezuela; (Africa) South Africa, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Egypt, Morocco, Mozambique; (Europe) German, Belgium, Denmark, Spain, France, Greece, England, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Czech Republic, Swiss; (Asia) India, Japan e Myanmar. It also performs workshops and presentations of its shows in several countries in the five continents.
Boal and the Curingas
To strengthen the training process, CTO signed partnership with several universities of various countries. University students participate of the residence in Brazil and work with the community groups of Theater of the Oppressed in communities/favelas, schools, prisons, psychiatric hospitals, besides to participate of social-cultural projects, seminars and ongoing workshops.
For further information and registration write to: Flavio Sanctum: flaviosanctum@ctorio.org.br; Alessandro Conceição: alessandroconceicao@ctorio.org.br; Geo Britto: geobritto@ctorio.org.br.
For further information on the programs and projects of CTO, visit:www.cto.org.br