Theatre Arts Theses and Dissertations

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A Fundamental Disagreement: Ongoing Discussions Concerning the Adaptation of Augusto Boal’s Practices
(University of Oregon, 2021-09-13) Evans, Joshua; May, Theresa
After Augusto Boal passed away in 2009, a significant dispute developed within the Theatre of the Oppressed community concerning whether his methods should be reimagined to combat structural oppression more effectively. There are some theatre practitioners, most notably Marc Weinblatt and Cheryl Harrison, who have advocated for recalibrating Theatre of the Oppressed for privileged participants to help them recognize their role in continuing oppression. However, there are others, like Dr. Tania S. Cañas, who contend that this goes against the liberationist attitude at the heart of Boal’s theatrical praxis. Accordingly, this thesis will contextualize this argument by analyzing these authors’ texts and situating them within the movement's larger discourse. Specifically, it considers their articles in relationship to Boal’s original writings and the work of other leading artists. In doing so, this discourse strives to elucidate how the theatre praxis's ongoing reconceptualization has been integral for facilitating political and social activism.