The Department of Theatre hosts two members of Theatre of the Oppressed New York City (TONYC) for a lecture-presentation. Theatre of the Oppressed (TO) is a world-wide practice and movement—founded by Brazilian theatre practitioner and social justice activist Augusto Boal—that is one of the pillars of the intersection between arts practice, theory, scholarship and social change.
Sulu LeoNimm and Julian Pimiento will discuss the mission and goals of Theatre of the Oppressed NYC, including their work partnering with various organizations to help theatre troupes devise and perform plays that confront economic inequality, racism, and other social, health, and human rights injustices.
For the Theatre discipline, TO stands as a model of applied theatre, in which actions designed to transform societies and communities are theorized and tested. Using whole-mind/whole-body activities, TO workers (artists, scholars, activists) assist community groups in identifying problems and actively rehearsing solutions. This process is often referred to as a “rehearsal for change.”
The Department of Theatre’s B.A. degree includes a Concentration in Applied Theatre. Students in the concentration study and practice a wide variety of theory, history, and practices aimed at using the theatrical mind/body to achieve lasting social change.
Pictured: Theatre of the Oppressed NYC, "Rapid Response: I Live Here, Too," Fulton Park, Brooklyn, NY, October 2021.