| This dissertation explores the relationships and interactions among theory, practice, and praxis in Theatre of the Oppressed (TO) from its outset to its present. I intend this dissertation to provide an alternative perspective to the emergent reevaluation of the theory/practice relationship in theatrical endeavors in general, and to TO in particular. As TO's creator and pioneer, Augusto Boal wrote multiple books and articles about his practice, most of which include theoretical sections. I explore four of Boal's major theoretical works, Theatre of the Oppressed, Games for Actors and Non-Actors, Rainbow of Desire, and Aesthetics of the Oppressed in an effort to locate and explicate what I believe to be the theory of TO. Following these theoretical considerations, I analyze three contemporary TO practitioners, each of whom employ TO techniques and theories differently. In this dissertation, I incorporate methodologies employed in Theatre History Studies, Performance Studies, Critical Pedagogy, and Cultural Studies in service of examining theory, practice, and praxis in TO. I conclude with some predictions and proposals for the future of the TO movement. |
