Born in Rio de Janeiro in 1931, he studied Dramatic Art in the University of Columbia when he was 22. Since 1955 until he passed away in 2009, including the period of time when he lived abroad in Europe as an exiled because of the Brazilian dictatorship in the 70’s -when he had a close call when he was briefly arrested-, he started and later continued developing what in the late 80’s finally he called Theatre of the Oppressed. During his stance in Europe and after his return after the dictatorship, he spread his techniques helping both social workers, therapists, educators and people in general for having an alternative and outstanding way to cope several kind of issues and find creative paths of solutions to their everyday conflicts.

Why am I interested in him? Why do I find him so inspiring? At first place, I am very keen to go in depth into this methodology. I consider it innovative and revolutionary in the way of how it can reach out a lot of people in their lives and support them to cope a distinctive variety of issues. Also, it combines theatrical techniques that can be applied in different sets such as education, community, therapy and other social contexts. And the main reason is on how art can figure as a tool to achieve social change.