Applying Brecht’s and Boal’s Theories to Virtual

Forum Theater

Alice C. Mello CavalloInterdisciplinary PhD

Tufts University Arts, Sciences, and Engineering

Departments of Drama and Dance,Computer Science, and Child Development.

Advisors: Downing Cless, Alva Couch, Marina Bers

Virtual Forum Theatre -VFT

Web-based environment for creating collaborative digital drama. Digital drama is a multimedia presentation of a dramatic play

using digital means, including audio, images, and video. A Multi-user Virtual Environment -MUVE Safe environment in which to play out different responses to

conflict: role-playing and trials of solutions to conflicted and oppressive

environments. propose a new on-line solution to an existing conflict. interact with peers on the WWW in order to help validate or invalidate

the solution. Based upon the theoretical framework provided by Freire,

constructivism (Piaget), constructionism (Papert), Theater of the Oppressed (Boal), Bertolt Brecht’s theory on theater and Computer Supported Collaborative Learning-CSCL (Koschmann).

Relating Brecht’s theory to VFT In VFT the learner should be aware that the virtual

dramatic play is a representation of reality and not reality in itself.

VFT use of the web browser and its own nature of non-physical presence will decrease the realism of the characters and the play.

VFT uses icon masks portraying basic emotions. VFT allows introduction of interruptions between frames. The goal of Brecht was to give a social stimulus to his

audience and get them moving. The goal of VFT focuses on learning, but hopes to provide a social stimulus and get the participants moving through the transformation achieved by their own creations and feedback from others.

The influence of Boal’s Theater of the Oppressed on VFTVFT ‘s play is always dealing with some present

and real issue of the audience’s daily life. VFT allows simultaneous dramaturgy where

actors and audience write a play together.VFT allows children to introduce flags in the play

where they want feedback.VFT allows any number of character

replacement.VFT foster critical awareness.

Applying Brecht’s and Boal’s work to VFT I will apply Brecht’s gestus and the external acting

approaches to VFT through the use of icon masks and children’s own acting.

VFT allows interruption and change of action at any moment of the play.

Audience are virtual spect-actors and active learners.

Children will critique the production on which they are collaborating.

VFT will not limit the replacement of the protagonist or any other character.

Audience

Target audience for our study is minority children age 10 to 13 : Brazilian, Afro-American and South-American.

Otherwise:Any school age children, especially the most shy

ones. Existing Theater of the Oppressed groups.People who want help with personal issues.

Design Architecture

syncronized audio

dramatic faces/tweeningvideo clips

animation by frames : drawing/ photograph

backdrop im ages

free-ware drawing tools

Real One Player

free-ware editing video tool

GUI drag&drop interface: story board with time line

SMIL files encrypt sounds/im ages/text

Images

Audio

Free Software

Implementing in Java

props images

Virtual Forum chat room

Dramatic Faces

GUI Storyboard

Why VFTVFT can give disadvantaged children one

vehicle with which to improve their expressive fluency.

VFT aims to establish an electronic environment of free expression that exploits and builds upon the anonymous characteristics of Internet interactions.

At the same time children can become more acquainted with the technology that might be essential for their future work life.

Why VFT

Children physically located in widely separated areas can:share their experience with others in the

same situation,safely elaborate their struggles, pursue points of view and formulate

solutions to the same kind of problems that their peers experience in another part of the town, state or country in which they live.

Conclusion

Boal and Brecht see their theater as a tool for social transformation and innovation.

They are both revolutionary and correspond to particular trends of their time.

They use theater for venting problems, prompting solutions, and fostering powerful movements.

VFT expands this active audience by implementing Brecht’s and Boal’s techniques in a virtual WWW environment and empowering children to be agents of change.

We want to give children the chance to design the world where they are growing up by planning and living it through role playing in a safe and anonymous internet environment.

Demo of an enacted Play using pictures.

Acknowledgements

Downing Cless – Associate Professor at Drama and Dance

Alva Couch – Associate Professor at Computer Science (CS)

Ming Y Chow – master student at CS