Applying Brecht

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Applying Brechts and Boals Theories to Virtual
Forum TheaterAlice C. Mello CavalloInterdiscipl
inary PhDTufts University Arts, Sciences, and
EngineeringDepartments of Drama and
Dance,Computer Science, and Child
Development.Advisors Downing Cless, Alva Couch,
Marina Bers
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• 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 Brechts theory on theater and Computer
  Supported Collaborative Learning-CSCL
  (Koschmann).

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Relating Brechts 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.

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The influence of Boals Theater of the Oppressed
on VFT

• VFT s play is always dealing with some present
  and real issue of the audiences 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.

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Applying Brechts and Boals work to VFT

• I will apply Brechts gestus and the external
  acting approaches to VFT through the use of icon
  masks and childrens 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.

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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.

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Design Architecture
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Dramatic Faces
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GUI Storyboard
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Why VFT

• VFT 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.

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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.

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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
  Brechts and Boals 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.

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Acknowledgements

• Downing Cless Associate Professor at Drama and
  Dance
• Alva Couch Associate Professor at Computer
  Science (CS)
• Ming Y Chow master student at CS