Consuming Brazil: Afro Brazilian Religion as a Base for Actor Training

Abstract

CONSUMING BRAZIL: AFRO BRAZILIAN RELIGION AS A BASE FOR ACTOR TRAINING By Corey Justin Roberts, Master of Fine Arts A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Fine Arts: Theatre Pedagogy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2006 Major Director: Dr. Tawnya Pettiford-Wates Associate Professor, Department of Theatre Actor training, like the theatre in Brazil, has historically been a middle and upper class pursuit that followed European models, namely Stanislavski’s system. Yet within Brazil there is a wealth of diverse cultures that are inherently theatrical and well suited for application in actor training. In this study I explore one such culture, the Afro Brazilian religion Umbanda. First, I examine its formation to illuminate how the religion itself performed (or served as a site for cultural interaction) throughout history. Then, I explore the practice of the religion both apart from and in relation to the theatre and Stanislavski’s