Editing Augusto Boal (section)

===Early life===
Augusto Boal studied at Columbia University in New York with the critic John Gassner. Gassner introduced Boal to the techniques of both [[Bertolt Brecht]] and [[Konstantin Stanislavski]], and encouraged Boal to form links with theatre groups like the Black Experimental Theatre. In 1955 Boal staged productions of two of his own plays, ''The Horse and the Saint'' and ''The House Across the Street''.<ref name=Eckersley>Eckersley, M. (1995). "A Matter of Style – The Theatre of Augusto Boal". ''Mask Magazine''. Vol. 18 No. 3. Drama Victoria. Melbourne.</ref> In 1956, shortly after graduating, Boal was asked to work with the Arena Theatre in [[São Paulo]], southeast Brazil.<ref name=Babbage>{{cite book|author=Babbage, Frances |title=Augusto Boal|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Xs-V2rjZZOgC|year=2004|publisher=Psychology Press|isbn=978-0-415-27325-1}}</ref> Boal was in charge of directing plays along with other [[dramaturg]]s such as José Renato, who was also the founder of the Arena Theatre. It was here that he began to experiment with new forms of theatre never before seen in Brazil, such as [[Stanislavski's 'system']] for actors, with which he became familiar during his time at Columbia and when involved with the [[Actors Studio]] in New York. Boal adapted these methods to social conditions in Brazil, taking a leftist approach on issues concerning nationalism, which were very much in vogue at that time period since the country had just undergone a long period of military dictatorship.<ref name="itaucultural.org.br">[http://www.itaucultural.org.br/aplicExternas/enciclopedia_teatro/index.cfm?fuseaction=personalidades_biografia&cd_verbete=703 Enciclopedia Itau Cultural- Teatro- Augusto Boal's Biography (In Portuguese)]</ref><ref>[http://www.opalco.com.br/foco.cfm?persona=autores&controle=131 O Palco. Biographical info Augusto Boal (In Portuguese).] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141120031737/http://www.opalco.com.br/foco.cfm?persona=autores&controle=131 |date=November 20, 2014 }}</ref>