São Mateus is a stage

theatrical plays in the municipality from 1984 to 1994

Abstract

As one of the oldest cities in the country, São Mateus was the first municipality in the state of Espírito Santo to have a theater. It was the stage for the São Mateus National Theater Festival (FENATE), which enabled the municipality to be recognized nationally and internationally. Despite this, there is almost no research on theater in the municipality. The study aimed to identify which plays were staged in São Mateus during the period from 1984 to 1994 and their relationship with plays presented in other locations. A specific objective was to build a database with information about the plays. This is a qualitative research study based on an analysis of the Tribuna do Cricaré newspaper, currently preserved in the Clementino Rocha Municipal Public Library. Among the main findings are the influences of Stanislavski and Boal on the plays presented, reports regarding the cultural importance of the city, critiques of the reception of the plays by the population, organizational conflicts, and the artists' ability to reorganize in the face of obstacles. Finally, it is concluded that theatrical production was active and that there was a great cultural exchange between large centers and small cities. The database provides a rich overview of the theater of São Mateus.