tire range of TO theory and practice, and useful to people both experienced and inexperienced in theatre making.Boal as Politician; Festival of TOIn the fall of 1992, Boal ran as an at-large candidate for the position of Vereador of Rio, a position similar to a City Council seat in the United States. Over one thousand candidates ran for forty-five seats; Boal was one of those elected. Because of the increased visibility brought about by his winning a seat, he was able to obtain funding to hold an international festival for the first time in Brazil in July, 1993. The Seventh International Festival of the Theatre of the Oppressed attracted one hundred, fifty Theatre of the Oppressed practitioners from around the world in an extraordinary confluence of languages, theatre styles, and social issues. The Eighth such Festival -- the Ripple Effect sponsored by Mixed Company Theatre -- just recently concluded in Toronto, Canada, and was held from May 29 to June 8, 1997. Three hundred practitioners again from around the world attended. One of the featured performances was by the company Boal directs in his hometown, the CTO - Rio. This performance and the magnanimity of the CTO-Rio group was one of the true highlights of this extraordinary gathering.Boal in Omaha: Pedagogy & Theatre of the Oppressed Conference1994 saw Boal's first arrival in Omaha, Nebraska, as he presented an "introductory" workshop to students, faculty, and regional social service personnel. In 1995 Boal keynoted the Pedagogy of the Oppressed Conference sponsored by the University of Nebraska at Omaha and presented numerous community and educational workshops demonstrating his theatrical approaches. At this same time, Boal's third major book, The Rainbow of Desire (Routledge Press), was published, which elaborates a psycho-therapeutic application of the Boal techniques, especially Image Theatre.Boal & FreireOver many years, Boal continued to strengthen his relationship with lib...
