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Writing for the stage is not merely a
creative exercise — it is an act of deep transformation. When we speak of
dramaturgy, we are entering a world where the word is movement, the silence is
a scream, and every pause on paper holds potential energy. Dramaturgy is not
just storytelling: it is structuring experiences that will come to life through
bodies, lights, and emotions. Throughout history, great playwrights like
Shakespeare, Molière, and Brecht have not only entertained; they educated,
provoked, and revolutionized thought. In our current context, one name
continues this tradition with original methodology and surprising depth:
Antônio Carlos dos Santos. Through his works and innovations — such as the book
"555 Exercises, Games and Laboratories to
Improve Playwriting: The Art of Dramaturgy" — he offers us
tools to rethink how we build the theatrical narrative.
The book is based on the ThM –
Theater Movement technique, which is more than a method: it is a living
process. It begins by demystifying a common myth — that inspiration is
everything. For Antônio Carlos, writing is planning, testing, rewriting,
listening, and refining. One of the central principles is creativity,
understood not as divine spark but as a capacity to explore paths through
questions, research, and collective experience. The technique values structured
freedom: instead of limiting imagination, it provides scaffolding for the
writer to climb to the most inventive and authentic version of their story.
Among the most valuable insights in
Antônio Carlos dos Santos' theory is the concept of conflict. Without conflict,
there is no drama. The author challenges aspiring playwrights to understand
conflict not as quarrel, but as transformation. Every good play begins with a
disturbance: a broken rule, an unexpected encounter, a deep desire. And it is
from this rupture that tension arises — the engine that moves characters and
engages the audience. Shakespeare, one of his major influences, masterfully
built his plots on layers of conflict, both internal and external. Just as in Hamlet, where the protagonist is
torn between duty and doubt, Antônio Carlos invites us to explore these
contradictions in our own dramaturgy.
The idea of "thought
clouds" proposed by Antônio Carlos — the famous ideation clouds — helps structure
the first steps of a narrative. These clouds act as nuclei of thought: brief
ideas, themes, or questions that can later be grouped, reconfigured, or
discarded. This brainstorming methodology helps the playwright visualize the
structure of the work before starting to write. It's as if we were laying out
the map before the journey — allowing us to explore not only the “what” but
mainly the “why” and “how.” This planning, although apparently technical, is
deeply poetic because it invites reflection before creation.
The ThM method emphasizes thematic coherence, reminding us
that every good play has a central axis — whether it's love, injustice, time,
or memory. From this axis arise situations, dialogues, and silences. And that’s
where the next principle comes in: learning from the greats. Inspired by
Shakespeare and the lesser-known but equally powerful Rodoux Faugh, Antônio
Carlos proposes that each playwright study and rework existing narratives, not
to copy, but to dialogue with a legacy. He even encourages exercises in
rewriting famous scenes in new contexts — turning a monologue into dialogue,
transforming a tragedy into a comedy — always with the aim of deepening
understanding of structure and language.
Another highlight of his book is the
section dedicated to games and narrative
laboratories, especially those aimed at writing dialogues. For
example, one exercise proposes writing a micro-play using only proverbs,
creating a unique rhythm and highly symbolic meanings. Another challenge:
transforming a humorous story into a tragedy, exploring the ambivalence of
situations and how tone changes everything. These practices are not only fun;
they are training in synthesis, expressiveness, and linguistic versatility.
Neuroscience confirms that such creative challenges stimulate the prefrontal
cortex, improve executive functions, and expand cognitive flexibility —
fundamental skills for any writer.
The MAT method — Mindset, Action,
and Theater — complements the technical side with an emotional and
psychological dimension. Antônio Carlos highlights the importance of attitude
in the creative process. Writing for theater requires emotional availability,
listening, resilience, and the ability to accept rewriting as a natural part of
the journey. The MAT method teaches that every creative block is a chance to
reassess intention, every critique a possibility for growth. This mindset not
only frees but empowers — something that science also supports: studies from
Stanford University show that mindset-based interventions can increase academic
and creative performance by up to 30%.
The book also brings exercises that
explore tragic and comic narratives,
mini-dramaturgies, and epilogues that surprise — always reinforcing the idea
that the end should not just conclude but reveal. This element of surprise, so
present in the works of Shakespeare and modern authors like Harold Pinter or
Ariano Suassuna, is a powerful narrative tool. Antônio Carlos challenges
writers to structure their endings in a way that transforms the viewer's
perception — not just closing a story, but opening a reflection.
It is worth highlighting the
educational impact of Antônio Carlos dos Santos' work. His initiatives such as
the Mané Beiçudo Puppet Theater
demonstrate the potential of dramaturgy as a pedagogical tool, capable of
uniting play, reflection, and learning. In schools, his techniques have been
applied to stimulate reading, oral expression, empathy, and conflict
resolution. In communities, his methods have brought voice and visibility to
silenced stories. In short, dramaturgy, in his view, is a tool for transformation
— individual and collective.
Unveiling the secrets of dramaturgy
is not only about writing better plays — it is about becoming better thinkers,
better storytellers, and better listeners. The legacy of Antônio Carlos dos
Santos, through his techniques and vision, offers us a compass to navigate the
vast sea of theatrical writing. It invites us to look at our own lives as
living texts, full of conflicts, twists, and learning. Whether you are a
beginner or a veteran of the stage, let yourself be inspired by this journey.
Because, as the author reminds us: “Writing is not just a
destination — it is the path we create while walking.”
Access the books by Antônio Carlos dos Santos on amazon.com or amazon.com.br
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