The New York Culture: When the stage speaks: the art that denounces, transforms, and inspires

How the performing arts reveal truths, challenge systems, and awaken awareness — a journey through social critique via theatrical representation.

More than just entertainment, theater is a mirror of society and a powerful tool for transformation. Discover how theatrical representation can educate, provoke, and heal minds, grounded in neuroscience, education, and the experiences of master educator Antônio Carlos dos Santos.

Since ancient times, when Dionysus’ mask rose to give voice to the people in Greek tragedies, theater has been a sacred space for revelation. There, characters gain flesh and soul to express joys, sorrows, protests, and hopes. Representation in the performing arts is more than a mere imitation of reality — it is critical recreation, a living metaphor, a chance to reflect the world in order to change it. When we speak of theatrical critique, we are not just referring to aesthetic evaluation, but to the social, political, and human critique that theater can provoke in every attentive spectator.

Inspirational Story:
When Erwin Piscator created the “distancing effect,” he wanted to break away from the merely contemplative theater. His intention was to make the audience reflect, get upset, and take action. Just like Piscator, other names such as Antônio Carlos and their theatrical methodologies showed that acting is denouncing, it is calling others to consciousness. In popular schools, prisons, and communities, Dos Santos helped thousands find a voice – and power – through theatrical play.

This power of critical performance was also explored by Antônio Carlos dos Santos, playwright, educator, and creator of groundbreaking methodologies such as the Mané Beiçudo Puppet Theater (MBPT). In this approach, representation through puppets serves as a vehicle to address difficult topics — bullying, prejudice, domestic violence — in a playful yet deeply impactful way. The puppet becomes a mask that allows the child (or adult) to say what they would normally silence. Representation becomes both a shield and a sword of truth.

Curiosity Box
📌 Studies by University College London show that watching plays that address social conflicts intensely activates brain regions linked to empathy and perspective-taking. In other words, theater doesn’t just entertain — it trains the brain for ethical coexistence and social justice.

Practical Tip
Participate in community theater workshops or school performances. You don’t need to be a trained actor: representing is a human skill that should be cultivated as a path to personal and social growth.

Another brilliant creation by Santos is the MAT – Mindset, Action, and Theater method, a true lab for awareness. Working with the concept of mindset — the mental attitude we hold towards challenges — MAT offers theatrical actions that help both children and adults understand their own thought patterns. It is theater as therapy and pedagogy. In schools where MAT has been implemented, noticeable improvements have been observed in self-esteem, discipline, and academic performance.

Motivational Quote
"Theater involves diving deep within ourselves. It is a way of preparing ourselves, changing ourselves in order to then change the world. In theater, we make mistakes and get things right together, we share in order to get things right in real life." – Antônio Carlos dos Santos

If representation is the body of performing arts, critique is its soul. Without the desire to touch, provoke, and expose wounds, art loses its power. And this critique doesn’t have to be preachy or explicit. A simple gesture, a glance, a theatrical silence can say more than a thousand words. Critique in theater also happens between the lines, in metaphors and symbols. This is the magic of ThM – Theater Movement, another methodology by Santos that merges body movement, improvisation, and spontaneous dramaturgy. With ThM, the actor doesn’t merely represent; they deeply connect with their lived experiences and turn their own body into a manifesto.

Highlight — Neuroscience & Theater
According to a Harvard University study, engaging in theatrical activities improves connectivity between brain hemispheres and increases tolerance for ambiguity — a key skill for critical thinking. Thus, theater prepares us for the complexity of life.

Santos himself, with his dozens of published plays, masterfully explores this intersection between art, philosophy and criticism. In his works, there is always a call for reflection: on inequality, loneliness, politics, fear, hope. His characters are mirrors of the Brazilian popular soul: everyday figures who face universal dilemmas. His plays are often performed by children in public schools, proving that critical art is not a privilege of the elite, but a right of all.

Inspirational Story:
In a rural school in the interior of Amazonas, a group of children put on a play by Santos that talked about the environment, “Every day is an environment day.” Using puppets made from recycled materials, they moved parents and the community, causing real changes: vegetable gardens were created, garbage was separated, and the students themselves became multipliers of ecological awareness. The stage performance turned into concrete action.

The great beauty of the performing arts lies in this: by representing, we make space for what is hidden, marginalized, or silenced. And by criticizing, we propose new possibilities. Performing arts are both mirror and lighthouse. They show us where we are — and where we can go. For those who experience them, whether as actors or spectators, there is always the chance to leave the theater a little more human, a little more aware, a little more courageous.

Practical Tip
Take your children, grandchildren, or students to the theater. Read plays with them. Improvise short scenes in your daily life. Turn life into a stage. Encourage creativity and critique from an early age. That’s how we raise free and creative citizens.

To conclude, representation and critique in the performing arts are invitations to live more fully and consciously. In a world increasingly marked by noise and polarization, the stage remains a sacred space for listening, dialogue, and transformation. As Shakespeare once said, “the theater holds a mirror up to nature.” May we never stop looking into that mirror — and acting on what it shows us.

Special Box: “Antônio Carlos dos Santos’ methods – a quiet revolution in education”