Teatro Experimental do Negro

Origin

Rio de Janeiro, RJ

Also known as

TEN

Years active

1944–1961

Genres

black theater, cultural activism

Biography

O Teatro Experimental do Negro (TEN) was a Brazilian theater group founded on October 13, 1944, in Rio de Janeiro, by Abdias do Nascimento, with the objective of valuing Afro-Brazilian identity and cultural heritage. More than just a theater group, TEN was configured as a social and political movement in the fight against racism and for the affirmation of the dignity of the Black population in Brazil.

TEN offered literacy and cultural initiation courses, aiming at the comprehensive training of its members, many of whom were factory workers and domestic workers. The company debuted with the play "The Emperor Jones", by Eugene O'Neill, in 1945, and later staged texts by Brazilian and foreign playwrights, always with the intention of rescuing and giving visibility to Afro-Brazilian culture. Names like Ruth de Souza and Léa Garcia had their careers started or boosted by TEN.

In addition to its theatrical production, TEN played a fundamental role in the political articulation of the Black movement, organizing conventions and influencing the creation of anti-discrimination laws, such as the Afonso Arinos Law. The legacy of TEN transcends the stage, inspiring contemporary collectives and artists in the continuous struggle for representation and racial equality in the arts and in society.