Cartas para Petrina : a metodologia das cartas como processo de criação no espetáculo teatral

Abstract

This work aims to present the creative process behind the performance Letters to Petrina. It is a biographical play centered on the life of Petrina Maria de Souza — the grandmother of the author and playwright — and the core subject of this research. The study seeks to understand how Neila Baldi’s letter-writing methodology contributed to the creation of this performance, through the use of somatic-performative writing structured as letters throughout the research process. The study is grounded in theoretical frameworks by authors who discuss autobiographical writing for the stage, somatic writing, cartographic methodology, and the creative process, linking theoretical reflections to the development of the work. Methodologically, this research is organized into three sections framed as letters: the first introduces Petrina’s life story; the second compiles letters written by Petrina’s family members, exploring how these documents were adapted and translated into the dramaturgical creation; and the third examines the actual creative process of the performance Letters to Petrina. The findings show that the letter format made it possible to rework and reshape the dramaturgy, as this form of writing allowed the authors to express thoughts and feelings that might otherwise have remained unspoken. This reveals the powerful role of somatic letter-writing in the development of a theatrical production.