Capuchin Social Theatre - Caring for life through Arts (CapST) is the Social Theatre department of the Minor Capuchins Friars. It works in the Justice, Peace, Integrity of Creation (JPIC), Ecumenical and Interreligious dialogue fields.
Through workshops and social theatre formations we work in emergency context all over the world.
About Us
Our team consists mainly of friars who are experts in a specific discipline and who, in a systemic way, work together on the mission of being the constant voice of the poor for theFranciscan order of Capuchin Minor Friars.
Methodology
Social Theatre consists of a series of practices and methodologies of social action, based on the previous practices of “theatrical animation”, community-based theatre, intercultural theatre, New Theatre and theatre therapies. Social Theatre as a discipline is closely linked to the Social Sciences and Cultural Anthropology.
Social Theatre consists of laboratories, workshops, performances and integrated field-actions, with the aim of enhancing the quality of social interactions, through individual empowerment, group building, social and cultural mediation, and integrated process promoting participation and social dialogue.
Social Theatre is a relevant subject in performance studies, social studies, psychosocial response, team building, democratization processes, conflict management and in sub-cultural studies.
Social Theatre is also used in several international programs of non-formal education, social inclusion, psychosocial animation, cultural mediation-integration, trauma response, democratization and social participation. Various International Organizations, including IOM, UNICEF, UNHCR, UNDP, IFRC and UNESCO and numerous non-governmental organizations use Social Theatre within their projects.
In addition to the professionalism in the Social Theatre field developed over the years both in studies and on the ground, the added value of our Capuchin Social Theatre work is the integral approach that takes into account the spiritual sphere of vulnerable people for the purpose of a truly effective care taking.
Our Mission
To builda better world through a preference for the vulnerable of our society and to be an action of Caring for life through the Art of the ethics of “otherness” (reaching out to others).
To Promote the spirit of Franciscan "human fraternity" through the art of the ethic of otherness.
To Train local practitioners in order to use the CapST methodology autonomously in their respective places.
Graduated in 2007 from Theatre and Drama Academy “Accademia dei filodrammatici di Milano” (Italy). Advanced theatre studies with several international professionals from the Russian National Academy of Dramatic Arts of Moscow (G.I.T.I.S.) and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama of London. Certificate in Theatre of the Oppressed in 2016. Certificate in Theatre in emergency contexts in 2017. Certificate in Ecumenical and Interreligious Dialogue Studies in 2015. BA and MA in Theology in 2016 at the ‘Studio Teologico Laurentianum’ - Venice. MA (3 years program - Licenza canonica) in Arabic and Islamic Studies in 2019 at the ‘Pontifical Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies pisai’ - Rome. He studied Integral Ecology at the ‘Joint Diploma’ initiative shared between the Universities and the Pontifical Athenaeums of Rome. Today he is a Ph.D. researcher at the ‘Pontifical Gregorian University’ - Rome.
Since 2005 he works in the social theatre domain, i.e. the use of the theatre medium in contexts characterized by social distress (hospitals, immigrants, prisons, juvenile prisons, community for drug addicts, street children, mental disorder, child soldiers, war zones) in different places such as Europe; Subsaharan Africa; North Africa and The Middle East.
He is a member of the “National Coordination of Theatre in Prison” of Italy. He is the Italian National Director of the Ecumenical and Interreligious Dialogue (IRD) office. He is the international director of the department 'Capuchin Social Theatre - Caring for Life through Arts' (CapST). He is a consultor of the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI) for the National Office of Ecumenical and Interreligious dialogue (UNEDI). He teaches Islamic Studies in the ‘Studio Teologico Laurentianum’ University of Venice. He teaches ‘Conduction of Social Theatre Groups’ in the MA ‘Teatro nel Sociale’ of ‘La Sapienza’ University of Rome.
Joel de Jesus OFMCap
Order of Capuchin Friars Minor
Born in Manila, Philippines 1987 Finished B.S. Zoology at the University of Sto. Tomas, Philippines. 1991 Finished Doctor of Medicine at the University of Sto. Tomas, Philippines. 1993 Entered the Capuchin Order. He went on Regency for nine years after his Novitiate and specialized on Radiology and Ultrasound while practicing medicine. He returned to the Capuchin Order and on December 2009, he created the Capuchin Medical Mission which provides medical services to the poor communities in the mountain ranges of the Philippines. It likewise responds to natural calamities like supertyphoons, earthquakes etc. Previously was a Secretary of the Pacific Asia Capuchin Conference (PACC) and a Coordinator of the Pacific Asia Capuchin Conference JPIC (PACC JPIC). He is a Member of the Franciscan Health Care Crossing Borders Inc. in the Philippines which is an inter‐ Franciscan Organization that provide medical services in the peripheries. He is also a Member of the Secretariat of the Franciscan Dialogue Program in the Philippines. Presently he is the Director of the Office of JPIC, Capuchin General Curia.
