João Guedes Branco (b. 1 July 1968) is a French-born Portuguese theatrical actor and reviewer, professor, and programmer. He had a theatrical career for over 30 years and appeared in more than 50 plays, most of them in

Mindelo Mindelo is a port cityCabo Verde, Statistical Yearbook ...

Cape Verde , national_anthem = () , official_languages = Portuguese , national_languages = Cape Verdean Creole , capital = Praia , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , demonym ...

. Branco was the founder of the Portuguese Cultural Centre's Theatrical Group and started a new era in theater on the island of São Vicente. He took part in the Mindelo International Film Festival, which is a major event in lusophony African theatre. Branco was a founder of Academia Livre de Artes Integradas do Mindelo, Free Academy of Integrated Arts of Mindelo (ALAIM), which was recognized by many of his fellow actors. By introducing a new model in artistic education on the island of São Vicente, he became an indispensable reference to theater in Cape Verde.

Early life

João Branco was born in Paris, France to Portuguese musician José Mario Branco and programmer Isabel Alves Costa. He specialized in arts, communication, and culture at the

University of Algarve The University of Algarve (UAlg), founded in 1979, is a Portuguese public higher education institution located in the southernmost region of mainland Portugal, the Algarve, having its headquarters and two out of its three campuses in Faro (name ...

. At the university, he took a maximum rank of Very Good, Praised and Distinction. For his masters in scientific arts, he acquired the rank of Very Good. He obtained a license in the Protection of Heritage and cultural organization with a rank of Very Good. He started his artistic activities in 1984 with the playwright João Paulo Seara Cardoso. In 1987, he was invited by the Students' Association to perform in a stage play with Liceu Camões. In 1990, he performed his first play ''Quem me dera ser onda,'' written by Angolan Mário Rui at D. Maria II Secondary School in Lisbon.

Career

Cape Verde

He moved to Mindelo on the island of São Vicente, Cape Verde in 1991. From 1993, he began his theatrical course and was invited to the Portuguese Cultural Centre (CCP - Centro Cultural Português) and appeared in fourteen productions. He founded the CCP Theatrical Group of Mindelo in 1993 and became its playwright and artistic director. The group has made over fifty theatrical productions performing the works of Cape Verdean authors such as

Arménio Vieira Arménio Adroaldo Vieira e Silva (; born January 29, 1941) is a Cape Verdean writer, poet and journalist. He began his activity during the 1960s, collaborated in SELÓ, Boletim de Cabo Verde, Vértice (Coimbra) review, Raízes, Ponto & Vírgula ...

Germano Almeida Germano Almeida (; born 31 July 1945) is a Cape Verdean author and lawyer. Biography Born on the Cape Verdean island Boa Vista, Almeida studied law at the University of Lisbon and currently practices in Mindelo. His novels have been translat ...

, Caplan Neves, and Mário Lúcio Soura, as well as the works of

Camus Albert Camus ( , ; ; 7 November 1913 – 4 January 1960) was a French philosopher, author, dramatist, and journalist. He was awarded the 1957 Nobel Prize in Literature at the age of 44, the second-youngest recipient in history. His works ...

Oscar Wilde Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 185430 November 1900) was an Irish poet and playwright. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of the most popular playwrights in London in the early 1890s. He is ...

, Garcia Lorca,

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

Victor Hugo Victor-Marie Hugo (; 26 February 1802 – 22 May 1885) was a French Romantic writer and politician. During a literary career that spanned more than sixty years, he wrote in a variety of genres and forms. He is considered to be one of the great ...

Molière Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (, ; 15 January 1622 (baptised) – 17 February 1673), known by his stage name Molière (, , ), was a French playwright, actor, and poet, widely regarded as one of the greatest writers in the French language and world ...

, Beckett, Muller and Alfonso Castelão. He was invited in 1994 to manage all of the Camões Institute Artistic activities at the Portuguese Cultural Center and Mindelo (Porto Grande) Polo. In 2003, he became director of the same cultural center. He was one of the founders of the Mindelo International Theatrical Festival in 1995, which became one of the most important events for African theater. From 1996 to 2013, he was the first president of Mindelact, another theatrical organization in Cape Verde.Mindelact website
/ref> Branco is the author of an edited work on Cape Verdean theater called, ''Theatre Nation - History of Theatre in Cape Verde'', published in 2004 by the

National Library of Cape Verde The National Library of Cape Verde ( pt, Instituto da Biblioteca Nacional e do Livro) is located in Praia, Cape Verde. The library was established in 1999. The library maintains the National Bibliography, contains the country's historical archi ...

. This book was recognized by the Capeverdean Association of Writers for pioneering investigative literature in Cape Verde. Since 2013, he has been at the Academy of Letters of Cape Verde. He was also the author of the Capeverdean book ''“O teatro dos Sete Povos Lusófonos'' (''The Book of Seven Lusophony Peoples''), written with the São Paulo Cultural Center in Brazil. In 2003, he edited the book ''10 Years in Theater'' (''10 anos de teatro''), referencing the history of the GTCCPM. He founded a review in 1997 titled ''"Mindelact - Theatre in Review.". ''He published several articles in journals such as ''A Nação'', ''Horizonte'' and ''Cidadão'' and contributed in newspapers such as ''

A Semana ''A Semana'' (Portuguese meaning "The Week") is a Cape Verdean daily that covers its top stories in the archipelago and local stories ranging from each island. ''A Semana'' is located in the Cape Verdean capital city of Praia and is one of the mos ...

'' and the ''Portuguese

Expresso Expresso may refer to: * Espresso, a coffee beverage * eXpresso, a hosted workspace for Microsoft Office communities * Expresso (Donkey Kong), a character in the ''Donkey Kong Country'' series * ''Expresso'' (newspaper), based in Lisbon, Portug ...

''.

Recognition

He received the Theatrical Merit Award in 2010 as well as the Lusophony Theatrical Merit Award, given by the Luso-Brazilian Foundation on the development of the Portuguese language in Recife in 1996. In 1999, he received the Micadinaia Cultural Prize for the Comparative Academic Studies of S. Vicente. He was decorated in 2010 by the president of the Republic of Cape Verde with First Class of the Order of Vulcan medal for his contribution to the Cape Verdean culture as well as in general scientific arts. In June 2014, he received the Sabino Évora Award of Excellence at the SalEncena International Festival in the island of Sal.

Personal life

He married and had three daughters, Laura Gonçalves Branco, Inês Gonçalves Branco and Isabel Costa Branco.

Works

Playwright

*1991: ''Quem me dera ser Onda'', novel by Mário Rui - performed with GTCCPM *1993: ''Fome de 47'' - unknown author - performed with GTCCPM *1993: ''A Estátua e Etc.'' - collective text - performed with GTCPPM *1994: ''Our Fisherman'' (''Nos Pescadores'') - collective text - performed with GTCCPM *1994: ''Chico'' - collective text - performed with GTCCPM *1995: ''Gin Tonic Surrealist'' - partly by Mário Henrique Leiria - performed with GTCCPM *1996: Adaptation of a book by

- performed with GTCCPM *1997: ''Bad Love'' a play by himself - performed with GTCCPM - performed with GTCCPM *1997 and 2007: A play, an adaptation of a book by Garcia Lorca - performed with GTCCPM *1998: ''

Romeo and Juliet ''Romeo and Juliet'' is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career about the romance between two Italian youths from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetim ...

'' by

- performed with GTCCPM *1999: ''Os dois irmãos'', adaptation of a novel by

- performed with GTCCPM *1999: ''Figa Canhota'', collective text - performed with GTCCPM *1999: ''Catchupa'', collective text - performed with GTCCPM *2000: ''Agravos de um Artista'', adaptation of a short story by Germano Almeida - performed with GTCCPM *2001: ''Count of Abranhos'', adaption of a book by Eça de Queirós - performed with GTCCPM *2001; ''Adão e as Sete Pretas de Fuligem'', by Mário Lúcio Sousa, within the scope of the Porto 2011 Cultural Capital of Europe, performed in Porto and in Lisbon *2002: ''Salon'' by Mário Lúcio Sousa *2003: ''

King Lear ''King Lear'' is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare. It is based on the mythological Leir of Britain. King Lear, in preparation for his old age, divides his power and land between two of his daughters. He becomes destitute and insane an ...

'' by

, co-produced with Atelier Teatrakácia *2004: '' Tertúlia'', based on the poems *2005: ''High Seas'' - a poem by Mrozek and

Eugénio Tavares Eugénio de Paula Tavares (born 18 October 1867 in the island of Brava; died 1 June 1930 in Vila Nova Sintra) was a Cape Verdean poet. He is known through his famous poems (''mornas''), mostly written in the Creole of Brava. Biography Eugénio ...

*2006: "Women of Lajinha" ("Mulheres na Lajinha"), a part of the novel ''

O mar na Lajinha ''O mar na Lajinha'', also as ''No mar da Lajinha'' (Capeverdean Creole, ALUPEK: ''U mar na Lajinha'', ''Nu mar da Lajinha'') is a Capeverdean novel published in 2004 by Germano Almeida. The story is about a group of people meeting regularly for a ...

'' by

*2007: ''A Caderneta'', by

Baltasar Lopes da Silva Baltasar Lopes da Silva ( Caleijão, São Nicolau, 23 April 1907 - Lisbon, Portugal, 28 May 1989) was a writer, poet and linguist from Cape Verde, who wrote in both Portuguese and Cape Verdean Creole. With Manuel Lopes and Jorge Barbosa, he w ...

*2009: ''The Fire'' (''No Inferno''), based on a book by

*2009: ''O Jardim do Dr. Gordner Brickers'', by Caplan Neves *2011: ''Closer'' by

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, Projecto Aquarium, Lisbon, Portugal *2012: ''Stand Up Comedy Pará Moss'', collective texts with Trupe Pará (Pará Troop) *2012: ''Theory of Silence'' (''Teorema do Silêncio'') by Caplan Neves *2012: ''As Mindelenses'' (''The Mindelians'', sometimes as ''Gramportians'') - collective texts with Trupe Pará (Pará Troop) *2013: ''Neverland'' - book adaptation of ''

Peter Pan Peter Pan is a fictional character created by List of Scottish novelists, Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie. A free-spirited and mischievous young boy who can fly and Puer aeternus, never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending ...

'' by

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with Project KCena in Salvador de Bahìa, Brazil *2013: ''Sete Pequenas Peça, Para Sete Grandes Crises'' - collective text with Trupe Pará (Pará Troop) *2013: '' The Tempest'' by William Shakespeare *2014: '' The Lesson'', by Eugène Ionesco with Trupe Pará (Pará Troop) *2015: ''Do-Eu'' with the Free University of

Vila Velha Theater The Vila Velha Theater ( pt, Teatro Vila Velha), also known simply as "Vila", is a performing arts center in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. The theater was constructed in 1964 and is located on Avenida Sete, at the west of the 19th-century Neoclassical ...

in Salvador de Bahía, Brazil *2015: ''Morabesta'', with Teatro 15 Project - Mindelo *2016 - ''Strangers'' by José Luis Peixoto'', co-produced with

Teatro Rivoli Rivoli Theatre is a municipal theatre in Oporto, Portugal. History In 1913 a new theatre called ''Teatro Nacional'' opened in Porto. Over the next several years, changes in the urban center led to modernization of the property, and in 1923 the new ...

in Porto, Portugal

Assistant playwright

*1999 - ''Cloun Creolus Dei'' - a play by Miguel Seabra *2013 - ''Cloun City'' - a play by Janaína Alves with the troop Para Moss in Cape Verde

As an actor

*''Fome de 47'' (1993) *''A Estátua e Etc.'' (1993) *''Gin Tonic Surrealist'' (1995) * ''

'' (1998) *''Cloun Creolus Dei'' (1999-2008) *''Count of Abranhos'' (2001) *''Adão e as Sete Pretas de Fuligem'' (2002) *''Alice'' (2012) *''Theory of Silence'' (2013) *'' The Tempest'' (2013)

References

External links

Official websiteCafé Margoso blog
{{DEFAULTSORT:Branco, João 1968 births Living people Male actors from Paris Portuguese expatriates in Cape Verde Portuguese male actors