The Withering Tree
South Mountain High School
An immersive open-world theatrical experience where audiences moved through a living forest of stories and helped shape the narrative outcome alongside the cast.
Founded by Giovanni Delgado Ferreira
Theatre as an
Open World.
Bridging performance, play, and community. Teatro Mundo Aberto creates immersive experiences rooted in Brazilian-Cuban heritage and the interactive logic of video games.
Mundo Aberto · Open World
"Stories help us understand ourselves, connect across differences, and envision more just and compassionate futures."
The Founder
Giovanni Delgado Ferreira
I'm a Brazilian and Cuban theatre maker, playwright, educator, and community artist passionate about creating stories that invite people to participate, imagine, and connect.
My work lives at the intersection of theatre, education, immersive storytelling, and community engagement — deeply influenced by Theatre of the Oppressed, Latin American performance traditions, and the interactive narratives of video games.
I recently earned my MFA in Theatre for Youth and Community from Arizona State University, where I explored how theatrical storytelling can expand through audience participation and collective worldbuilding.
As the founder of Teatro Mundo Aberto, I believe theatre can be a space of exploration, agency, and discovery — where every participant becomes a storyteller.
MFA · Theatre for YouthPlaywrightTeaching ArtistDramaturg
The Repertoire
Selected Quest Log
Immersive productions, original plays, devised work, and community residencies across the US, Brazil, and beyond.
The Blind Donkey
Leaders of Color Institute · AATE, Arizona
Original four-actor stage reading exploring heritage, vision, and the weight of inherited stories, presented for the American Alliance for Theatre & Education.
The Greatest Adventure Ever
University of Utah · AATE Symposium
A large-cast quest-narrative featuring youth performers, developed and staged at the AATE symposium as a celebration of collective worldbuilding.
Dead on the Floor
Yale University Summer Program
A devised production created with international theatre students during a summer course on devising — built collaboratively across cultures and languages.
Open-World Theatre Masterclass
Escola de Teatro São Paulo
A masterclass for adult theatre artists on using video game design to devise immersive, open worlds for the stage, held in the heart of São Paulo.
SEL Game-Theatre Residency
Middle School · Barra Funda, São Paulo
A condensed social-emotional learning residency translating my game-based theatre program for middle school students in São Paulo.
Other Notable Collaborations
Beyond the productions featured above, my practice has been shaped by long residencies, intensive workshops, and cross-border exchanges that continue to inform every rehearsal room I step into.
- Three-year mentorship cohort with Childsplay Theatre Company, Arizona — devising original productions alongside students and guiding young ensembles from first impulse to opening night.
- Workshop with Julian Boal, applying Theatre of the Oppressed practice directly from the source — translating Augusto Boal's legacy into contemporary community-engaged work.
- International teaching, devising, and presenting across Brazil, the US, and at AATE conferences — building bridges between Latin American performance traditions and North American applied theatre.
- Guest direction and dramaturgy for university programs, youth festivals, and independent collectives exploring memory, displacement, and ritual on stage.
The Library
Plays for Licensing
Original scripts available for educational and professional productions. Request a perusal copy to read the full text and explore licensing for your company, school, or festival.
The Withering Tree
Immersive · Open-WorldSite-adaptive immersive play for youth audiences and casts. Supports environmental and community-themed programming.
Request perusal copy →The Blind Donkey
Drama · 4 ActorsIntimate ensemble drama exploring heritage and visibility. Single-set, flexible staging — ideal for festival and reading series.
Request perusal copy →The Greatest Adventure Ever
Adventure · Youth + AdultsQuest-narrative play for large mixed casts including youth performers. Built for educational and family programming.
Request perusal copy →Dead on the Floor
Devised · EnsembleA devised script with adaptable structure, designed to be re-staged collaboratively with new ensembles.
Request perusal copy →OfferingsWays to
Ways to
Collaborate
Every project is an invitation to explore. We partner with schools, universities, arts organizations, and communities to design bespoke interactive experiences.
- 01Arts Education & Teaching Artist Residencies
- 02Interactive & Immersive Theatre Experiences
- 03Professional Development for Educators
- 04Video Game Storytelling & Theatre Workshops
- 05Playwriting & New Work Development
- 06Community Engagement & Creative Facilitation
- 07Speaking Engagements & Conference Presentations
Custom Projects
Start with a conversation.
Rather than fixed pricing, we begin by learning about your goals, community, timeline, and resources — then design a collaboration that meets your vision. Every project is different.
Inspired by the rich traditions of Brazilian theatre — from the political fire of Teatro de Arena, the experimental spirit of Teatro Oficina, to the liberating practice of Augusto Boal's Teatro do Oprimido — we weave ritual, play, and dialogue into every encounter.
- Máscaras & Mito
- Ritmo & Roda
- Floresta & Voz
- Fogo & Memória
Vamos criar juntos · Let's create together
Common Questions
Before You Reach Out
Who do you typically work with?
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Schools, universities, theatre companies, nonprofits, museums, and community organizations across the US, Brazil, and internationally — anyone interested in immersive, participatory, or community-rooted theatre.
How does pricing work?
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Every collaboration is bespoke. Rather than fixed rates, we begin with a conversation about your goals, community, timeline, and resources, then design a partnership that fits.
Can I license one of your plays?
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Yes. Several original scripts are available for licensing for educational and professional productions. Reach out for a perusal copy and licensing terms.
Do you travel for residencies and workshops?
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Absolutely. I regularly travel domestically and internationally for residencies, masterclasses, conference sessions, and speaking engagements.
What ages do your education programs serve?
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From elementary through graduate-level. Programs are tailored to the developmental stage and creative goals of the group I'm working with.