Beja Secondary School hosted Miguel Magalhães for a session exploring the concept of contemporaneity in the performing arts. Over 90 minutes, the artistic director of Companhia do Sueste offered students a theoretical-practical approach aimed at breaking down the distance between young audiences and contemporary artistic creation.
The session focused on Playback Theatre methodologies as a central mediation tool. Through exercises in listening, improvisation, and immediate stage response, participants were challenged to transform their own narratives and everyday experiences into dramaturgical material. This process allowed them to embody the concept of “contemporary” not as an aesthetic abstraction, but as an artistic experimentation of the present and the community.
In addition to practical experimentation, the activity encouraged reflection on the work of a professional company based in the region (Companhia do Sueste), addressing the Cultural Prescription Program, the processes of collective creation, and the role of art as an ally in promoting critical thinking and building a fairer, more beautiful, and inclusive society.
Biography
About Companhia do Sueste
Companhia do Sueste is an emerging artistic organization based in Beja, in the Baixo Alentejo region. Under the artistic direction of Miguel Magalhães, Companhia do Sueste was founded in 2023, the year it premiered its first production, “Avenida da Liberdade.” The company explores different artistic disciplines, primarily within the Performing Arts, building its trajectory through work on classical pieces as well as original and contemporary creations. In October 2025, it premiered its 6th production, “Log Out.”
Through its work with the community of Beja and the Baixo Alentejo region, Companhia do Sueste aims to promote the democratization of access to art and the civic participation of citizens, seeking to foster artistic participation for all, particularly those experiencing social exclusion. To achieve this, it regularly develops projects and initiatives in partnership with institutions in the social and health sectors. In 2025, it launched the Baixo Alentejo Cultural Prescription Program, co-funded by the Directorate-General of Health and the National Coordination of Mental Health Policies, in partnership with ULS Baixo Alentejo, Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Beja, and CERCICOA.
Miguel Magalhães Bio
Miguel Magalhães is an actor, playwright, director, and the artistic director of Companhia do Sueste since its founding in 2023. He was born in 1991 in Lousada, where he began his artistic journey at just four years old. He studied piano at the Vale do Sousa Music Conservatory. He is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Theatre at the School of Arts, University of Évora.
He is also a member of the Sem Terra Theatre Company and the Coro de Atores, and works as a voice actor at Cinemágica. His professional résumé includes productions such as “Aladino – o musical”, “A Ilha do Tesouro” by Elenco Produções, “O Principezinho” by Jangada Teatro, “PIU” by Companhia Bruxa Má, “Veias de Sal” by Varazim Teatro, and various productions with companies like Etcetera Teatro, Plateia d’Emoções, among others.
As a playwright, he has written texts such as “Pimba Gourmet”, “Desassossego”, “A Maldição”, and “NICO – O musical.” In 2025, he won the SALTO 2025 Project – an open call by Baal17 for young directors – with “O Pedro é que sabe.” In 2024, he was a trainer for the ERASMUS+ project “Theatre for Youth Strategy” in Diyarbakir, Turkey. He is currently also the artistic director of the Cultural Prescription Program in Baixo Alentejo.
