One of the very first manifestations of theater in Brazil took place in the 16th Century, used by Jesuits to educate Indians and settlers - amateur affairs with a religious rather than artistic impetus. In the 17th and 18th Century new forms of theatre emerged, depicting and reflecting upon festivals and political events.

In 1808, the newly instated Portuguese royal court of Dom. João VI decreed the need for 'decent theaters' for the entertainment of the nobility. Ever since, Brazilian national theatre flourished, particularly under the influential pen of great playwrights such as Barata Ribeiro, Luigi Vicenzo de Simoni and Francisco José Pinheiro Guimarães.