Students from a Rio public school built an award-winning improv troupe during the pandemic. Now they debut “Peteca” on April 12 at Casa da Comédia Carioca.
What began as a lifeline during Covid-19 lockdowns has become one of Brazil’s most exciting youth improv theater projects. In 2020, actress and teacher Lola Borges started holding virtual theater classes for students at Colégio Pedro II, a historic public school in Rio’s Humaitá neighborhood. Those online sessions gave birth to Os Pedros — a group named after the school itself.
Now, the troupe brings its newest show, “Peteca”, to Casa da Comédia Carioca in Ipanema for a single performance on Sunday, April 12, at 7 PM. Performers range from 13 to 18 years old and take the stage with no script whatsoever.
No script. No safety net. Just the audience
In “Peteca,” the audience is not just watching — they are co-writing the show. Suggestions from the crowd shape every scene, every character, every punchline. No two performances are ever the same.
Each session brings a different narrative, revealing the creative power of youth on stage and the strength of improvisation as an artistic language for this age group.
Lola describes the result as “a living, authentic, and surprising theatrical experience that brings teenagers and adults together around stories that belong not only to adolescence, but to the human condition itself.”
From pandemic lockdown to national awards
Os Pedros made its official stage debut in 2023 and has since performed three different shows across four Rio de Janeiro theaters. One of them, “Biografia”, tackled long-form improvisation — a format rarely attempted even by adult companies in Brazil.
In 2025, the group won two awards at Impro Grand Prix, Brazil’s largest improv festival: Best Breakthrough Group and Best Direction for Lola Borges. For August, a new show at the same festival is already confirmed, alongside a special improv game night led by Lola exclusively for teen participants.
The group’s journey shows that teenagers can be creators — not just audiences. We believe in renewing artistic languages and making shows for a public that receives so few works aimed at their age group.
Improv as an antidote to screen overload
Lola advocates for improvisation to be taught in schools. She sees it as a direct response to the pressures facing today’s teenagers — trapped between social media comparison, digital overload, and the demand for constant productivity.
We are seeing more and more teenagers immersed in digital environments, made ill by hyperconnectivity. Improvisation values listening, collaboration, and the courage to face the unexpected. It is a powerful tool that allows them to accept new possibilities, reinvent themselves, and try on different versions of who they are. It is a valuable aid for navigating life when you need to recalculate the route.
Beyond Os Pedros, Lola is a member of Grupo Teatro do Nada, a nationally recognized improv company recently honored by Rio’s City Council. She also led the cast research for the acclaimed GNT series “Eu Sou Assim” and “Histórias de Adoção”, as well as the children’s program “Quintal TV” (Futura), winner of the 39th Chicago International Children’s Film Festival. She currently teaches improv workshops at companies including YouTube and Google.
Event Info
- Show: Peteca — Os Pedros
- Date: Sunday, April 12, 2026 at 7 PM
- Venue: Casa da Comédia Carioca — Rua Joana Angélica, 63, Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Tickets: BRL 35 to BRL 70
- Purchase: https://casadacomediacarioca.com/schedule
- Age rating: All ages
