Let’s be honest: when was the last time you saw a teenager sprint to buy tickets for a Shakespeare play? The truth is, theatre has long struggled with the perception of being too slow, too quiet, too… offline. Meanwhile, the digital world is bursting with energy — TikToks, Reels, livestreams, Discord servers — spaces where storytelling is alive and kicking. So why shouldn’t theatre live there too?
Digital-first doesn’t mean less real — it means more connected
We’re not talking about turning plays into YouTube videos. We’re talking about meeting audiences where they already are. Gen Z doesn’t wait for art to come to them — they scroll, swipe, and discover it in the palm of their hand. A digital-first approach means theatre experiences that start online: teaser content on TikTok, behind-the-scenes livestreams, character Instagram accounts, interactive polls that shape the narrative. In other words, the stage begins before the curtain rises.
Storytelling that spills off the stage
Think of digital platforms not as marketing tools, but as extensions of the narrative. What if a character’s story continued on their TikTok after the show ended? What if part of the plot was hidden in an Instagram Story the audience had to find? This is no longer science fiction — it’s just smart, immersive storytelling. And it doesn’t replace the theatre experience; it enhances it.
Accessibility, not dilution
Some argue that going digital “cheapens” theatre. But guess what? Accessibility doesn’t equal dilution. A fifteen-second monologue on Reels might be the first encounter someone has with theatre — and it might be powerful enough to bring them into the audience. Digital-first theatre can break economic, geographic and even linguistic barriers, opening the doors to people who never saw themselves as “theatre people”.
A stage without walls
Theatre has always been about connection — between performer and audience, text and body, now and then. The digital world is just another stage, one without walls, seats, or even ticket prices. If theatre wants to remain relevant, it can’t wait for people to come to it. It has to be brave enough to go to them.
So let’s stop treating screens like the enemy. They might just be the stage doors of the future.
