Page, stage and digitally in-between: serialised transmedia stage adaptations of children's books that blend private reading and public theatre engage
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Bristol
Department Name: School of Arts
Abstract
This is a practice-as-research project that seeks to explore an innovative new serialised
theatre paradigm for stage adaptations of children's books that creates spaces between
episodes of live performance for young people to participate in blended modes of public
theatre and private reading engagements through immersive transmedia technologies. It
seeks to replace the current commercial motivations for serialising theatre experiences,
to encourage audiences "to buy into a prolonged relationship with a particular narrative
universe" and drive "a succession of consumer choices" (Jenkins, "Quentin", 2003:
284), with motivations rooted in story craft and the powerful potential engagement of
young people with theatre and books through transmedia digital technologies like social
media and online communities that can drive public theatre into the sphere of private
reading and vice versa.
theatre paradigm for stage adaptations of children's books that creates spaces between
episodes of live performance for young people to participate in blended modes of public
theatre and private reading engagements through immersive transmedia technologies. It
seeks to replace the current commercial motivations for serialising theatre experiences,
to encourage audiences "to buy into a prolonged relationship with a particular narrative
universe" and drive "a succession of consumer choices" (Jenkins, "Quentin", 2003:
284), with motivations rooted in story craft and the powerful potential engagement of
young people with theatre and books through transmedia digital technologies like social
media and online communities that can drive public theatre into the sphere of private
reading and vice versa.
