Digital Technology and Theatre – the future of learning

How can we use digital technology to engage the next generation of theatre makers and creatives? This is the question asked by theatre director, Beck Gadsby, 6 years ago. Concerned about the decline of young people engaging in arts subjects and attending the theatre, she sought to offer a solution by using their favourite gadget – mobile phones. In 2020 she founded “Inside Theatre”, the world’s first immersive theatre design app. Available on smart phones and tablets, Inside Theatre allows users to create their own costume, set, lighting and sound for a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and then watch their production back using VR technology.

In this session, Beck Gadsby will talk you through the different stages to the app, the accessibility features, and how it can be used to teach about design jobs in theatre. Using technology that excites and interests them, it gives students an opportunity to understand how their design choices can effect the outcome of the play, along with an introduction to the future of theatre design.