This study explores how digital theatre influences the humanities by reshaping traditional performance
and scholarship. It seeks to identify the benefits, challenges, and implications of incorporating digital
elements into theatre productions and academic research. The integration of digital technologies has
had a profound impact on the arts and humanities, including theatre. Digital tools such as interactive set
designs and virtual reality have opened new avenues for artistic expression and scholarly research.
However, this technological shift raises concerns about preserving traditional theatrical values and its
impact on audience engagement and academic discourse. This study adopts qualitative interviews with
theatre practitioners and humanities scholars to understand their motivations, challenges, and outcomes
when using digital elements. The analysis focuses on how digital theatre enhances audience engagement,
promotes interdisciplinary collaboration, and advances humanities scholarship. Findings suggest that
digital theatre can significantly benefit the humanities by attracting new audiences, fostering
collaboration across disciplines, and enabling innovative forms of scholarly expression. However,
challenges remain in maintaining artistic integrity and ensuring accessibility for diverse audiences. The
study highlights the need for a balanced approach that leverages digital technology’s benefits while
preserving traditional theatre and humanities values. Digital theatre has great potential for advancing
the humanities, provided its integration is thoughtfully managed. Embracing digital innovation while
upholding traditional principles can lead to meaningful, impactful works that broaden the scope of
performance and research. These findings have important implications for the future of theatre, the
humanities, and the role of digital technology in these fields.

Sokari, I. F. (2024, March). Digital theatre and the humanities [Conference paper]. Theatre & Film Studies Department, Rivers State University. ResearchGate.