You Say You Want a Revolution?

Not long ago, on Twitter, I posed the following question: what was the last technological innovation that led to a revolution in theater?

One historically-minded friend answered “When Thespis stepped out of the chorus,” which struck me as part wisecrack, part wise. After all, isn’t acting one of the two essential technologies of theater? (The other, of course, is writing; without either performers or a script—even an improvised or movement-based script—there is no play.)

Another, thinking along similar lines, suggested the rise of the director, but almost everyone else offered more traditionally technological answers: computerized lighting and sound, the incorporation of video into theatrical storytelling, and the use of the printing press to enable mass distribution of scripts, for example. All of them, you must admit, are interesting answers worthy of lengthy discussion.

Eventually, a couple of folks did suggest what I thought would have been everyone’s first answer: the internet. It’s hard to imagine virtually anything theatrical—outside of an actual performance—happening without the internet any more. There can’t be more than a handful of theater companies that don’t have even rudimentary websites. Increasing numbers of tickets are sold online. Scripts are submitted via email, headshots are distributed electronically, and press releases are issued digitally. Production meetings are held via Skype, productions are promoted via YouTube trailers, and invitations to opening nights are extended via Facebook. A significant percentage of the business of theater is moving online; this makes us just like the rest of the world and is not particularly surprising.

Only one person in the conversation, however, suggested the answer that was literally sitting right in front of us—the technological innovation that led me to ask the question in the first place: Twitter. In a forthcoming article on HowlRound.com, I've argued that Twitter is in many ways upsetting the theatrical ecosystem. I also tried to convince my readers here to join Twitter several months ago. (Have you done it yet?) Twitter is definitely my candidate for Most Likely to Lead the Revolution.

What's yours?