Elements of a History of Interactive Dramaturgy

Abstract

The history of interactive dramaturgies stretches far back into the past; it is the history of our narrative traditions and of their aesthetic and artistic forms. At the same time, it is a history of rites, dramatic creations, and media. Numerous elements of a dramaturgy of interactive media are components of these historical experiences: one could call them cultural fingerprints. To date, their historicity has been the subject of little analysis, since they have been largely taken-for-granted. Against this backdrop, this article looks at the point of contact at which traditional forms of dramaturgy encounter new impulses and conditions, resulting in innovative forms of expression and transformed dramaturgic codes. The most far-reaching change currently involves the networking of digital media and the concomitant changes in the production and reception of cultural and scientific contents in hypermedia structures and environments.