Examining the Research Gap in Digital Theatre and Virtual Performance in Nigerian Academia

Digital and virtual theatre performance has expanded dramatically globally since 2020, yet Nigerian theatre scholarship has not systematically engaged with its theoretical and practical dimensions, leaving practitioners and students without local academic frameworks. This study examined the research gap in digital and virtual theatre in Nigerian drama academia through systematic literature review and original survey research. A systematic scoping review of nine databases identified 203 publications on digital and virtual theatre from 2020 to 2024 globally, of which only 2 cited Nigerian performance contexts. Original survey research assessed digital theatre awareness, production experience, and academic curriculum coverage among 200 faculty and final-year students in drama departments at six Nigerian universities. Results showed that 67 percent of students had watched a live-streamed or digitally mediated performance, but only 18 percent had participated in producing one. Only 12 percent of faculty had formal training in digital theatre production. Digital theatre was a curriculum subject in only 1 of the 6 surveyed departments. Practitioners who had experimented with digital formats during the COVID-19 pandemic reported sustained interest but cited equipment and training as barriers to continuation. The study identifies four research priorities and proposes a Nigerian Digital Theatre Studies research agenda. Recommendations include introducing digital theatre modules in Nigerian drama curricula, NCAC developing digital theatre production support grants, and Nigerian theatre practitioners participating in international digital theatre research networks.

Keywords: digital theatre, virtual performance, Nigerian academia, research gap, online theatre