Transmedia narratives in stage design: Interspatial meaning and visual continuity

Abstract

This study analyzes how transmedia narrative structures influence stage design by examining how stories distributed across multiple media platforms are spatially configured in performance environments. Unlike the traditional approach that centers on a single physical stage, the design paradigm has shifted—under the impact of digitalization—towards a search for visual and spatial continuity across platforms. Drawing upon examples from postdramatic theatre and experimental performance practices, the study argues that stage design is no longer a purely material arrangement, but rather an interdisciplinary aesthetic space where narrative continuity is constructed. Accordingly, projects such as Kaidan Project, Dream, and Remote X, which integrate both digital and physical components, have been selected as case studies. Through qualitative analysis, the study investigates viewer interaction, visual coding, and interspatial transition strategies in these performances. The findings demonstrate that the scenographer assumes roles beyond aesthetics, functioning as a narrative engineer and experience architect. The study offers both theoretical and practical contributions toward reconceptualizing stage design within the framework of transmedia storytelling. Furthermore, it aims to develop a critical perspective on the future of performing arts by addressing the role of visual continuity in cross-platform transmission and the experiential potential of audience-centered staging.