INNovating: Site-Specific Audio Drama Performance – from Kate Valentine, Masters by Research at the Department of Theatre, Film, Television and Interactive Media, University of York

“Drama has evolved through sharing stories that often combine heritage, site-specific location and immersive audience experience. As part of my research by Creative Practice at the University of York, I have developed INNovating, a community project resulting in a site-specific, binaural audio drama experience. Inspired by the history of the City of York’s coaching inns, INNovating is an audio drama trail that evokes the sounds and stories of these vibrant places of hospitality for travellers in the 1820s, stopping off on their journey along the Great North Road. 

Co-created with community volunteers, in the role of researchers, dramaturgs and performers, the hybrid online and in-person workshops developed the performance process.  This journey included archival research, devising and script development workshops, as well as rehearsal and recording of the audio drama trail, which featured as part of York Festival of Ideas in June 2022 and internationally via an interactive map.”

The thesis “Innovating: going digital with community performance” can be accessed here: https://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/32631/