Trailers as mediatized performances: Investigating the use of promotional videos among Italian contemporary theatre artists

In the theatre sector, many companies, festivals and theatres have integrated promotional videos into their communication strategies. This recent development is undoubtedly due to the rise of social media and the increasing accessibility of video technologies, but also to the need for theatre companies to publicize their work in a media that combines creative autonomy with economic efficiency. Despite this widespread use, trailers in the performing arts have received little attention in academic literature. This article offers the first, exploratory study on the use of promotional videos in the field of contemporary theatre in Italy and on the connections between the current creation of digital promotional clips and the heritage of the Italian video-theatre. Through in-depth interviews with sixteen of the leading Italian companies, this research aims to bring out the role theatre trailers play for performance artists.