Photo Flash: Digital Theatre & Routlege Team Up for International Performing Arts Archive

After two years of dedicated research and development, Digital Theatre in partnership with Routledge have announced the launch in the coming academic year of The Routledge Performance Archive - an international performing arts archive of video and text for educational institutions around the world. The Routledge/Digtital Theatre Partnership will provide access to an archive of primary materials by some of the world's greatest practitioners, for the teaching and study of performance.

Robert Delamere and Tom Shaw said: "Of paramount importance to Digital Theatre is the gathering and sharing of creativity. In our work alongside Routledge we will create a comprehensive archive that will be available for future generations as an educational tool for the teaching and study of performance. We are all very excited by this new partnership."

Talia Rodgers, Publisher, Theatre and Performance Studies: "Theatre is nothing if not a practical art, but it has always been informed by inspirational theories and texts, by practitioners from Stanislavski to Peter Brook. We are thrilled to be collaborating with Digital Theatre on such a vital resource."

Digital Theatre, launched in 2009, works in partnership with Britain's leading theatre companies to capture live performance authentically onscreen. Using multiple camera angles and high-definition technology, they bring the drama and emotion of each production to a global online audience. Each production is available to rent online for a limited period or downloaded. www.digitaltheatre.com.

Patrick McKenna, Founder and CEO of Ingenious Media, is to invest in Digital Theatre and join its board.

Robert Delamere, Digital Theatre CEO said: "We are excited to be welcoming Patrick McKenna to Digital Theatre. He brings with him a wealth of experience in the media, arts and commerce, and we believe his appointment marks the next phase in the growth and development of our young company. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with him as we continue to build on our successes to date and tackle the wealth of opportunities before us".

Patrick McKenna said: "I am delighted to be associating Ingenious with Digital Theatre and to have this opportunity to invest in the company's future growth. This business is designed to augment the enjoyment of existing live theatre and to enhance public access to live theatrical performance. It is about building audiences for the future. I am thrilled to be involved with such an exciting company."

Patrick McKenna is chairman of the Young Vic Theatre Company, Hat Trick Productions and a number of other media sector businesses. He is also engaged with NESTA as a mentor to young creative business entrepreneurs.

McKenna joins current Digital Theatre board members Philip Wright (Chairman), Robert Delamere - Co-Founder/CEO, Tom Shaw - Co-Founder/Executive Producer, Tim Dumenil, Sue Green, Richard Hall, Richard Price, Colin Rushmere and Sir George Russell.

Photos of the launch party. Photo Credit: Sam Strickland.