Abstract
<jats:p>This article examines the impact of emergency digitalisation on contemporary Kazakhstani theatre in context of national culture, focusing on the transformation of artistic practices and audience engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath. Particular attention is given to changes in the representation of national theatre art and to shifts in audience participation within the context of digital media reality.The research problem is defined as the need to identify how digital tools reshape theatrical production, communication, and cultural accessibility within Kazakhstan’s national culture. The study aims to determine the mechanisms through which digitalisation influences the evolution of national theatre, and to conceptualise the role of the Astana Ballet Theatre as a leading national institutional model shaping contemporary artistic and media practices.The methodological framework combines comparative cultural analysis, media studies, and performance research. The empirical base includes digital archives, social media analytics, official documentation of the Astana Ballet Theatre, as well as national digital initiatives such as the ‘Digital Kazakhstan’ programme and the ‘Digital Bridge’ platform.The applied approach makes it possible to follow gradual changes in institutional strategy, audience perception, and the artistic language of national theatre. The results demonstrate a coherent digital transformation of Kazakhstani theatre, manifested through livestreamed performances, educational online projects, hybrid scenic forms, and the development of the ‘Theatre 360 Degrees’ streaming platform. Special attention is given to new forms of digital scenography and media integration, including advanced video technologies and emerging AI tools as part of post-pandemic digital trajectories, such as Higgsfield AI.The article concludes that digitalisation constitutes a long-term structural shift in the evolution of Kazakhstan’s national theatre, with practical implications for cultural policy, institutional planning, and the formation of hybrid theatrical forms in the twenty-first century. </jats:p>