BaggårdTeatret Turns Landscapes into Living Stages with STQRY

BaggårdTeatret, a pioneering theater company in Denmark’s Southern Funen region, is redefining how audiences experience storytelling. By transforming landscapes into living stages, their groundbreaking 'Invisible Theater' productions immerse audiences in narratives that unfold in real-world environments—anytime, anywhere, and in multiple languages.

BaggårdTeatret’s Invisible Theater is designed to engage audiences of all ages—young children, families, couples, and solo explorers alike—offering a storytelling experience that adapts to each participant’s pace and perspective. Whether it’s a reflective solo walk, a family-friendly fairytale journey, or an interactive adventure with friends, Invisible Theater invites people from all walks of life to become part of the performance.

The Challenge: Bringing Theater Beyond the Stage

BaggårdTeatret has always sought to push the boundaries of traditional theater, bringing audiences into immersive narratives that extend beyond the walls of a stage. But as their productions grew in ambition, they faced a critical challenge: how could they make these performances more accessible—allowing audiences to engage with theater on their own terms, in their own time?

Their intimate venue, seating approximately 120, limited audience reach. Meanwhile, Denmark’s tourism surged in the summer months, yet visitors had few ways to engage with the region’s rich cultural stories outside of scheduled performances. 

The team wanted a solution that would make theater more flexible, inviting, and available to both locals and tourists year-round.

Then came 2020. The pandemic forced the world to rethink live experiences, and BaggårdTeatret’s performances—rooted in human connection and shared spaces—came to a halt. But instead of seeing this as a roadblock, the theater saw an opportunity. Could they use digital tools to take storytelling beyond physical constraints, allowing audiences to step into a performance whenever and wherever they wanted?

They needed a platform that could seamlessly weave nature into a living, breathing storyline—one that audiences didn’t just listen to, but actively moved through. The experience had to unfold dynamically, guiding participants through real-world landscapes while immersing them in a narrative that responded to their surroundings. That’s when they turned to STQRY.

The Solution: Partnering with STQRY to Bring Invisible Theater to Life

BaggårdTeatret needed a way to break free from the limitations of physical theater while maintaining the depth and emotional impact of live performance. With STQRY, they found a platform that allowed them to create location-based, interactive storytelling experiences—transforming everyday landscapes into immersive stages.

Invisible Theater is a performance that plays when and where the audience chooses. Each production seamlessly blends storytelling with the natural world, incorporating historical accounts, fictional dramatizations, and thematic explorations that unfold dynamically as participants move through their surroundings. Rather than watching a performance, audiences become part of it—walking, listening, and engaging with the world around them in real time.

In one production, participants walk with a Danish fairytale writer, picking flowers along the way—introducing an element of gamification that makes the story tactile and personal. Another production leads audiences to a beach, where they are guided through reflections on the future and climate change. The experience culminates in a moment of collective creation, as visitors arrive at a site where past audiences have built sculptures from found rocks—turning their journey into something both intimate and lasting. What begins as an intangible audio experience suddenly becomes physical, a testament to shared storytelling across time.

Invisible Theater is a full-scale production. Just like a traditional play, it has a director, actors, graphic designers, and scenography—but in this case, the landscape itself is the stage. Signage, app graphics, and digital content bring the experience to life.

Expanding the Experience with STQRY

STQRY enhances the Invisible Theater experience through key features that ensure accessibility, immersion, and continuous innovation:

• Geotagged Storytelling: Soundscapes unfold as visitors move, seamlessly weaving narratives into the physical environment.
• Multilingual Accessibility: Available in Danish, German, and English, ensuring local and international audiences can engage fully.
• Rich Multimedia Content: Featuring a cast of acclaimed actors—including Sandra Yi Sencindiver, Rosalinde Mynster, Elliott Crosset Hove, Sonja Richter, Pilou Asbæk, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Tom Wlaschiha—delivering a deeply immersive and emotionally compelling journey.

Through STQRY, BaggårdTeatret has transformed storytelling into an active, sensory-driven experience—one that invites audiences to step beyond the stage and into the heart of a living, breathing performance.

Transforming Theater Through Technology

Since launching its first audio walk in 2019, BaggårdTeatret has continued to redefine theatrical storytelling, seamlessly blending technology, history, and performance. Their latest 2024 production has seen record participation, demonstrating the growing demand for immersive, location-based experiences. As they look ahead, the theater is committed to expanding this innovative format, pushing the boundaries of audience engagement, and crafting new interactive narratives that live beyond the stage.

The Impact:

• Cultural Collaborations: Partnering with institutions like Øhavsmuseet, Faaborg Museum, Langeland Museum, and Marstal Søfartsmuseum, BaggårdTeatret has introduced its immersive experiences to new audiences, enriching cultural engagement.
• Global Recognition: Acknowledged in industry reports such as the Future Today Institute's 2024 Entertainment Report and EuroArt's 2020 Activity Report, BaggårdTeatret is recognized as a pioneer in location-based storytelling.
• Critical Acclaim: Their work has earned five-star reviews and nominations for ‘Fiction of the Year’ at Prix Audio.
• Feature in Forbes: Forbes spotlights We, The Drowned in its ‘Ultimate 3-Day Guide To Denmark’s Hidden Paradise’, highlighting it as a groundbreaking experience like no other that creates an extraordinary and deeply immersive connection to Denmark’s seafaring culture.
• Educational Impact: Schools have adopted these audio walks as a dynamic learning tool, allowing students to engage with history, literature, and cultural heritage through interactive storytelling.

What Audiences Are Saying

These audio walks leave a lasting impression, turning familiar landscapes into new realms of discovery. The fusion of sound, movement, and place creates an experience that is both intimate and communal, allowing each participant to engage with the story in a personal way.

Some visitors describe how the experience changed their perspective on history, place, and even themselves:

For international guests, these stories serve as a bridge to Denmark’s cultural identity, offering a deeper connection to the landscapes and histories that shape the country.

Each journey is unique, yet all share a common thread—the Invisible Theater experience lingers long after the final words are spoken, sparking curiosity, reflection, and a new appreciation for the world around us.

These pages hold the reflections, emotions, and connections of those who have experienced these unique audio walks. Each note, sketch, and greeting is a testament to the power of storytelling.

Paving the Way for the Future of Theater

BaggårdTeatret sees limitless potential in location-based storytelling and recommends STQRY to other theaters, museums, and cultural organizations looking to explore immersive experiences.

"We’ve actively recommended STQRY to other theaters, museums, and municipalities. The demand for audio walks is growing, and STQRY provides an intuitive platform to bring these ideas to life." Jannie Schjødt Kold

— Jannie Schjødt Kold

Key Takeaways: Building a Lasting, Scalable Experience

Through their journey with Invisible Theater and STQRY, BaggårdTeatret has learned valuable lessons about creating immersive, location-based storytelling that stands the test of time. Jannie Schjødt Kold shares key insights for organizations looking to embark on a similar path:

• Think Long-Term & Scalable: Ask yourself—what if it scales rapidly? Build an experience that can grow, evolve, and scale over time. One app, one platform where all users stay connected as you expand.
• Commit to Communication & Maintenance: A digital storytelling experience isn’t just about launch day. Consider how to communicate it, maintain it, and sell it long-term to keep audiences engaged.
• Start with Place, Then Think Regionally: Begin with a single location, but keep in mind—who else in this region has an interest in creating something extraordinary? Who can you collaborate with to expand the reach and impact?
• Think Collaboratively & Holistically: The biggest successes come from inviting others in. Whether it's museums, tourism boards, or cultural organizations, collaboration amplifies impact and creates richer experiences for audiences.

The Future of Storytelling Starts Here

BaggårdTeatret has proven that storytelling doesn’t have to be confined to a stage—it can live within landscapes, unfold through movement, and evolve over time. BaggårdTeatret partnership with STQRY has enabled them to turn everyday locations into immersive theatrical experiences, offering audiences a new way to engage with history, culture, and place.

If you’re looking to create a storytelling experience that captivates, grows, and lasts, STQRY provides the tools to bring your vision to life. Whether you're a museum, theater company, tourism board, or cultural organization, STQRY empowers you to design and deliver immersive, interactive experiences that engage audiences in meaningful ways.

Explore BaggårdTeatret’s Invisible Theater

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