Staging is not a luxury

Many events are exceptionally well-prepared in terms of content – messages are clearly structured, strategies are precisely formulated, and facts are presented convincingly. Yet after the event, surprisingly little sticks. Why? Because events are more than just information-sharing platforms: they are experiences. And it is the dramatic structure that brings these experiences to life.

From Information to Emotion

Events are a great opportunity to share information with a wider audience. But wherever information is involved, emotions also play an important role. This is especially true in a live setting: here, content is not just absorbed but experienced firsthand.

People don’t just remember what was said; above all, they remember how it felt to be part of that moment. Memories are formed when information takes on an emotional quality – when it is not just understood, but experienced.

Dramaturgy as Magic

In the world of the performing arts, dramaturgy is an indispensable tool. It provides structure, directs attention, and creates meaningful moments. In the event industry, however, it is often viewed as an aesthetic bonus – the “icing on the cake”.

Yet dramaturgy fulfills a central strategic function: it brings content to life and ensures that it truly resonates and is remembered.

When emotion becomes a prerequisite

The importance of emotion is not merely a matter of impact – it is scientifically proven. Studies in cognitive science and neuroeconomics have long shown that emotions do not simply color our experiences; they form the basis for decision-making.

In his book  “Descartes’ Error” (1994), neuroscientist Antonio Damasio describes cases of patients with damage to the emotional center of the brain who were still able to think logically – but were no longer able to make decisions.

Emotion is therefore not a supplement to rational processes, but rather a prerequisite for them.

When it comes to live communication, this means that an event that fails to evoke an emotional response will leave behind neither lasting memories nor genuine decisions. If you want to reach people, you must first touch their hearts.

Or to put it another way: When a company communicates a new strategy using only numbers, charts, and presentations, the impact is often limited. Without an emotional connection, neither memory nor change takes root. This is precisely where the role of staging comes into play – as the link between content and experience.

The audience as a driving force

Unlike many other forms of communication, the audience at live events always plays an active role. It reacts, interprets, and influences what is happening.

This creates a moment that can never be fully planned. Effective staging sets the stage for precisely this quality: for attention, for connection – and for the moment when the audience and the event truly come together.

The Quality of Imperfection

Projections, drones, AI, robots – technology has revolutionized the possibilities of staging. But despite all the digital tools and precise planning, there is a limit: machines cannot sense atmosphere or intuitively grasp dynamics.

Often, it’s not the perfectly choreographed moments that stick with us, but the spontaneous, unplanned, and imperfect ones that trigger genuine emotional responses.

Staging as an effect

The key question, therefore, is not how much production value an event can afford, but rather: Can it afford to do without it?

It is only through carefully crafted storytelling and the strategic use of space, time, and atmosphere that communication becomes truly effective. An event lacking these elements remains informative – but not transformative.

Staging achieves what mere information cannot: depth, connection, and a lasting impact.

Jonathan Schwarz discusses exactly how staging comes together and what sets it apart from mere decoration in the Bla Bla Lab podcast with Nadine Imboden – a director, choreographer, and creative entrepreneur with over 540 productions across four continents. Listen now: Directing reality – why staging isn’t a luxury