The social definition of the theatre as an expressive art and a place for individual creativity shapes’ the introduction of computers in the theatre. In a study of the development of computer usage in theatre, the issue of creativity must be addressed in order to fully understand technological implementation.

In other areas of society, such as business, industry and government, computer implementation does not have to address the issue of creativity. In these areas, the issue is integrating the computer into established activities with the least amount of disruption.

In theatre, however, the creativity issue is an underlying concern for the integration of computer systems in some areas. Computers are more readily accepted in administration, where the work tends to be more structured and repeatable. In the design areas, with the emphasis on individual creativity, the computer has been adopted more slowly.