Paul Bibby
Byron Theatre-goers are in for a treat when the prohibition on live events is finally lifted, with the venue having just undergone a major sound and lighting revamp.
The theatre has spent $200,000 on a new cinema screen and speaker system, backed by the latest digital audio and visual equipment.
Funded by a grant from the NSW government, the installation was undertaken by local company North Coast Events, a long-term collaborator with the theatre.
‘This grant has given the theatre an urgently needed technical upgrade,’ says Jamie Hunter, Byron Theatre’s new technical manager.
‘I’m very excited about what the future holds for the theatre, now that the standard of our technical production has been so radically improved.
‘This grant has given the Byron Shire community, its visitors and our performers and artists the modern theatre experience they deserve and raises the bar for regional arts,’ he adds.
It took Byron Theatre management nearly two-and-half years to research, purchase and complete the project owing to the intimate nature of the space and the intricate and delicate sound issues technicians were facing.
Theatre manager Tanja Greulich said the need to replace the cinema screen with an acoustically transparent one was unexpected, but had made a huge difference to the sound experience.
‘Byron Theatre is now acceptable for national and international artists and touring companies,’ Ms Greulich said.
‘We hope that the new crystal clear audio and visual experience will result in more bookings in the future to entertain our local audience and generate funds for our community outreach projects.
‘Hopefully, we’ll see the space buzzing with shows again very soon.’
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