LSI Projects has played a key role in the major redevelopment of Theatr Clwyd – the largest producing theatre in Wales and one of the few venues in the UK that still makes its own sets, costumes and technical work entirely in-house.
First opened in 1976, the building had reached the end of its natural life and needed more than a refresh; it required a fundamental rethink.
This transformation has renewed the entire venue, securing its future while preserving its place at the heart of the Mold community.
Going beyond a typical M&E upgrade, the project was an opportunity to rethink how the building feels and functions, from the foyer to the main auditoria.
LSI Projects worked in close collaboration with Project Managers Plann and Theatre Consultants Charcoalblue to deliver sensitive yet forward-looking technical upgrade.
“We needed to rejuvenate the spaces with the most up-to-date equipment without spoiling anything,” said Andrew Roberts, Chief Operating Officer of Theatr Clwyd.
“There is an awful lot of love for our two main theatre spaces, and this, coupled with being a Grade II listed building, added to those challenges.
“The teams have delivered brilliantly on that brief – the care and commitment have been exceptional.”
A new timber foyer structure now welcomes visitors with warmth and light, creating a more generous sense of arrival.
Beyond the doors, the performance spaces have been carefully upgraded to meet contemporary production demands, all while preserving the atmosphere audiences and artists feel deeply connected to.
Sustainability runs quietly through the building’s fabric, with the theatre now operating gas-free, harvesting rainwater and incorporating PV panels across its roofs.
Theatr Clwyd has also expanded what it offers its community, introducing Health & Wellbeing Rooms, Creative Engagement and Music Studios, a cinema and flexible event spaces, alongside a new partnership with Welsh chef Bryn Williams – encouraging people to linger, meet, work and gather, not just attend a show.
From a theatre design and consultancy perspective, long-term involvement played a key role in navigating those complexities.
“One of the biggest challenges was modernising the building while retaining the character of its two main performance spaces,” said Paul Franklin, Project Lead at Charcoalblue.
“The project required the complete replacement of end-of-life performance systems, all within the constraints of the existing structure and a tightly phased programme.
“Close collaboration across the design and delivery teams was essential to achieving a result that respects the building’s heritage while supporting how the theatre works today.”
Across the five venues within the building, LSI delivered comprehensive lighting and AV infrastructure.
The lighting solution featured ETC ColourSource power control and a building-wide Paradigm system integrating DMX, DALI and BMS interfaces, extending into front-of-house and administrative areas.
A variety of ETC Arc fixtures upgraded houselight systems across the venues, while Bluesystem products provided new work lighting.
This integrated lighting control environment provides consistent management across performance and public areas, giving technical teams greater flexibility while reducing complexity in day-to-day operation.
On the AV side, Q-SYS formed the backbone of the building-wide audio transport and paging system, with custom source selection interfaces enabling individual rooms to receive paging and show relay audio from multiple venues.
A Green-Go digital intercom system was deployed throughout, and custom LSI Stage Manager Desks were installed in the two primary theatre spaces.
Together, these systems create a scalable and interconnected technical infrastructure, allowing productions to run simultaneously across the building while maintaining clear communication and efficient audio distribution.
Additional engineering solutions, including pipe grids and rigging channels, were installed within the Clwyd Rooms and Cinema, giving the technical team flexibility to deploy stage lighting and AV equipment as required for different productions and events.
The transformation has had an immediate and lasting operational impact.
Already a significant local employer, the redevelopment created new jobs during construction and has generated more than 100 additional roles within the refurbished venue.
For the first time in two decades, the building’s quality and facilities now match the artistic standard of Theatr Clwyd’s acclaimed productions.
Reflecting on the scale and resilience of the project, Roberts added: “In the last 15 years, Theatr Clwyd has been through two prior feasibility studies. It wasn’t an option to fail this time.
“Given that the project began its design phase in 2018, it has faced huge national and global challenges such as the pandemic and significant political upheaval.
“To have come through all of that and to have delivered a venue of this quality is something we are incredibly proud of.”
LSI Business Development Director Stuart Dingwall concluded: “Theatr Clwyd really shows the breadth of what LSI can do. From stage and architectural lighting to performance audio, communications and advanced AV solutions, it was a complex project with a lot of moving parts.
“Our projects and technical teams took it all in their stride and it’s incredibly satisfying to see their hard work recognised in such an important venue.”
