LSC Control Systems, part of ROBE Lighting, has supplied power management, dimming and data distribution technology for the new Court Theatre in Christchurch, New Zealand, as part of an installation delivered by Auckland-based specialist LS Group.
Designed by theatre consultancy Charcoalblue and installed by Auckland-based specialist LS Group, the system centres on four 96-channel UNITY switching and dimming racks. Three serve the venue’s 377-seat Stewart Theatre, while a fourth supports the Wakefield Family Front Room studio theatre.
According to LS Group, the installation was designed to support a mix of LED and conventional tungsten lighting fixtures, allowing the theatre to retain flexibility across different production requirements.
“In moving to a new facility, we were faced with a conundrum: would we transition to a LED only lighting rig, or have a mix of LED and incandescent fixtures?” said Giles Tanner, head technician and principal lighting designer at Court Theatre. “There are some situations where LED fixtures just do not give the best results and the option to seamlessly integrate conventional fixtures is fantastic.”
The venue also includes six GEN-VI dimming and power distribution units serving the Rātā Foundation Studio and Ravenscar Lounge. The systems can be configured as dimmers or direct power relay channels, supporting applications including lighting, video displays and audio systems.
Additional infrastructure includes MDR DMX/RDM splitters, Nexus Ethernet-to-DMX nodes and Nexen DIN-rail nodes used for data routing and house-lighting control.
The new Court Theatre opened in May 2025 as part of Christchurch’s Performing Arts Precinct, replacing the company’s temporary home following the 2011 earthquake.
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