The first new sound and lighting system to be installed in the Winter Gardens theatre for more than 50 years will be tested at a special one-off concert.
The theatre will host Scottish folk and roots four-piece Wayward Jane on Friday, November 1 to celebrate and test the new tech at the Grade II* listed building on Morecambe front.
The Winter Gardens team will be inviting music industry professionals to the event, as well as releasing a limited number of tickets for a local audience.
The new audiovisual system has been installed as part of plans to bring the theatre back to its glory days.
“We’re encouraging everyone who loves the Winter Gardens to come to this special test event, to see a glimpse of what the future holds for this beloved building," said Terry Allum, Events and Engagement Coordinator at the theatre.
"The systems we’ve installed are the starting point for even more robust audiovisual capabilities for the venue, as we continue to develop our facilities.
“We’re keen to share this progress with our Morecambe community, as well as inviting professionals from further afield, to show them what the Winter Gardens can offer.
"We’re also excited to introduce or reacquaint our audience with Wayward Jane. With their mix of toe-tapping tunes and tender ballads, they are the perfect band to headline this special event.”
The theatre was awarded £2.78m from Arts Council England's Cultural Development Fund last year.
Part of this funding will go towards capital projects to enable the venue to hold bigger events and music performances.
The new sound and lighting system was purchased thanks to additional funding from Lancaster City Council’s allocation of the government's UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).
Wayward Jane’s music is a modern, transatlantic interpretation of American folk and Old Time traditions, blending roots music with fresh arrangements and original compositions.
Audiences can expect to see the band playing the fiddle, clawhammer banjo, double bass, guitar and wooden flute, accompanied by close vocal harmony.
The gig will start at 7.30pm and a limited number of £10 tickets can be purchased HERE.
In August, the Winter Gardens applied for permission for the next phase of a plan to restore the theatre to its former glory.
Planning applications have gone in to Lancaster City Council for the next stage of a comprehensive plan to repair and fully use the building, which closed in 1977.
This latest phase will allow the Marine Road Central venue to significantly increase its capacity from 970 to 1,600 audience members.
The proposed work will include demolishing a former substation, building a part two/part three storey side extension, installing a replacement window, doors and stage door at the back of the theatre, refurbishing floors, ceilings, the Circle seating area and bar area, installing a lift, and electrical and fire alarm systems.
Since 2006, the Morecambe Winter Gardens Preservation Trust (MWGPT), a volunteer-run group, has owned the Winter Gardens on a freehold basis and since has worked hard to secure and stabilise the building’s condition.
Restoration work has been taking place on the building for many years, and the theatre continues to open during the spring and summer months at weekends, and for one-off events.
Read more: Next stage revealed of plans for full restoration of Morecambe Winter Gardens - Beyond Radio
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