Curtain set to be raised on $6m Lismore City Hall makeover

THE curtain is set be pulled back on the $6 million Lismore City Hall redevelopment next month and we've had an exclusive sneak peek at the redesigned venue.

LISMORE CITY HALL: Refurbishment site manager Padraic Barrett (main picture) in front of state of the art acoustic panelling and above, artist impressions of the new-look hall. Picture: Cathy Adams

THE curtain is set be pulled back on the $6 million Lismore City Hall redevelopment next month and The Northern Star was yesterday granted an exclusive sneak peek at the redesigned venue.

Site manager Padraic Barrett from South Lismore-based Bennett Constructions said the work had brought the 1968-built hall into the 21st century.

"Every refurbishment throws up a lot of little surprises but we've worked our way around them," Irish-born Mr Barrett said.

"There were a lot of unknowns, because the original plans were lost in the 1974 floods."

The epicentre of the redesign is a new backstage area, built onto the original building and featuring a purpose-built lift and loading dock, allowing touring production companies to unload and move heavy lighting and sound gear into the building.

Lismore City Hall

VIEW GALLERY

The stage has been "souped-up" with new lighting, sound rigs and mechanically-operated stage tools.

For the audience, there's new seating and state-of-the-art acoustic panels - and VIPs will be in heaven up on a new mezzanine balcony.

Outside the auditorium, the main foyer boasts a stunning new bar which forms a natural centrepiece in an expanded space flowing from the twin entrances on each side of the building.

A fully-functioning dry outdoor performance space has been installed across the Bounty St side of the building promising a whole new raft of performance possibilities.

NORPA artistic director Julian Louis said the city hall redevelopment was exciting for the region, transforming the building from an ageing city hall into a standout performing arts centre - the "jewel in the crown" of the Northern Rivers' thriving performance art scene.

Mr Louis said he was "pumped" ahead of the next month's season-opener, Frankenstein, on July 19.

"We can bring bigger and better shows to the region that otherwise those companies would never come here - already we've got a couple of examples where nationally recognized companies have booked for the 2014 season.

"But this isn't just about bringing shows to Lismore; it's also about drawing on our homegrown talent to create big stories about our region."

NORPA's first show in the renovated hall is an adaptation of Mary Shelly's Frankenstein, from Sydney's Ensemble Theatre, on July 19 and 20.

The first outside production company coming to use the state-of-the-art venue is Down Under Productions, presenting Tom Burlinson's hit show Frank: Life in Song (the story of Frank Sinatra) on July 25.

The official opening will be staged on August 7.