Lyttelton School to share new theatre with The Loons

The Trust is contributing additional funds to the school’s new performance space to bring it up to the level of a professional theatre, and they will have priority use of the building outside school hours. The internationally known theatre company was left without a home following the Canterbury earthquakes.

Building work is currently taking place at the Lyttelton Primary School as part of the Christchurch Schools Rebuild programme. The school is expected to open in 2016.

The Ministry’s head of the Education Infrastructure Service Kim Shannon says she is delighted that the Ministry could help the Lyttelton community find a solution that benefited everyone.

“This is a great solution for the school and the Trust – the school gets a superior performance space for its students, and The Loons get a new home,” she says.

The design changes to the school hall include additional strengthening to accommodate lighting rigs, upgraded foundations to accommodate roll-away tiered seating, an extended sprinkler system, acoustic upgrade, black ceiling tiles and smoke alarms that can tell the difference between real smoke and dry ice.

“We do encourage schools and community groups to share facilities wherever possible to get the most out of our infrastructure. This theatre will be available to the wider community when the school and the Trust aren’t using it.”

The Loons are currently fundraising for the project. For more information about The Loons Theatre Trust, go to their Facebook page.