Reading Rep combines high-class productions with ground-breaking education and community engagement. Working with new directors, new playwrights and new practitioners, they present productions from classics to new writing, revivals to musicals; producing outstanding shows of world class for the widest possible audience.

Drama by Design worked with Reading Rep to provide a coordinated design for all the theatre technical systems and to project manage the works through to completion for their new home in Reading.

The proposed use of the building is wide ranging. Reading Rep itself puts on some technically demanding productions so the lighting, sound and AV systems had to be flexible to support innovation. The space is also used for local youth theatre and by the local College. In addition the space was designed so that it can be used during the day for conferences and events to maximise revenue streams.

Sustainability was a key consideration throughout the project. It felt inappropriate to open a new venue with outdated equipment. Wherever possible new equipment was purchased to ensure the venue leads from the front and is working with the newest and most sustainable solutions.

The installation consists of ETC ColorSource dimmers with Prolights and Strand LED luminaires controlled from an ETC Ion control desk. The audio system consists of Martin Audio Blackline speakers and Crown amplifiers driven from an Allen and Heath digital mixing console enabling control from anywhere in the space via a network connection or App.

There is a comprehensive facility panel infrastructure in the main theatre and studio/rehearsal space, show relay and paging backstage and front of house and an Extron AV control system.