The Beach Theater

St Pete Beach, FL

By Technical Resource Group

July 1^st, 2025

Project Overview

Originally opened in 1940, The Beach Theatre has long been a cultural landmark in St. Pete Beach, Florida. After closing its doors in 2012 and sustaining significant damage from years of exposure to the elements, the historic Art Deco venue was purchased under new ownership in 2024 with a vision to fully restore and modernize the space.

The project called for a complete ground-up renovation—honoring the theatre’s legacy while transforming it into a flexible, modern venue capable of supporting film screenings, live performances, theatrical productions, and community events.

TRG was selected as the audiovisual integration partner to design and implement the venue’s complete audio, video, and lighting systems.

The Challenge

This project presented a unique blend of historic preservation and modern performance requirements:

A fully gutted building requiring all new infrastructure
The need for a scalable system to support cinema, live music, and theatrical productions
High expectations for audio clarity and coverage in a live performance environment
A lighting system capable of theatrical precision and dynamic live events
Centralized control that would remain intuitive for staff and visiting production teams

The goal was not just to install equipment—but to deliver a system that would serve the venue reliably for decades to come.

The interior of a large, empty warehouse shows signs of disrepair. Walls are unfinished, and the floor is covered in dark dirt with tire tracks. Exposed ceiling beams and hanging wires add to the derelict atmosphere.

TRG’s Approach

TRG partnered closely with ownership and the broader construction team to design a future-proof AV solution from the ground up. Every system was engineered to balance performance, flexibility, and ease of operation.

Our team designed and integrated theatrical audio, lighting, and control systems throughout the building, ensuring each space could support the venue’s evolving programming needs.

Interior room under construction shows exposed ceiling, wires, wrapped furniture, and ladders. Black walls contrast with the unfinished ceiling.

Interior view of The Beach Theater shows rows of seats covered in plastic. Blue walls, wooden ceiling, and construction materials indicate ongoing renovations.

Theater control room shows equipment rack and console in a dark room with blue carpet. A window overlooks the stage. The ceiling has exposed beams. Cardboard and debris litter the floor.

Audio System Design

The main performance system was engineered to deliver consistent coverage, clarity, and low-frequency impact for both spoken word and live music.

Key audio components include:

Q-SYS DSP platform providing centralized audio processing and system control throughout the building
Meyer Sound ULTRA-X40 and ULTRA-X20 loudspeakers for main and fill coverage
Meyer Sound 750-LFC low-frequency elements for impactful, controlled bass response
Allen & Heath SQ-6 digital audio console for live mixing and event flexibility
10 channels of Sennheiser EW-DX wireless microphones

The wireless microphone system was specifically designed to support theatrical productions, including the use of Point Source headset microphones for performers—ensuring clarity, consistency, and freedom of movement on stage.

Interior view of The Beach Theater under construction, showing exposed ceiling and unfinished walls. Speakers hang from the ceiling and are mounted in wall openings.

Lighting System Design

To support everything from theatrical performances to live concerts and special events, TRG designed a flexible, professional-grade lighting system.

Lighting highlights include:

Chauvet Ovation 910-FC ellipsoidals for precision front-of-house and theatrical lighting
Chauvet Rogue R3X Spot and Rogue R1 Beam Wash fixtures for dynamic effects and movement
Chauvet Ovation CYC 1 FC fixtures for stage and cyc washes
MA Lighting grandMA3 command wing providing powerful, industry-standard lighting control

This combination allows the venue to adapt quickly between performance types while maintaining a high production standard.

Theater construction shows new stage lighting equipment. Rows of black

The Result

The Beach Theatre has been fully reimagined as a modern performance venue while preserving its historic identity. The new AV systems provide:

Exceptional audio clarity and coverage for live and cinematic content
Professional theatrical lighting with flexibility for a wide range of events
Scalable infrastructure designed to support future growth
Intuitive control systems that empower venue staff and visiting production teams

As the theatre prepares to reopen in 2025, it now stands ready to serve the community once again—equipped with technology that supports its mission without getting in the way.