The Court Theatre has long been an icon of the performing arts in New Zealand. As the country’s largest and longest-running professional theatre company, it holds a special place in the hearts of Cantabrians. But after years of operating out of a temporary site following the Christchurch earthquakes, The Court Theatre finally has a permanent home in the city’s new cultural quarter.

As part of the move into its new home, The Court Theatre worked with Fujifilm Business Innovation’s specialist business unit to design a suite of interactive displays and digital signage. This would help bring the space to life, meet business goals, and solve a raft of practical headaches.

Replacing costly poster reprints with instantly updated digital content is saving The Court Theatre thousands every year.

Digital displays allow sponsor logos and campaigns to be updated in minutes—not months—ensuring complete visibility all year.

Trailers and dynamic video content help bring each production to life, creating deeper engagement with audiences.

Digital menus are streamlining the pre‑show rush, reducing congestion and helping bar staff serve customers faster.

Interactive displays and video conferencing make it easy for creative teams nationwide to collaborate seamlessly.

Cutting back on printed materials and embracing digital‑first signage creates a more sustainable way to share information.

Despite its history and popularity, The Court Theatre was facing some very modern challenges.

Sophie Hicks, Partnerships and Development Manager at The Court Theatre, explained that every time they made a change to a poster—such as cast updates, director changes or new photography—it cost a fortune. It also took up precious time, which is something professional theatre companies don’t have much of.

“Things can change daily in live theatre. We need to reflect that quickly, whether it’s cast changes or show updates, so audiences and staff always have the right information,” says Sophie.

“Being able to showcase show trailers on the digital screens has been a game changer,” says Virna Smith, the Sales and Marketing Manager at The Court Theatre.

“It allows us to bring the energy and emotion of a production to life in a way static posters simply can’t. Video captures the essence of a show and gives audiences a compelling glimpse of what to expect.”

Improving audience engagement was another big goal. For theatre patrons, it isn’t just about the show. Going to the theatre is an experience, and The Court Theatre wanted to make it an unforgettable one from the moment the audience step through the front doors.

At the same time, The Court Theatre was modernising its internal operations. Theatre production involves numerous creative professionals – designers, publicists and choreographers – and often these individuals work from across the country. With a new building and no old systems to lean on, the theatre was essentially starting from scratch.

As a key sponsor of The Court Theatre, Fujifilm Business Innovation saw an opportunity to help bring modern technology into the arts. After attending a demonstration day at the Fujifilm Christchurch showroom, The Court Theatre team were impressed with the technology on offer and Fujifilm’s consultative approach.

The Fujifilm team listened, advised, and worked with The Court Theatre to recommend solutions that would solve their issues, meet their goals, and fit the way they wanted to work.

A suite of outdoor digital signs from Samsung was installed to promote upcoming shows. These screens feature weatherproof and tamper‑resistant enclosures, complying with city regulations regarding brightness.

They’re visible during the day and dim appropriately at night. Inside the building, digital screens display trailers, opening night messages, post‑show promotions, and sponsor content.

Sophie says that with more visually engaging content around the theatre, people are interacting with the space more than ever. Screens welcome latecomers, share previews of what’s on stage, and keep audiences informed about upcoming events and special offers.

This helps build anticipation and deepen the connection between visitors and the theatre. “It’s elevated what we can do in that world,” says Sophie. “We know we have to capture people’s attention, and screens allow us to do that, with video and imagery. People are engaging more with what’s around them.”

At the bar, digital menus help manage crowd flow during peak periods, taking the pressure off staff and speeding up service. During the theatre’s peak two-hour window before showtime, guests can see what’s available, which helps reduce congestion and improve the overall service experience.

Bar staff can make stock updates quickly, without needing to replace or reprint anything.“With dynamic content, such as daily specials or a prompt to visit the secondary bar, we can optimise the guest experience in real-time,” says Sophie.

Behind the scenes, The Court Theatre meeting rooms have been outfitted with Newline interactive displays and Yealink video conferencing systems. Now, production teams can share screens, annotate set designs, and involve remote collaborators in real-time discussions.

“Before, we had a screen but couldn’t do much with it,” says Sophie. “Now, we can have 15 people in a room (virtually and in-person) looking at a massive screen, making real-time decisions about design and sight lines. It makes life so much easier for our creative teams.”

To control it all, Fujifilm installed Smartsign, cloud-based software that the theatre uses to manage all its screens. Initially, there was some nervousness about the new technology, but with guidance and support from the Fujifilm team, The Court Theatre staff are now confidently using the software in their day-to-day work.

The marketing team can update promotional content instantly, schedule changes, and segment screens into multiple zones. A single screen can display what’s on stage, run a promotional banner, and a sponsor logo all at once. In an emergency, the software can also override regular or scheduled content in the event of an emergency.