Theatre Cambrian is truly growing into itself.

The community theatre has been undergoing renovations since August, allowing the company to offer more from its Eyre Street home.

At the end of summer, improvements began in the former gym-like room in the theatre's basement. The shuffleboard floors were replaced with a sleek wood look, the walls were painted and curtains were hung. The changes took the space from rehearsal-ready to audience-appropriate.

“It was all done by volunteers,” said Jeff Burton, volunteer co-ordinator for Theatre Cambrian. “We were here many nights.”

Thanks to the hard work of the dedicated crew, the space is now in use as a coffeehouse on a monthly basis. As fundraising allows, the Theatre Cambrian crew would like to continue adding equipment to the space, making it more technically adaptable.

Burton said the move to use their own space for more of their productions only made sense. There was no point in paying for renovations at the Eyre Street facility while paying rent to use other venues.

With the facility upgrades, the theatre will be able to further its mandate of serving the local arts community.

“Our mandate is to not only show Sudbury its artists, but contribute to the arts landscape,” Burton said. “We want to make this (venue) an attraction.”

Along with overhauls in the basement, renovations are underway in the main theatre space. The pews facing the stage are being replaced by theatre seats for a more professional finish.

Visit www.theatrecambrian.ca for more information.