Clear, reliable communication is essential in any entertainment venue. From routine backstage announcements and front-of-house calls to emergency evacuation messaging, different areas of a building need the right information at the right time.

Mainstage Productions designs, installs, programmes and integrates bespoke paging and Public Address and Voice Alarm (PAVA) systems for theatres, arenas, stadiums, concert halls and other entertainment environments.

We combine our understanding of live production with specialist system integration to develop solutions that meet the operational requirements of a venue while respecting the additional responsibilities associated with life-safety systems.

A modern paging system should be flexible enough to support the different departments and activities within a venue.

We can design systems incorporating backstage calls, front-of-house announcements, dressing-room paging, technical department communications and venue-wide announcements.

Using platforms such as Q-SYS for general-purpose paging, we can provide individually addressable zones, configurable priorities, paging stations and custom touchscreen interfaces.

Systems can also accommodate background music (BGM), show relay audio and other operational sources, with routing and priority arrangements designed around the venue’s requirements.

PAVA systems provide emergency voice messages and evacuation instructions as part of a building’s fire and life-safety strategy.

Unlike conventional paging systems, PAVA installations must meet specific requirements for equipment, monitoring, system integrity, power resilience and emergency operation.

Mainstage can support the design and integration of PAVA solutions using appropriately certified equipment and specialist partners where required.

Depending on the installation, this may include:

• Emergency paging and evacuation messaging.
• Integration with fire detection and alarm control panels.
• Monitored loudspeaker circuits and system fault reporting.
• Battery-backed emergency power supplies.
• Emergency microphone stations and priority overrides.
• Zoned, phased or staged evacuation strategies.
• Interfaces with other approved building safety systems.

System architecture, equipment selection, backup duration and commissioning requirements are determined by the applicable standards, fire strategy and project specification.

For UK projects, relevant standards may include BS 5839-8, BS EN 54-16, BS EN 54-24 and BS EN 54-4, alongside other applicable requirements. International projects are assessed against the regulations and approvals relevant to their location.

Large venues can require intricate audio matrices, multiple paging zones and different levels of control for individual departments.

We can develop bespoke routing, priority structures and control interfaces that allow authorised users to communicate with specific areas or groups of zones.

This may include operational announcements taking priority over background music, stage management calls overriding selected entertainment feeds, or emergency messaging taking precedence over all non-emergency functions.

Where supported, we can create custom control logic, integrations and operator interfaces to make these systems easier to manage.

For certified PAVA functions, priority behaviour, monitoring and emergency logic must remain within the approved life-safety system architecture. Custom programming must not compromise the system’s certification or required operation.

PAVA systems are commonly connected to fire detection and alarm control panels, allowing predefined emergency messages to be initiated according to the building’s evacuation strategy.

Depending on the project, these interfaces may support automatic activation, zoned messaging, monitored connections and manual emergency control.

We work with the responsible fire alarm designers, installers and other specialists to ensure that the required interfaces are correctly specified, installed, tested and documented.

Life-safety systems must remain operational under the conditions defined by the applicable standards and fire strategy.

We consider the requirements for battery-backed power supplies, fault monitoring, equipment supervision, circuit integrity, emergency priorities and appropriate redundancy.

The required standby and alarm operation periods are established through the relevant design and compliance requirements rather than applying a single backup duration to every installation.

Our approach also considers the differing regulations that apply across venues, countries and environments, including specialist installations such as cruise ships.

From initial consultation and technical design through to installation, programming, testing and commissioning, Mainstage can support new systems, upgrades and integration projects.

We also provide documentation, operator training, maintenance and ongoing technical assistance, working alongside the relevant life-safety specialists where required.

Whether you’re planning a new paging system, upgrading backstage communications or developing a PAVA installation, we’d be pleased to discuss your requirements.