People
STAFF
Cara Browne – Senior Producer (Maternity Leave)
Cara Browne is welcomed back to NTofP after touring Australia as Company Manager for SIX The Musical in 2022 and then working as Production Associate for Louise Withers and Associates for the past couple years on their touring Musicals. Working in management for the past 12 years Cara has been fortunate to work with multiple theatre companies from independent to commercial. Outside of her 3 years as Production Manager / Associate Producer for NTofP Cara has worked on numerous productions with companies such as, Hayes Theatre Co, Griffin Theatre Co, Michael Seiders Presents, Global Creatures, Neglected Musicals, One Eyed Man Productions and Louise Withers and Associates. After independently producing Beyond The Break for Belvoir’s 25A in 2023, Cara is looking to focus her skills on supporting local artists and their stories.
David Koumans – Senior Producer Commercial & Production
David has built an extensive professional career spanning more than 23 years since graduating from NIDA in Technical Production in 2000. In 2026, he completed his time with JONES, where he worked as Associate Producer on The Book of Mormon Australia, Associate General Manager, and Associate Producer/Company Manager on Metaverse of Magic. Events include: Mardi Gras Parade & Party, Australia Day, Chinese New Year, Hats Off, Twisted Broadway, Sydney, Adelaide & Darwin Festival to name a few.
David began his career in the subsidised sector, working with Sydney Theatre Company, Belvoir, Ensemble Theatre, and Marian Street Theatre. In 2006, David transitioned into the commercial sector through stage management roles on Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Showtune Productions), Priscilla Queen of the Desert (Back Row Productions), My Fair Lady (Opera Australia), The Phantom of the Opera (Really Useful Group/GFO), Musical of Musicals the Musical (Triptych Theatre), West Side Story (BB/Lunchbox), Love Never Dies (Really Useful Group), Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap and A Murder is Announced (Louise Withers & Associates), Fiddler on the Roof (TML), Fawlty Towers, written by John Cleese (Louise Withers & Associates), and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (GFO). He later moved into company management, with credits including Strictly Ballroom (Global Creatures), West Side Story (OA/GWB), Pippin the Musical (GFO), La Traviata Opera on the Harbour (OA), Once (DTC), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (GFO), and 9 to 5 the Musical (Suzanne Jones & Crossroads Live). Other notable credits include a stint with Sydney Theatre Company as Casting Coordinator, a role on the casting team for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, and Production Manager for Ambience Entertainment, producing live-action children’s television. After experiencing two strokes in 2017, David returned with renewed vigour for the artform he loves and is delighted to continue his work in the industry.
Vanessa Hyde – Producer and Company Manager
Vanessa Hyde is an accomplished arts leader with 25+ years’ experience across producing, governance, strategic planning, and organisational management in the creative industries. Her career has spanned main-stage theatre, festivals, and community arts in Australia and internationally. Prior to joining National Theatre of Parramatta as our Company Coordinator, Vanessa was General Manager and then CEO of CuriousWorks from 2012 to 2022, and has worked in various festival producing roles including Festival Mata Air, a high-profile environmental arts festival in Indonesia (2006-2009). Vanessa is currently serving on the Board of Directors at Shopfront Arts Co-Op and previously was on the Board of Sydney Culture Network, CuriousWorks and Komunitas TUK. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from The University of Sydney.
Erica Brennan – 2026 Artist in Residence
Erica Brennan is a writer, director, creative producer and physical theatre performer living on Gadigal Land. She is a proud Gamillaroi woman and grew up in the Blue Mountains on the beautiful country of the Gundengurra and Darug.
She has written dozens of short plays for young people and had numerous full-length original works produced in independent Sydney venues including The Old 505 Theatre and PACT and KXT on Broadway. Her particular fondness for leveraging classic movie genres to tell stories about Australia’s conservation efforts have led her to develop work with The ABC, AFTRS, Elbow Room Theatre, First Stories Festival, and Critical Stages.
As a director she is a champion of experimental and collaborative processes with experience directing classic, contemporary and devised works many of which were produced under her independent company Glorious Thing Theatre Co. Erica is also a founding member and lead devising artists for physical theatre ensemble NINEFOLD performing with the company since it was established in 2012.
In addition to her creative work, she is deeply committed to fostering well-being within the arts community. As a member of the Lived Experience Advisory Panel for the Arts Wellbeing Collective, she helps facilitate the creation of well-being resources for independent artists. She also administers a free-to-access database of yearly submissions, streamlining opportunities for career advancement for independent artists.
As a programs coordinator she has both lead and managed projects as an independent contractor and for organisations like The Inner West Council, Penrith Performing and Visual Arts and Eurella Disability Service Provider.
Riverside’s National Theatre of Parramatta, as the producing arm of Riverside, is supported by a team of technical, marketing, finance and administration staff.
RIVERSIDE THEATRES LEADERSHIP TEAM
Director Craig McMaster
Marketing & Communications Samantha Attard
Technical & Facilities Operations Manager Mike Brew
Coordinator – Ticketing & Box Office Dave Fili
Programming and Curatorial Manager Catherine Swallow
Venue Programming and Presenter Services Riverside Live at PHIVE Manager – Phil Spencer