We wanted to meet the new team at Theatre Royal Sydney so we asked them to tell us a bit about themselves!

Jono Perry – General Manager
Sydney born, lover of beach holidays, rugby union, music, theatre, opera, pinot noir, Xmas lights and walking. I enjoy watching the sunrise most mornings at Bronte beach where my kids are active Nippers (kid’s lifesaving) and I am a volunteer Age Manager.  I have a BA Drama from Queensland University of Technology and previous roles include Project Director Wharf Renewal and Technical Director at Sydney Theatre Company, Creative Director G20 Cultural Celebrations in Brisbane 2014 plus Technical Director Brisbane Festival and eight years with Opera Australia.

Nick Cook – Technical Manager
Originally from Cardiff, Wales, I have been in Australia for nearly 10 years. My passion for the arts grew while living in the UK and led to me studying Theatre & Performance Technology at LIPA. My career took me all over the world before falling in love with an Aussie and finding myself packing up and settling down here. Prior to the Theatre Royal I held the position of Head of Technical Operations for the Foundation Theatres and most recently I opened the newly build Sydney Coliseum Theatre.

Houri Tapiki – Head of Customer Experience
Born in Beirut, my family moved to Sydney at three years of age to escape the Civil War in Lebanon. I speak, read and write fluent Armenian and come from a large extended family with over 40 cousins in Sydney alone. I’m a self-professed ticketing geek, having spent the past 20+ years in the industry. One of my career highlights prior to joining TE was living in Dubai to work on the pre-opening and opening of Dubai Opera, a 2,000 seater multiformat Performing Arts Venue. I have also worked at Rugby Australia for almost nine years, travelling the world, ticketing Rugby games as well as Ticketek, the leading ticketing agency in Australia. My weekends are spent drinking coffee (espresso martini is my poison of choice), road tripping, shopping, cooking and chasing my two naughty dachshunds around the park.

Vanessa Denis – Ticketing Manager
Born in Sydney to Uruguayan parents, growing up was the perfect balance of eating too much and dancing it off in the living room. I always have music playing in the background, I spend way too much time drooling over restaurant menus, and I am convinced that an ocean swim can fix anything. I’ve spent most of my time in the music/arts festival space, having delivered ticketing and accreditation services across Sydney Festival, Splendour in the Grass, Falls Festival, St Jerome Laneway Festival, Download Festival, among others. Now I am very excited to cross over venue-side, get my hands on a seating map and call TRS home!

Melody Duan – Box Office Assistant
I’m a Chinese-Australian girl who loves cats, theatre, music, comedy, sushi, bubble tea, long walks and watching YouTube videos. Having previously worked casual/part-time Box Office/Front of House positions with Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Opera House, Sydney Theatre Company, Sydney Festival and Ticketmaster, it was about time I worked in a Box Office role full-time. I’m looking forward to seeing where this role takes me.

Matilda Dwyer – Box Office Assistant
When I was five, I saw Singing in the Rain here in Sydney and the physical comedy and theatre magic of “Make Em Laugh” just blew my mind! The rest as they say is history. After completing my BA in Theatre & Performance/English Literature at UNSW I had the pleasure to work in the arts education sector before taking the leap that all young Aussies must and setting off to London is search of adventure! I am an avid theatre fan, an amateur Rosé connoisseur, and an ardent follower of International Test Cricket. And now that I am back in the hometown, I am very excited to join the Theatre Royal Sydney team and the extended Trafalgar family.