Riverside Theatres sits at the corner of Church Street and Market Street in Parramatta's CBD, operating as a major presenting venue for Western Sydney's performing arts community. Managed by the City of Parramatta, Riverside is a community-focused hub that programs independent, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, and culturally diverse works alongside major touring productions.
The venue operates three performance spaces: the Main Theatre (formerly known as the Lennox Theatre) with 740 seats in a traditional proscenium format, a Drama Theatre seating 240 in a flexible configuration, and a Studio for 120 in a black box format. The Main Theatre has a full counterweight flying system, standard technical infrastructure, and a loading dock accessible from Church Street.
Riverside is a key stop on the Western Sydney touring circuit and is particularly suited for mid-scale productions touring regionally after a Sydney season. The venue's production team is experienced with incoming touring shows and can provide technical hospitality for productions with a tight bump-in window.
| Stage dimensions | 18m wide × 14m deep |
| Proscenium width | 10.8m |
| Proscenium height | 6.2m |
| Flying system | Full counterweight system |
| Grid height | 12m above stage floor |
| Wing depth | 6.5m stage right, 4.8m stage left |
| Orchestra pit | 20-piece orchestra (removable forestage section) |
| Notes | Three-level seating: stalls, dress circle, upper circle. Fully raked stalls. Cross-aisles at dress circle and upper circle levels. |
| Stage dimensions | 12m × 10m (flexible) |
| Grid height | 8m to grid |
| Notes | End-stage and thrust configurations. Seating on mobile rostra — can be reconfigured between productions. |
| Stage dimensions | 10m × 8m (flexible floor) |
| Grid height | 5.5m to grid |
| Notes | Fully flexible black box with modular seating. Suitable for workshops, experimental works, and community productions. |
Riverside employs resident technical team. Touring productions work with resident Head Electrician and Head of Sound. Additional casual crew available through Riverside crew pool.
Loading dock on Church Street side. Height restriction 4.4m. Drive-in dock for single truck. Stage-level access via dedicated freight elevator to stage.
Parking restrictions apply on Church Street — early morning load-in available without permit. Coordinate with venue Technical Manager.
Main Theatre: 3–5 days. Drama Theatre: 1–2 days. Back-to-back scheduling — confirm availability with Technical Manager when contracting.
Parramatta CBD is well-served by public transport — crew and touring staff can use Parramatta station (10-min walk). Limited hotel accommodation directly adjacent; coordinate accommodation with Riverside hospitality team.
Full wheelchair access throughout. Hearing loop in Main Theatre and Drama Theatre. Companion card accepted. Audio description and captioned performances available — coordinate with Riverside Programming team.
Wilson Parking at Charles Street carpark (5-min walk). Load-in trucks: Church Street loading zone — 2-hour limit strictly enforced. Pre-arrange extended permits with City of Parramatta.
Tell us your dates and requirements. A specialist replies within one business day.