Meet Program Coordinator Damon

February 7th, 2024

We spoke to Patch's newest staff member – Program Coordinator Damon Delaney – about the impressive projects he has worked on, his favourite performances of all time and more.

Tell us about your role at Patch.


I’m the Program Coordinator here at Patch – which essentially means I make sure our program rolls out smoothly by planning schedules, liaising with venues and more. My preparation ensures our touring party and the venue staff we work with have an excellent time whether they are in Sydney, New York, or Hong Kong.

On any given day I might book accommodation/flights/cars for our touring productions (with the help of our fabulous partners at Stage & Screen), update our systems to include the most up to date information and schedules, or even help map out one of our many tours in 2024 and beyond.

What’s the best performance you’ve ever seen?

This is really, really hard! My shortlist definitely includes Alan Cumming in Club Cumming for three weekends in 2021, Puddles Pity Party during his sold-out run in Edinburgh in 2015, Eddie Izzard in his intimate show in the Space Theatre in 2017 and Yothu-Yindi performing Treaty to an awestruck audience of crew during their tech rehearsals at RCC in 2019.

But the one specific performance that will always stand out is Stefanie Jones as Mary Poppins just last year. Not only was the nightly performance on stage incredible, but she took the responsibility of being Mary Poppin’s to a generation of Australian kids to heart. She was able to deftly get into character whenever kids were around, and her daily social media posts thanking kids for the cards they sent her were super sweet. But specifically, the video she made for my daughter (in character as Mary) thanking her for the card and encouraging her to keep singing is easily the best and most important performance that I’ve seen.

 

Tell us about your career highlights.

-       Working as the Associate Producer for RCC Fringe’s first year at the Adelaide University – working alongside acts such as Pussy Riot, Penny Arcade, Briefs, Cirque Alfonse and Reverend Billy & The Stop Shopping Choir will always be hard to top.

-       Being the Venue Manager of GWB/Release Creative’s vision of THE QUEENS in the first Adelaide Fringe under COVID restrictions in 2021 – one of my toughest assignments that I still look back on fondly.

-       Travelling to Riyadh with Patch’s Sea of Light for the Noor Riyadh festival in 2022 – I have told everyone in the office I would happily do it again and almost no one believes me.

-       Helping program the Lucky Dumpling Market stage in my role as Program Coordinator for OzAsia Festival in 2023 – I worked with so many lovely community groups and performers!

No Dragon No Lion by TS Crew (from Hong Kong) at OzAsia 2023

2023 Adelaide Festival Opening Night Concert

Sea of Light at Noor Riyadh

If you had to live in the fictional world of a show, movie, or book for a month, which one would you choose and why?

Ducktales would be cool – I’ve never swam in a money vault before.

 

What are you excited for in 2024?

There are a few unannounced projects that I am really excited about (including one that’s happening in March!) but Superluminal at the South Australian Museum is going to be really special. I’m so excited to see the magic that Geoff and Zoë have been creating in our rehearsal room come to life.