Sefton Henry Parry (1832 – 18 December 1887) was a Victorian theatre manager, and remarkably versatile. He was a competent actor, comedian and playwright, could paint scenery, cut out dresses, and do stage-carpentering. He was also an innovator, successful theatre manager, speculator and builder of theatres.
In his early days he travelled widely and by the age of 23 had performed in the United Kingdom, the United States of America, various colonies in the continent of Australia and Cape Colony.
In June 1855, he visited Cape Town, ostensibly for a stopover on the way home to England from the Australia.ln continrnt. He stayed two months, constructed his first theatre and presented a number of performances. He returned several times to Cape Town and between 1857 and 1863 built two theatres, established the first professional theatre company and introduced the first seasonal pantomime. Parry is recognised as playing an important role in the development of English professional theatre in Cape Colony. Returning to England, he set up gis home in Greenwich, built a theatre there in 1864 and, over the next twenty years, built three more in London and two in the provinces.