39th Annual Green Room Awards
A Night of Celebration for Performing Arts in Melbourne!
Reviewed by Brendan Daynes
The 39th Annual Green Room Awards, held on Monday 11th July at the beautiful Chicago-Gothic-style theatre, The Capitol, celebrated everything about the spectacular performing arts industry of Melbourne. Following last years modifications that were made, which recognised works produced within the limitations of the pandemic, there was a return to the traditional categories for this year with nominations covering both 2020 and 2021.
The awards ceremony was attended by a boisterous crowd who were eager with anticipation to recognise, celebrate and congratulate all of their peers and give thanks to their industry after a few years of hardship. The ceremony was also live streamed by the Australian Digital Concert Hall so viewers could appreciate the industry from anywhere in the world.
It was such a joy to see so many nominations which indicates that we are back! Arts is making its return to pre pandemic levels and there is many talented artists who are creating amazing work that is being recognised and viewed by a public that has a genuine love for the arts.
Although every nominee was and should be celebrated for their work there has to be a winner awarded for each category. Some clear standouts from the night were Project F and Reference Material both taking out 2 awards in the Dance genre, Rueben Kaye: The Butch is Back, taking home 3 awards in the Cabaret genre and Iphigenia In Splott by Red Stitch took home 3 awards in the Theatre Company genre.
Other non competitive awards were awarded including the KRISTIAN FREDRIKSON SCHOLARSHIP FOR DESIGN IN THE PERFORMING ARTS, awarded to two recipients Paula Lewis and Isabel Hudson, the Geoffrey Milne Award to Jason Cavanagh and the Technical Achievement Award to Emma Valente & Kate Davis The Rabble. A special mention must be made to the two Lifetime Achievement Award recipients, Graeme Murphy & Janet Vernon, for their years of work in various roles within the industry.
The biggest winner of the night was The Wedding Singer by David Venn Enterprises which took out 5 of the 8 awards in the Music Theatre genre including the Betty Pounder Award for Original Choreography that was awarded to Michael Ralph for this work on the production.
For more information about the Green Room Awards Association, this year’s winners and the other awards presented head over to https://www.greenroom.org.au/
See below for a full list of award winners in each category:
CABARET
BEST PRODUCTION
Reuben Kaye: The Butch is Back presented by Pietagogetter as part of Melbourne International Comedy Festival
BEST WRITING
Michelle Brasier for Average Bear by Michelle Brasier presented by Century as part of Melbourne International Comedy Festival
BEST VARIETY SHOW
Take Back! Directed by Candy Bowers and presented by Darebin FUSE Festival and Multicultural Arts Victoria
F*ck Fabulous presented by Fat Fruit Projects and Arts Centre Melbourne as part of Midsumma Festival
INNOVATION
Durkh a Modne Gloz Kadimah Yiddish Theatre in association with Kadimah Jewish Cultural Centre
BEST MUSICAL DIRECTION
Shanon Whitelock for Reuben Kaye: The Butch is Back presented by Pietagogetter as part of Melbourne International Comedy Festival
ARTISTE
Reuben Kaye for Reuben Kaye: The Butch is Back presented by Pietagogetter as part of Melbourne International Comedy Festival
CONTEMPORARY & EXPERIMENTAL PERFORMANCE
CURATORIAL AND ARTISTIC DIRECTION
Let’s Take Over 2021 Darebin Arts Speakeasy Darebin Arts Speakeasy
PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE
Considerable Sexual License Joel Bray Darebin Arts Speakeasy & Arterial Na Djinang Circus Yirramboi
PARTICIPATORY
The Ball Room The Ball Room Projects Chapel Off Chapel & Not a Drop to Drink Keg de Souza Arts House, Refuge 2021
EXPERIMENTAL PRACTICE
Alter Edith Holly Durant fortyfivedownstairs
SOUND SCULPTURE
PENDULUM Lucy Guerin Inc & Matthias Schack-Arnott Rising & NGV International
DANCE
BEST PERFORMER
Amber McCartney Project F. Prue Lang in association with Abbotsford Convent as part of the Keir Choreographic Award Public Program & Geoffrey Watson Reference Material. Alisdair Macindoe in association with Darebin Arts Speakeasy
BEST DUET/ENSEMBLE
Birrpai. Ngioka Bunda-Heath co-commissioned by Next Wave and Chunky Move as part of Yirramboi Festival
BEST LIGHTING
Thomas Roach Reference Material Alisdair Macindoe in association with Darebin Arts Speakeasy
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
Project F. Prue Lang in association with Abbotsford Convent as part of the Keir Choreographic Award Public Program
BEST PRODUCTION
I am Maggie. Jonathan Homsey as part of as part of Arts Centre Melbourne Take Over for Melbourne Fringe 2020
BEST SOUND
Nick Roux and Ensemble Tikoro Metal. Lucy Guerin in association with Arts Centre Melbourne as part of Asia TOPA
BEST VISUAL DESIGN
Odd Hours. ButohOUT! Ensemble 2021, Emma Bathgate, Helen Smith, Yumi Umiumare in association with Abbotsford Convent
BEST DIGITAL WORK
Sour Sweet. Victoria Chiu and RDYSTDY
INDEPENDENT THEATRE
BEST NEW WRITING
Olivia Satchell with Chanella Macri, Belinda McClory and Emily Tomlins let bleeding girls lie The Voice In My Hands in association with La Mama
BEST DIRECTION
Benjamin Nichol Kerosene Jack Dixon-Gunn in association with Theatre Works
BEST PERFORMER
Fabio Motta Spot Fabio Motta in association with Theatre Works
BEST ENSEMBLE
Enlightenment Elbow Room in association with Darebin Arts Speakeasy and FUSE Festival
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN
Rachel Burke The Mermaid Cassandra Fumi in association with La Mama
BEST SET AND/OR COSTUME DESIGN
Dann Barber (Set and Costume Design) The Mermaid Cassandra Fumi in association with La Mama
BEST SOUND DESIGN AND COMPOSITION
Rachel Lewindon – The Gospel According to Jesus Queen of Heaven (Ben Anderson Presents in association with Theatre Works)
BEST PRODUCTION (IN-PERSON)
Kerosene (Jack Dixon-Gunn in association with Theatre Works)
BEST PRODUCTION (DIGITAL)
Juniper Wilde: Wilde Night In The Social Validation Club as part of Melbourne Fringe
MUSIC THEATRE
ARTISTS – LEADING
Cherine Peck Into The Woods Watch This & James Millar Into The Woods Watch This
ARTISTS – SUPPORTING
Kirby Burgess The Wedding Singer David Venn Enterprises
DESIGN
Kim Bishop: Costume – The Wedding Singer David Venn Enterprises & Declan O’Neill: Lighting – The Wedding Singer David Venn Enterprises
DIRECTION – MUSIC
Stephen Gray – The Music Of The Night Spears Entertainment
DIRECTION – STAGE
Alister Smith The Wedding Singer (David Venn Enterprises)
NEW AUSTRALIAN WRITING FOR MUSIC THEATRE
Yve Blake Fangirls Arts Centre Melbourne with Belvoir, Queensland Theatre, and Brisbane Festival in association with Australian Theatre for Young People
PRODUCTION OF THE YEAR
The Wedding Singer David Venn Enterprises
OPERA
OUTSTANDING PERFORMER IN A LEADING ROLE
Vida Miknevičiūtė Salome Victorian Opera (2020)
OUTSTANDING PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Adrian Tamburini Das Rheingold Melbourne Opera
NEW AUSTRALIA OPERA
Echo and Narcissus Kevin March (Composer) Jane Montgomery Griffiths (Libretto) Victorian Opera
OUTSTANDING DESIGN
Christina Smith (Set) Gavan Swift (Lighting) Salome Victorian Opera (2020)
BEST DIRECTION
Sven-Eric Bechtolf Ernani Opera Australia
BEST PRODUCTION
Das Rheingold Melbourne Opera
THEATRE COMPANIES
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE
Dan Spielman – Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes Melbourne Theatre Company & Jessica Clarke Iphigenia In Splott Red Stitch
OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN
Dale Ferguson, Marg Horwell, Matilda Woodroofe Because The Night Malthouse Theatre
OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN
Kat Chan The Lifespan of a Fact Melbourne Theatre Company
OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN
Niklas Pajanti Berlin Melbourne Theatre Company
OUTSTANDING SOUND DESIGN/COMPOSITION
- David Franzke Because The Night Malthouse Theatre
OUTSTANDING DIRECTION
Gary Abrahams Iphigenia In Splott Red Stitch
OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION
Iphigenia In Splott Red Stitch
THE KRISTIAN FREDRIKSON SCHOLARSHIP FOR DESIGN IN THE PERFORMING ARTS
Paula Lewis (VIC) & Isabel Hudson (NSW)
Geoffrey Milne Award
Jason Cavanagh
THE BETTY POUNDER AWARD FOR ORIGINAL CHOREOGRAPHY in Celebration of 100 years since Miss Pounder’s birth.
Michael Ralph The Wedding Singer David Venn Enterprises
Technical Achievement Award
Emma Valente & Kate Davis The Rabble
Lifetime Achievement Award
Graeme Murphy & Janet Vernon
