40th Annual Green Room Awards
A Night of Glamour and Artistry as the Green Room Awards Turns 40!
Reviewed by Brendan Daynes
The 40th Green Room Awards dazzled audiences on Monday 29th May with a fabulous celebration of theatrical excellence, honouring the finest productions and outstanding artists and creative teams of the season. From magnificent opera to spectacular musicals, innovative contemporary and experimental work to captivating dance, this year’s winners left an unforgettable mark on Melbourne’s thriving arts scene. The 40th Green Room Awards exuded an unparalleled display of creativity, magnificently showcasing the boundless talent and unwavering passion of the vibrant local theatre community.
The awards ceremony buzzed with excitement as a lively crowd entered The Capitol for a celebration that recognised, celebrated, and congratulated their peers, while expressing heartfelt gratitude to their industry. The audience was introduced to their new Patron Dr Liz Jones AO as well as the newly appointed executive team of the Green Room Awards Association, led by President Anton Berezin. The Executive team took the opportunity to outline their strategic vision for the ongoing development of the association, and their outlook is nothing short of exciting. This includes many updates within the organisation all the while still remaining dedicated to fostering a vibrant arts industry. Other notable highlights of the evening included performances by Lucy Guerin Inc, Midnight The Cinderella Musical, & Juliet.,The Beep Test The Musical and Gene Tree: Listen. Now. Again.
It was an absolute pleasure to witness the multitude of nominations, a clear indication of the flourishing state of the arts. While each nominee deserves utmost celebration for their exceptional work, it is imperative to honour a deserving winner in each category. The night showcased remarkable talents, with notable productions sweeping multiple awards. Among them, The Picture of Dorian Gray triumphed with 4 awards in Theatre Companies, IPHIS secured 4 awards in Opera, while Still Lives: Melbourne and 8 / 8 / 8: WORK each claimed two awards in Contemporary & Experimental Performance. BROAD dazzled with 3 awards in Cabaret, Paradise Lost soared with 4 awards in Independent Theatre, Siren Dance gracefully took 2 awards in Dance, and Moulin Rouge! The Musical stole the show with 4 awards in Musical Theatre.
Other special achievement awards were presented including the Technical Achievement Award awarded to Jason Lehane and the Betty Pounder Prize for Choreography awarded to Freya List for her 2022 Body of Work. During the ceremony, a heartfelt moment was dedicated to acknowledging and honouring Stephen Page AO, who was bestowed with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award for his exceptional and enduring contributions to the industry.
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:
THEATRE COMPANIES
BEST PRODUCTION
The Picture of Dorian Gray directed by Kip Williams and presented by Michael Cassel Group, A Sydney Theatre Company Production
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE
Jana Zvedeniuk for Yentl presented by Kadimah Yiddish Theatre & Eryn Jean Norvill for The Picture of Dorian Gray presented by Michael Cassel Group, A Sydney Theatre Company Production
OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN
Dann Barber for Yentl presented by Kadimah Yiddish Theatre
OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN
Marg Horwell for The Picture of Dorian Gray presented by Michael Cassel Group, A Sydney Theatre Company Production
OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN
Rachel Burke for Yentl presented by Kadimah Yiddish Theatre
OUTSTANDING SOUND DESIGN/COMPOSITION
Gary Watling (musical director & arrangement), Lydia Fairhall (songwriter) and James Henry (sound design) for Heart is a Wasteland presented by ILBIJERRI Theatre Company and Arts Centre Melbourne
OUTSTANDING DIRECTION
Kip Williams for The Picture of Dorian Gray presented by Michael Cassel Group, A Sydney Theatre Company Production
OUTSTANDING WRITING
Gary Abrahams, Elise Hearst and Galit Klas for Yentl presented by Kadimah Yiddish Theatre
OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE
The Return presented by Malthouse Theatre
OPERA
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE IN A LEAD ROLE
Catherine Foster for Elektra presented by Victorian Opera & Jonas Kaufmann for Lohengrin presented by Opera Australia
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Warwick Fyfe for Lohengrin presented by Opera Australia & Nicole Wallace for IPHIS presented by Lyric Opera and Theatre Works
DESIGN
Brynna Lowen (Sets and Costumes) for IPHIS presented by Lyric Opera and Theatre Works
OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE
Die Walküre (Ensemble) presented by Melbourne Opera
MUSICAL ACHIEVEMENT
Patrick Burns (Conductor) for IPHIS presented by Lyric Opera and Theatre Works
NEW AUSTRALIAN OPERA
Richard Mills (Composer) and Joel Tan (Libretto) for Butterfly Lovers presented by Victorian Opera
BEST PRODUCTION
IPHIS presented by Lyric Opera and Theatre Works
CONTEMPORARY & EXPERIMENTAL PERFORMANCE
OUTSTANDING WORK
Still Lives: Melbourne created by Luke George and Daniel Kok and presented by National Gallery of Victoria as part of RISING Festival & 8 / 8 / 8: WORK created by Harriet Gillies and Marcus McKenzie and presented by Unfunded Empathy as part of RISING Festival
PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE OR PERFORMER
Ensemble for Here We Are Amongst You presented by Arts House and Rawcus & Ensemble for 8 / 8 / 8: WORK presented by Unfunded Empathy as part of RISING Festival
DESIGN / TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT
Luke George and Daniel Kok with Katie Sfetkidis, Nick Roux, Ash Snare and Element Rigging for Still Lives: Melbourne presented by National Gallery of Victoria as part of RISING Festival
WORK FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG FAMILIES
An Uncertain Time presented by Sarah Austin & Co as part of FUSE Darebin Festival
CONTRIBUTION TO SECTOR AND COMMUNITY
Alter State presented by Arts Centre Melbourne and Arts Access Victoria
CABARET
BEST PRODUCTION
BROAD presented by Geraldine Quinn as part of Melbourne International Comedy Festival
BEST WRITING
Margot Morales for In the likely event of forever, presented by Margot Morales as part of Melbourne Fringe
BEST ENSEMBLE
Ensemble for Future. Joy. Club presented by Finucane & Smith
BEST ORIGINAL SONGS
Samantha Andrew and Mel O’Brien for Shit-Wrecked! presented by Samantha Andrew and Mel O’Brien as part of Melbourne International Comedy Festival
BEST MUSICAL DIRECTION
Geraldine Quinn and Cameron Thomas for BROAD presented by Geraldine Quinn as part of Melbourne International Comedy Festival
BEST ARTISTE
Geraldine Quinn for BROAD presented by Geraldine Quinn as part of Melbourne International Comedy Festival
INDEPENDENT THEATRE
BEST NEW WRITING
Glenn Shea for An Indigenous Trilogy – Act 1: Three Magpies Perched in a Tree presented by The Storyteller in association with La Mama
BEST DIRECTION
The Bloomshed Ensemble for Paradise Lost presented by Bloomshed in association with Darebin Arts Speakeasy
BEST ENSEMBLE
Escape to the Megaverse (including technical crew) presented by Game Boys Comedy as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival
BEST PERFORMER
Tom Molyneux for The Mission presented by The Space Company in association with Chapel Off Chapel & Alex Hines for Juniper Rising presented by Sons of Stratford as part of Melbourne Fringe Festival
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN
John Collopy for Paradise Lost presented by Bloomshed in association with Darebin Arts Speakeasy
BEST SOUND DESIGN AND COMPOSITION
Elissa Goodrich for Gene Tree: Listen. Now. Again presented by St. Martins in association with Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria
BEST SET AND COSTUME
Nathan Burmeister for Paradise Lost presented by Bloomshed in association with Darebin Arts Speakeasy
BEST PRODUCTION
Gene Tree: Listen. Now. Again presented by St. Martins in association with Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria & Paradise Lost presented by Bloomshed in association with Darebin Arts Speakeasy
DANCE
BEST SOUND DESIGN
Marco Cher-Gibard for Siren Dance presented by Dancehouse
BEST VISUAL DESIGN
Sarah Aiken (Visual Design) for Make Your Life Count presented by Arts House and Sarah Aiken and Collaborators & Jake Preval (Costumes and Set) for SICK presented by Phillip Adams, Ryan New, Balletlab and Midsumma Festival
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
Sandra Parker for Yield to Resistance presented by Temperance Hall and Dancehouse
BEST PERFORMER
Lilian Steiner for Siren Dance presented by Dancehouse & Jana Castillo for Castillo presented by Dancehouse
BEST ENSEMBLE
Jurrungu Ngan-ga [Straight Talk] presented by Arts House and Rising
BREAKING GROUND
Priya Srinivasan, Philipa Rothfield, Uthra Vijay for The Durga Chronicles presented by Arts House
OUTSTANDING CREATION
Angela Goh for Sky Blue Mythic presented by Dancehouse
MUSICAL THEATRE
ARTISTS – ENSEMBLE
The Company of SIX The Musical presented by Louise Withers, Michael Coppel & Linda Bewick. By arrangement with Kenny Wax, Wendy & Andy Barnes and George Stiles for Six Australia P/L
ARTISTS – LEADING
David Wenham for A Christmas Carol presented by GWB Entertainment & Queenie Van De Zandt for Next To Normal presented by the James Terry Collective
ARTISTS – SUPPORTING
Francine Cain for Cruel Intentions presented by David Venn Enterprises & Juan Jackson for TITANIC The Musical presented by The Marrollo Project & Johanna Allen for TITANIC The Musical presented by The Marrollo Project
CHOREOGRAPHY including the Betty Pounder Award for Original Choreography
Christopher Wheeldon for An American in Paris, Australian Revival by Sean Kelly and Stuart Winter, presented by GWB Entertainment & The Australian Ballet & Freya List for her 2022 Body of Work – Cruel Intentions presented by David Venn Enterprises and Next To Normal presented by the James Terry Collective (Betty Pounder Award for Original Choreography)
DESIGN
SIX The Musical – Costume Design by Gabriella Slade and realised by Nigel Shaw, presented by Louise Withers, Michael Coppel & Linda Bewick. By arrangement with Kenny Wax, Wendy & Andy Barnes and George Stiles for Six Australia P/L & Moulin Rouge! The Musical – Hair, Wig and Make-Up Design by David Brian Brown/Sarah Cimino, presented by Carmen Pavlovic, Gerry & Val Ryan, Bill Damaschke and Global Creatures
DIRECTION – MUSIC
Andrew Ross for A Christmas Carol presented by GWB Entertainment
DIRECTION – STAGE or TECHNICAL
Richard Martin for the Technical Direction of Moulin Rouge! The Musical presented by Carmen Pavlovic, Gerry & Val Ryan, Bill Damaschke and Global Creatures & Dean Bryant for the Stage Direction of Fun Home, presented by The Melbourne Theatre Company
NEW AUSTRALIAN MUSIC THEATRE WRITING
Conor Neylon & Jackson Peele for THE BEEP TEST, presented by Neylon & Peele, Theatre Works and The Melbourne Fringe Festival
OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION
Moulin Rouge! The Musical directed by Alex Timbers and presented by Carmen Pavlovic, Gerry & Val Ryan, Bill Damaschke and Global Creatures & Fun Home directed by Dean Bryant and presented by the Melbourne Theatre Company
THE BETTY POUNDER AWARD FOR ORIGINAL CHOREOGRAPHY in Celebration of 100 years since Miss Pounder’s birth.
Freya List for her 2022 Body of Work – Cruel Intentions presented by David Venn Enterprises and Next To Normal presented by the James Terry Collective
Technical Achievement Award
Jason Lehane
Lifetime Achievement Award
Stephen Page OA
The 40th Green Room Awards showcased the thriving and astonishing Melbourne arts scene.
The wealth of talent on display, from performers to directors, designers to writers, was truly remarkable. The Executive team’s passion, expertise, and forward-thinking approach have generated a renewed sense of optimism and anticipation within the industry. These awards not only celebrated excellence but also reflected the ever-evolving nature of the performing arts, embracing diversity, and pushing boundaries. A big “Congratulations” to all the winners and nominees who have contributed to the vibrant cultural tapestry of Melbourne. As we step into the future, it is evident that the Green Room Awards Association and the broader performing arts community can expect a bright and promising future ahead.
