With the onslaught of COVID-19 and the mass shutdown of public events across Victoria and the country, including the planned Green Room Awards Ceremony which was to take place tonight (Monday 30 March) at the Comedy Theatre – the Green Room Awards Association is proud to announce details of its first-ever Online Awards Presentation from 7.00pm on Monday 6 April 2020.
Hosted by Otto & Astrid, Berlin’s (self-appointed) Prince and Princess of Art Rock and Europop, nominees and winners will be announced by esteemed actor Rob Meldrum via a series of YouTube clips running across the evening, creating the perfect opportunity for people to frock up, pour some bubbles, and have an online video party with their peers from the safety of their homes. Trophies will be supplied to winners at a specified time and place once the community health and safety situation allows.
The Green Room Awards Association recognises that with the current challenges facing the sector, this celebra-tion is now more important than ever to buoy spirits and remind people that while dark at the moment, the light will return to our theatres and performance spaces. A team comprised completely of volunteers, the association has worked tirelessly since restrictions were enforced to make sure this event went ahead.
Launched in 1983, the Green Room Awards are wholly peer-presented Performing Arts Industry Awards, sup-porting outstanding achievements from artists, creatives, and companies across Cabaret, Contemporary and Ex-perimental Performance, Dance, Independent Theatre, Musical Theatre, Opera, and Theatre Companies.
The online presentation will run from 7.00pm to 9:30pm on Monday 6 April 2020 – consisting of separate video packages announcing the nominees and winners from all seven categories. Hosted by Otto & Astrid, the presentation will be voiced by Rob Meldrum – with a beautiful new piece of commissioned music from Composer Shanon Whitlock for the In Memorium segment.
The recipients of the 2020 GRA Special Awards will also be recognised. Daniel Clarke is the recipient of the Outstanding Contribution to Cabaret Award, Emily O’Brien has been awarded the Technical Achievement Award, the Geoffrey Milne Memorial Award for Outstanding Contribution to Contemporary and Experimental Performance recipient is Caitlin Dullard, and the 2020 GRA Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Jenny Kemp.
The annual Green Room Awards is a joyous celebration of our local arts and artists. Even at the most challenging of times, Melbourne’s arts industry will always find a way to come together to honour and applaud the accom-plishments of it’s peers. Out of adversity comes innovation.
The 37th Annual Green Room Awards presentation will take place on Monday 6 April from 7.00pm and can be accessed online by heading to: www.greenroom.org.au.
Image: Otto & Astrid – photo by Christine Fiedler