In its 31st year of acknowledging excellence in the performing arts on the Melbourne stage, the Green Room Awards Association announced the winners of the 2013 Awards at a star-studded ceremony at Melbourne’s Comedy Theatre.
A highlight of the evening was the induction Uncle Jack Charles as a new member into the prestigious alumni of recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award. An Australian legend: veteran actor, musician, Koori elder and activist, Charles was well and truly a child of the Stolen Generation.
His work has spanned feature films, TV series and plays including The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith, Bedevil, Ben Hall, The Marriage of Figaro and his own one man show, Jack Charles V The Crown. He was also the subject of Amiel Courtin-Wilson’s 2008 documentary, Bastardy.
In addition to the Lifetime Achievement Award, the Green Room Awards Association as a whole presented a Technical Achievement award to Global Creatures for their outstanding work in the production of King Kong; and an Industry Contribution Award to Ilbijerri Theatre Company for its ongoing role in presenting outstanding works of indigenous theatre on the Melbourne stage.
Melbourne Theatre Company Artistic Director Brett Sheehy AO today congratulated all of the winners of the 2014 Green Room Awards and expressed particular delight that six awards went to artists and creatives appearing on MTC stages.
The Green Room Awards offers a moment to celebrate those at the peak of their game and some of the most memorable productions,” said MTC Artistic Director, Brett Sheehy. “They also give us pause to reflect on the staggering richness and variety of work that Melburnians are able to enjoy every night of the year and MTC is exceedingly proud to be in such great company.”
In the independent theatre category, fortyfive downstairs’ production of Savages did well winning four awards, while the Malthouse Theatre’s production of The Bloody Chamber won three awards. In the musical theatre category, King Kong dominated with five awards, including three for design, Esther Hannaford for best female lead, plus the previously announced Award for Technical Achievement. Victorian Opera also did well winning four awards for its production of Nixon in China and Best Ensemble for The Magic Pudding.
Green Room Association Awards:
Lifetime Achievement Award: Jack Charles
Technical Achievement Award: Global Creatures for King Kong
Industry Contribution Award: Ilbijerri Theatre Company
Alternative & Hybrid Performance:
For Innovation in Circus: Casus
Outstanding Hybrid or Alternative Work: 5 Short Blasts – Madeleine Flynn and Tim Humphrey (City of Melbourne)
Outstanding Contemporary Performance: Whelping Box – Branch Nebula, Matt Prest & Clare Britton (Intimate Spectacle)
Cabaret:
For Production: Yana Alana – Between The Cracks
Artiste: Yana Alana – Between The Cracks
Writing: Tommy Bradson – Tommy Bradson’s Sweet Sixteen or The Birthday Party Massacre
Musical Direction: John Thorn – Tommy Bradson’s Sweet Sixteen or The Birthday Party Massacre
Original songs: Gillian Cosgriff – This is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things
Outstanding Contribution to Cabaret: John Newman
Dance:
Concept and Realisation: Conversation Piece – Lucy Guerin Inc. and Belvoir Theatre Company
Best Male Dancer: Daniel Gaudiello – ‘Basilio’ Don Quixote and ‘The Prince’ Cinderella (The Australian Ballet)
Best Female Dancer: Dalisa Pigrum – Gudirr Gudirr (Marrugeku)
Best Ensemble Performance: Proximity – Australian Dance Theatre
Shirley McKechnie Award for Choreography: Alexei Ratmansky – Cinderella (The Australian Ballet)
Visual Design: Jérôme Kaplan (Costume & set design) – Cinderella (The Australian Ballet)
Visual Design: Thomas Pachaud (video & video engineering), Mark Pennington (lighting design) & Geoff Cobham (design consultant) – Proximity (Australian Dance Theatre)
Composition: Alisdair Macindoe – Black Project 2 (Anthony Hamilton)
Independent Theatre:
Male Performer: Ash Flanders – The Sovereign Wife (Sisters Grimm /Neon)
Female Performer: Genevieve Giuffre – Psycho Beach Party (Little Ones Theatre/Theatre Works)
Ensemble: M + M (Daniel Schlusser Ensemble, Theatre Works/Melbourne International Arts Festival)
Set and Costume Design: Marg Horwell – Savages (fortyfive downstairs)
Lighting Design: Andy Turner – Savages (fortyfive downstairs)
Sound/Music: Michael Pulsford (Music Composition and Performance), Darrin Verhaegen and James Paul (Sound Design and Composition) – M+M (Daniel Schlusser Ensemble, Theatre Works/Melbourne International Arts Festival)
Direction: Susie Dee – Savages (fortyfive downstairs)
Production: The Sovereign Wife (Sisters Grimm/Neon)
Writing: Patricia Cornelius – Savages (fortyfive downstairs)
Music Theatre:
For Actress In A Leading Role: Esther Hannaford – King Kong
Actor In A Leading Role: David Harris – Legally Blonde
Actor In A Supporting Role: Tyler Coppin – Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Actress In A Supporting Role: Christina Tan – Gypsy
Ensemble: The King’s Men – King Kong
Betty Pounder Award For Excellence In Choreography: David Atkins & Dein Perry – Hot Shoe Shuffle
Musical Direction: Peter Casey – Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Design (Lighting): Peter Mumford – King Kong
Design (Sound): Peter Hylenski – King Kong
Design (Set/ Costume): Roger Kirk (Costume) – King Kong
Direction: Stuart Maunder – Sunday in the Park with George (Victorian Opera)
Opera:
Best Director: Christopher Alden – Partenope (Opera Australia)
Best Production: Nixon in China – Victorian Opera
Best Conductor: Fabian Russell – Nixon In China (Victorian Opera)
Best Female Lead: Csilla Boross – A Masked Ball (Opera Australia)
Best Female In A Supporting Role: Eva Jinhee Kong – Nixon In China (Victorian Opera)
Best Male Lead: Bradley Daly – Nixon in China (Victorian Opera)
Best Male In A Supporting Role: Kanen Breen – Partenope (Opera Australia)
Best Design: Andrew Lieberman (set), Jon Morrell (costume), Adam Silverman (lighting) – Partenope (Opera Australia)
Ensemble: The Magic Pudding (Victorian Opera)
Theatre Companies:
Female Actor: Alison Whyte – The Bloody Chamber (Malthouse Theatre)
Male Actor: Steve Mouzakis – The Cherry Orchard (Melbourne Theatre Company)
Ensemble: The Book of Everything (Melbourne Theatre Company presents a Belvoir and Kim Carpenter’s Theatre of Image co-production)
Lighting Design: Danny Pettingill (Bluebottle) – Other Desert Cities (Melbourne Theatre Company)
Set and Costume: Peter Mumford – Fox Finder (Red Stitch Actors Theatre)
Sound/Composition: David Chisholm (Composer) and Jethro Woodward (Sound Design) – The Bloody Chamber (Malthouse Theatre)
Direction: Neil Armfield – The Book of Everything (Melbourne Theatre Company presents a Belvoir and Kim Carpenter’s Theatre of Image co-production)
Production: The Bloody Chamber (Malthouse Theatre)
Writing/Adaptation for the Australian Stage: Tom E. Lewis & Michael Kantor – The Shadow King (Malthouse Theatre)
Australian Arts Review congratulates all Award Winners. For more information, visit: www.greenroom.org.au for details.
Image: Cast of fortyfive downstairs production of Savages – photo by Sarah Walker