Melbourne Theatre Company Wins Six Green Room Awards

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 five awards went to artists and creatives appearing on MTC stages.

In the Theatre Companies category, Steve Mouzakis, who played Lophakhin in MTC's widely acclaimed production of The Cherry Orchard won best Male Actor and Danny Pettingill of Bluebottle won best Lighting Design for Other Desert Cities. The magical MTC/Belvoir/Kim Carpenter's Theatre of Image co-presentation, The Book of Everything, won best Direction for Neil Armfield, together with best Ensemble.

Accolades also flowed to a Melbourne company that staged its work as part of MTC's inaugural NEON Festival of Independent Theatre, with Sisters Grimm's The Sovereign Wife winning best Independent Production, as well as best Male Performer for Ash Flanders.

Brett Sheehy said, "Congratulations to Steve Mouzakis and Danny Pettingill, to Neil Armfield and his outstanding ensemble cast, and to Ash Flanders and Sisters Grimm who took a risk and came with us as we launched NEON. We are thrilled that their work has been honoured tonight.

"The Green Room Awards offers a moment to celebrate those at the peak of their game and some of the most memorable productions. 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," said Mr Sheehy.

MTC received 30 nominations in the 2014 Green Room Awards: 14 for its mainstage productions, a further seven for its MTC/Belvoir/Kim Carpenter's Theatre of Image co-presentation, and nine for the companies involved in its NEON Festival of Independent Theatre.