Yana Alana takes bite out of awards

Yana Alana takes bite out of awards

The Green Room Awards were announced at a gala ceremony in Melbourne’s Famous Spiegeltent last night, with many queer-tinged productions up for nomination.

Sarah Ward’s Yana Alana and the Paranas took home a whopping six awards in the cabaret category including best production, artiste, ensemble, original songs, and director. Drag performer Kaye Sera also received the award for Contribution to Cabaret.

Rafael Bonachela’s contemporary dance production at Sydney Dance Company, We Unfold, picked up two awards for music/sound composition (Ezio Bosso) and best female dancer for Emily Amisano.

Queer Melbourne playwright Declan Greene, one-half of the Sisters Grimm theatre company, took home the award for best original new writing for his play Moth, while actor/director Gary Abrahams, best known to gay audiences for his role in the VAC’s Queer As F**k web series, received a directing award for his body of work for the year.

In musical theatre, Hairspray: The Musical picked up two awards for lighting design and female artist in a featured role for Esther Hannaford who plays Penny Pingleton.

But the big winner of the night was undoubtedly Mary Poppins. The musical won nine of the 12 awards it was nominated for, including best production direction for Richard Eyre and Matthew Bourne, and best female artist in a leading role for Verity Hunt-Ballard, who plays Poppins.

The annual Green Room Awards go to professional performing artists in theatre, musical theatre, cabaret, opera and dance. Green Room Association members — made up of directors, playwrights, choreographers, performers and critics — decide the nominations and awards.

You May Also Like

Comments are closed.