The 2021 Green Room Awards were announced last night in a digital broadcast on Youtube. The unconventional ceremony took the form of a prerecorded documentary film titled 2021. Art Doco. Also unconventional this year were the categories awarded. Acknowledging the difficulties that faced the Melbourne performing arts industry over 2020, the panels made the decision to forego the traditional category (Best Lead Performer, Best Supporting Performer etc.), instead creating categories intended to highlight the work presented during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the pathways performers and artists found to deliver works to audiences. 

Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Rachael Maza. Photo supplied

The first category of awards presented were for Cabaret, with comedian and composer Lou Wall taking home three awards: Outstanding Online Achievement in Cabaret, Best Production, and Writing for Lousical the Musical which was presented as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival. Best Cabaret Artiste went to Australian cabaret mainstay Ali McGregor, and Sam Keevers was awarded Best Musical Direction for both the long running Ali McGregor’s Late Nite Variety-Nite Night ONLINE EDITION!,