Rules

All productions viewed by the Green Room Awards Association must be Melbourne premieres and only Australian produced (and rehearsed) productions are eligible. International productions and tours are not eligible for Green Room Awards.

Remounted and re-studied productions (especially in Dance, Opera and Musical Theatre) can be eligible if they are substantially reworked or contain entirely new creative contributions (for example: individual performances, new design, etc).

The Green Room voting-year is from January 1 to December 31 each year.

Panels meet progressively through the year and maintain dialogue about emerging trends and productions to watch. In January of the following year, panels meet to determine, through discussion and voting, and after the elimination of many potential nominees, a maximum of five nominees for each category is agreed upon by the Panel.

From time to time a survey of the year’s work within a particular panel may necessitate the creation of a new category, the revival of a former one or the exclusion of a category.

A Panel may urge the Association to accept their recommendation that a Special Award be given to a specific individual, ensemble or organisation for an outstanding contribution or achievement.

Nominations are then finalised and approved at a Ratification Meeting (Special General Meeting) attended by all members of the Association in late January. Results of those deliberations are maintained as confidential and announced on the third Tuesday in February, Theatre Day. In the following fortnight, each member of the respective panels votes by secret ballot to determine the recipients of each particular award.