the box-office. In 1959, John Sumner returned and subsequently steered the company through twenty-eight years of growth, watching it become, by the time he retired in 1987, the largest theatre company in Australia. Since then the company has had three artistic directors: Roger Hodgman (1987–1999), who steered MTC through the financially troublesome period of the late 1980s and 1990s; Simon Phillips, who was Artistic Director from 2000–2011; and Brett Sheehy from 2012. Robyn Nevin, Pamela Rabe, and Aidan Fennessy managed the 2012 season in the interim between Phillips and Sheehy. Fennessy was Associate Director for some time. The Melbourne Theatre Company has performed in many Melbourne venues in its history, including the Russell Street Theatre, the Melbourne Athenaeum, St Martins Theatre, the Merlyn and Beckett Theatres at the Malthouse, the Playhouse and Fairfax Studio of the Arts Centre Melbourne, the Comedy Theatre and the Princess Theatre. Artistic Directors 1953–1955 John Sumner 1955–1956 Ray Lawler 1956–1959 Wal Cherry 1959–1987 John Sumner 1959–1987 John Sumner 1987–1999 Roger Hodgman 2000–2011 Simon Phillips 2012 Robyn Nevin, Pamela Rabe, Aidan Fennessy 2013–2022 Brett Sheehy 2023– Anne-Louise Sarks Awards and nominations Helpmann Awards The Helpmann Awards is an awards show, celebrating live entertainment and performing arts in Australia, presented by industry group Live Performance Australia since 2001. Note: 2020 and 2021 were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. ! |- | rowspan="7"| 2001 | Life After George (Melbourne Theatre Company) | rowspan="2"| Helpmann Award for Best Play | | rowspan="7"| |- | Art (Melbourne Theatre Company) | |- | Simon Phillips – Measure for Measure (Melbourne Theatre Company) | Helpmann Award for Best Direction of a Play | |- | Caroline O’Conner – Piaf (Melbourne Theatre Company) | Helpmann Award for Best Female Actor in a Play | |- | John Gaden – The Unexpected Man (Company B Belvoir and Melbourne Theatre Company) | Helpmann Award for Best Male Actor in a Play | |- | Company (Melbourne Theatre Company) | Helpmann Award for Best Musical | |- | Dale Ferguson – Trelawny of the 'Wells''' (Melbourne Theatre Company) | Helpmann Award for Best Costume Design | |- | rowspan="3"| 2002 | The Tempest (Melbourne Theatre Company) | Best Play | | rowspan="3"| |- | Caroline O'Connor - Bombshells (Melbourne Theatre Company) | Best Female Actor in a Play | |- | Dale Ferguson – The Seagull (Melbourne Theatre Company) | Best Scenic Design | |-