The 13th Annual Helpmann Awards were being presented tonight (July 29, 2013) live at the Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House, in a ceremony co-hosted by Eddie Perfect and Christie Whelan Browne. 

Three productions were equally big winners, with five awards each.

The Secret River received awards for Best Play, Best New Australian Work, Best Original Score, Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play and Best Direction of a Play.

Legally Blonde took out the awards for Best Musical, Best Female Actor in a Musical and Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical, plus two awards for Jerry Mitchell,for Best Direction and Best Choreography.

In addition to the previously announced Outstanding Theatrical Achievement For the design, creation and operation of King Kong – the creature, King Kong made a sweep of design and technical awards forSound Design, Lighting Design, Costume Design and Scenic Design.

Opera Australia’s Salome followed with four awards for Best Opera, Best Female Performer, Best Male Performer and Best Female Performer in a Supporting Role.

Bangarra took out two awards, Best Ballet or Dance Work and Best Female Dancer,for TERRAIN.

As previously announced pop music icon Kylie Minogue OBE and Arts philanthropist David Blenkinsop CBE AM were co-recipients of the 2013 JC WILLIAMSON AWARD. By bestowing this award, Live Performance Australia (LPA) recognises individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the Australian live entertainment industry and shaped the future of our industry for the better. Both recipients were specially honoured at the ceremony with jazz great James Morrison AM performing in honour of David Blenkinsop and his tireless work and passion for live performance, while Michael Gudinski AM paid tribute to Kylie Minogue and her unparalleled achievements in the Australian and international live entertainment arena. 

Eddie Perfect and Christie Whelan Browne kicked off the night’s proceedings with an opening number written specifically for the occasion by Mr Perfect himself. Other performances came from Tim Minchin, the casts of Grease and Hot Shoe Shuffle, Sydney Dance Company, Silvie Paladino and the Sydney Children’s Choir, Emma Birdsall and Timomatic.

2013 Winners

Best Regional Touring Production

CIRCA - Circa, toured by Performing Lines for Road Work

Best Male Performer in a Supporting Role in an Opera

José Carbó - Die Tote Stadt - Opera Australia

Best Female Performer in a Supporting Role in an Opera

Jacqueline Dark- Salome -Opera Australia

Best Chamber & / or Instrumental Ensemble Concert

Jordi Savall & Andrew Lawrence King - Melbourne Recital Centre

Best Scenic Design

Peter England- King Kong - Global Creatures

Best Costume Design

Roger Kirk  - King Kong - Global Creatures

Best Presentation for Children

School Dance - Windmill Theatre

Best Individual Classical Music Performance

Simone Young conducting the Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra - Das Rheingold by Richard Wagner (concert performance) Hamburg State Opera with the Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra & Symphony No. 2 in C Minor, Resurrection by Gustav Mahler, Soloists from the Hamburg State Opera with the Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra and Brisbane Mahler Chorus - Queensland Performing Arts Centre & Tourism and Events Queensland

Best Choreography in a Musical

Jerry Mitchell - Legally Blonde The Musical - Howard Panter for The Ambassador Theatre Group & John Frost

Best Lighting Design

Peter Mumford - King Kong - Global Creatures

Best Choreography in a Dance or Physical Theatre Production

Antony Hamilton - Black Project 1 & 2 - Antony Hamilton Projects, Arts House & Insite Arts

Best Visual or Physical Theatre Production

S - Circa & Brisbane Festival

Best Sound Design

Peter Hylenski - King Kong - Global Creatures 

Best Special Event

White Night Melbourne - Victorian Major Events Company on behalf of the State Government of Victoria

Best Music Direction

Iain Grandage - The Secret River - Sydney Theatre Company in association with The Confederation of Australian International Arts Festivals, Sydney Festival, The Centenary of Canberra, Perth International Arts Festival 

Best International Contemporary Concert

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band Wrecking Ball 2013 - Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band and The Frontier Touring Company in association with Jacobsen International

Best Cabaret Performer

Robyn Archer - Robyn Archer in Concert: QUE RESTE-T-IL? at the Famous Spiegel Garden and Toulouse-Lautrec Cabaret and Curator Dinner at The National Gallery of Australia

Best Direction of an Opera

Alex Ollé  - Un Ballo in Maschera- Opera Australia

Best Direction of a Play

Neil Armfield - The Secret River - Sydney Theatre Company in association with The Confederation of Australian International Arts Festivals, Sydney Festival, The Centenary of Canberra, Perth International Arts Festival

Best Direction of a Musical

Jerry Mitchell - Legally Blonde The Musical - Howard Panter for The Ambassador Theatre Group & John Frost

Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical

Russell Dykstra - The Addams Family - Rodney Rigby, Stuart Oken, Roy Furman, Michael Leavitt , Five Cent Productions, Eva Price, Silvio Salom, Stuart Ditsky/Adam Ditsky, James Herbert, Arthur Hershaft, Cheryl Lachowicz, Mary Khoury, Mary Lu Roffe and Gian Christian by special arrangement with Elephant Eye Theatrical

Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical

Helen Dallimore  - Legally Blonde The Musical  - Howard Panter for The Ambassador Theatre Group & John Frost 

Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play

Colin Moody - The Secret River - Sydney Theatre Company in association with The Confederation of Australian International Arts Festivals, Sydney Festival, The Centenary of Canberra, Perth International Arts Festival

Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play

Amber McMahon - School Dance - Windmill Theatre 

Best Australian Contemporary Concert

Neil Finn & Paul Kelly - Neil Finn, Paul Kelly & Live Nation Australasia by arrangement with Artist Voice

Best Original Score

Iain Grandage - The Secret River - Sydney Theatre Company in association with The Confederation of Australian International Arts Festivals, Sydney Festival, The Centenary of Canberra, Perth International Arts Festival 

Best Contemporary Music Festival

The 24th Annual Bluesfest Byron Bay - Bluesfest

Best New Australian Work

Kate Grenville, An Adaptation for the Stage by Andrew Bovell - The Secret River - Sydney Theatre Company in association with The Confederation of Australian International Arts Festivals, Sydney Festival, The Centenary of Canberra, Perth International Arts Festival 

Best Comedy Performer

Julia Morris - Julia Morris - No Judgement - Fox in the Snow

Outstanding Theatrical Achievement For the design, creation and operation of King Kong – the creature

Creature Designer: Sonny Tilders; Aerial Director and King’s Men Movement: Gavin Robins; Puppetry Director: Peter Wilson; Kong’s Voice: Harley Durst; The King’s Men: Lincoln Barros, James Brown, Adam Davis, Simon Fairweather, Josh Feldschuh, Brett Franzi, Nathan Jones, Nathan Kell, Russell Leonard, Brent Osborne, Troy Phillips, Mike Snow, Maxwell Trengove, Tayo Wilson; Kong Voodoo: Harley Durst, Danny Miller, Jacob Williams (Kong Captain), Steve Coupe (Puppetry Captain and Voodoo Understudy) & Circus Captain: Leigh-Anne Vizer 

Best Male Dancer in a Dance or Physical Theatre Production

Alisdair Macindoe  - Dual - Stephanie Lake & Arts House

Best Female Dancer in a Dance or Physical Theatre Production

Deborah Brown - TERRAIN - Bangarra Dance Theatre

Best Ballet or Dance Work

TERRAIN - Bangarra Dance Theatre

Best Male Performer in an Opera

John Wegner - Salome - Opera Australia

Best Female Performer in an Opera

Cheryl Barker - Salome - Opera Australia

Best Symphony Orchestra Concert

Das Rheingold by Richard Wagner (concert performance), Hamburg State Opera with the Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra - Queensland Performing Arts Centre & Tourism and Events Queensland 

 

 

 

Best Male Actor in a Musical

Geoffrey Rush - A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum - John Frost

 

 

 

 

 

Best Female Actor in a Musical

Lucy Durack - Legally Blonde The Musical  - Howard Panter for The Ambassador Theatre Group & John Frost 

Best Male Actor in a Play

Colin Friels - Death of a Salesman - Belvoir

Best Female Actor in a Play

Alison Bell - Hedda Gabler - State Theatre Company of South Australia 

Best Opera

Salome - Opera Australia

Best Play

The Secret River- Sydney Theatre Company in association with The Confederation of Australian International Arts Festivals, Sydney Festival, The Centenary of Canberra, Perth International Arts Festival

Best Musical

Legally Blonde The Musical- Howard Panter for The Ambassador Theatre Group & John Frost