2016 Helpmann Award Winners

2016 Helpmann Award Winners

The 16th Annual Helpmann Awards awere presented at a ceremony on Monday 25 July, at the Sydney Lyric Theatre on the set of Singin’ in the Rain

Matilda the Musical was the big winner on the night, taking out an unprecedented 13 awards across Musical Theatre categories, including the award for Best Musical.

In the Opera categories, Brisbane Baroque's production of Agrippina won four awards including best opera.

Recognised as Best Play, Griffin Theatre Company's production of The Bleeding Tree also garnered awards for Best Director of a Play for Lee Lewis and Best Female Actor in a Play for Paula Arundel.

Lifetime Achievement awards recognised Stephen Page (pictured below) and Michael Lynch.

The 2016 Helpmann Awards also incorporate the Brian Stacey Award for Emerging Australian Conductors. This year the award goes to Toby Thatcher, currently Assistant Conductor for the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.

The Helpmann Awards are the premier celebration of Australia’s live performance industry and recognise distinguished achievement and excellence across 41 categories in Australia’s live performance sectors including musical theatre, contemporary music, comedy, opera, classical music, theatre, dance and physical theatre, children’s presentations, regional touring and cabaret.

In addition to the awards, the audience were entertained by ten performances.

Singin’ in the Rain – “Overture” and “Good Mornin’” starring Grant Almirall, Gretel Scarlett and Jack Chambers; and “Singin’ in the Rain” full cast finale.

Sarah Blasko – “Luxurious”.

Sydney International Piano Competition– Andrey Gugnin, 1st Prize winner Sydney International Piano Competition, “Sergei Prokofiev Piano Sonata #7, III Precipitato B Flat Major, Op 83”.

Matilda the Musical – “Quiet” starring all eight Matildas from the Sydney and Melbourne seasons.

Marina Prior and Mark Vincent– “Time to Say Goodbye”.

West Australian Ballet – “On The Nature of Daylight” pas de deux starring Sandy Delasalle and Matthew Lehmann.

Ladies in Black – “Ladies in Black” starring Lucy Maunder, Kate Cole, Kathryn McIntyre, Deidre Rubenstein, Carita Farrer Spencer, Sarah Morrison and Naomi Price.

The Sound of Music – “Do-Re-Mi” starring Amy Lehpamer, Stefanie Jones and the von Trapp children; and “Climb Ev’ry Mountain” starring Jacqueline Dark. 

Hosts for the evening were Chloe Dallimore, Helen Dallimore, Stuart Maunder AM, Guy Noble, Simon Phillips, The Umbilical Brothers and Queenie van de Zandt as “Jan van de Stool”.

Presenters included Kellie Dickerson, Tim Draxl, Marta Dusseldorp, Tim Finn, Antoinette Halloran, Noni Hazlehurst, Erika Heynatz, Celia Ireland, Tim Minchin, Hunter Page-Lochard, Katrina Milosevic, Milijana Nikolic, Eddie Perfect, Aurélien Scannella, The Hon Jillian Skinner MP and Toby Thatcher.

The ceremony was broadcast live on Foxtel Arts and is available via webcast at www.foxtelarts.com.au until August 25.

Image: Tim Minchin with his Helpmann Award for Best Original Score.

The Winners

 

BEST MUSICAL

MATILDA THE MUSICAL

BEST PLAY

THE BLEEDING TREE

Griffin

BEST BALLET OR DANCE WORK

SHEOAK

Bangarra Dance Theatre

BEST OPERA

AGRIPPINA

BEST NEW AUSTRALIAN WORK

CAROLYN BURNS AND TIM FINN WITH SIMON PHILLIPS

Ladies in Black

A Queensland Theatre Company production

BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL

MATTHEW WARCHUS

Matilda The Musical

BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A MUSICAL

MOLLY BARWICK, DUSTY BURSILL, TIANA MIRRA, ALANNAH PARFETT, SASHA ROSE, GEORGIA TAPLIN, BELLA THOMAS AND INGRID TORELLI

Matilda The Musical

BEST MALE ACTOR IN A MUSICAL

JAMES MILLAR

Matilda The Musical

BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL

ELISE MCCANN

Matilda The Musical

BEST MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL

DANIEL FREDERIKSEN

Matilda The Musical

BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY

LEE LEWIS

The Bleeding Tree

Griffin Theatre Company

BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A PLAY

PAULA ARUNDELL

The Bleeding Tree

BEST MALE ACTOR IN A PLAY

MARK LEONARD WINTER

Birdland

BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A PLAY

SARAH PEIRSE

The Golden Age

Sydney Theatre Company

BEST MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A PLAY

MARK LEONARD WINTER

King Lear

Sydney Theatre Company

BEST DIRECTION OF AN OPERA

DAVID MCVICAR

The Marriage of Figaro

BEST FEMALE PERFORMER IN AN OPERA

NICOLE CAR

Luisa Miller

Opera Australia

BEST MALE PERFORMER IN AN OPERA

CARLO VISTOLI

Agrippina

BEST FEMALE PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN AN OPERA

KERI FUGE

Agrippina

BEST MALE PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN AN OPERA

JOÃO FERNANDES

Agrippina

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY IN A MUSICAL

PETER DARLING

Matilda The Musical

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY IN A DANCE OR PHSYICAL THEATRE WORK

FRANCES RINGS

Sheoak

BEST FEMALE DANCER IN A DANCE OR PHYSICAL THEATRE WORK

YOLANDA LOWATTA

Sheoak

BEST MALE DANCER IN A DANCE OR PHYSICAL THEATRE WORK

KIMBALL WONG

Habitus

BEST CABARET PERFORMER

MICHAEL GRIFFITHS

Cole

Adelaide Festival Centre’s Adelaide Cabaret Festival

BEST COMEDY PERFORMER

TOM BALLARD

The World Keeps Happening

Token Events

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

TIM MINCHIN

Matilda The Musical

BEST MUSIC DIRECTION

STEPHEN AMOS

Matilda The Musical

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

ROB HOWELL

Matilda The Musical

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN

HUGH VANSTONE

Matilda The Musical

BEST SCENIC DESIGN

ROB HOWELL

Matilda The Musical

BEST SOUND DESIGN

SIMON BAKER

Matilda The Musical

BEST PRESENTATION FOR CHILDREN

BAMBERT’S BOOK OF LOST STORIES

Barking Gecko Theatre Company

BEST REGIONAL TOURING PRODUCTION

SUGARLAND

Australian Theatre for Young People and Performing Lines

BEST VISUAL OR PHYSICAL THEATRE PRODUCTION

IL RITORNO

Brisbane Festival and Circa

BEST CHAMBER AND/OR INSTRUMENTAL ENSEMBLE CONCERT

FRENCH BAROQUE WITH CIRCA

Australian Brandenburg Orchestra

BEST SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA CONCERT

SIR SIMON RATTLE CONDUCTS THE AUSTRALIAN WORLD ORCHESTRA

Australian World Orchestra

BEST INDIVIDUAL CLASSICAL MUSIC PERFORMANCE

PIERRE-LAURENT AIMARD

Pierre-Laurent Aimard

Melbourne Recital Centre and Sydney Symphony Orchestra

BEST INTERNATIONAL CONTEMPORARY CONCERT

PRINCE ‘PIANO & A MICROPHONE’ TOUR 2016

Prince, Dainty Group and ICO ApS

BEST AUSTRALIAN CONTEMPORARY CONCERT

MOFO 2016 – KATE MILLER-HEIDKE AND THE TASMANIAN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA WITH VISUALS BY AMY GEBHARDT

MOFO 2016, Kate Miller-Heidke and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra with visuals by Amy Gebhardt

BEST CONTEMPORARY MUSIC FESTIVAL

WOMADELAIDE 2016 – THE WORLD’S FESTIVAL

Womadelaide Foundation

BESTOWED HELPMATE AWARD

Outstanding Contribution to the Development of Comedy in Australia

Melbourne International Comedy Festival

LIFETIME ACHEIVEMENT AWARDS

SUE NATTRASS AWARD

Michael Lynch CBE AM

JC WILLIAMSON AWARD

Stephen Page

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