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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