On Monday the 25th of July, Sydney’s Lyric Theatre hosted The 16th Annual Helpmann Awards, Australia’s performing arts’ night of nights. The night boasts the successes of achievements in an array of artistic disciplines amongst the national arts scene. Hosted by a wealth of figureheads in the field including Chloe Dallimore, The Umbillical Brothers and Queenie Van De Zandt, the awards were given out flawlessly with interjections of performances from Sarah Blasko supporting her latest effort Eternal Return and bouncy numbers by cast members of Singin’ In The Rain, Ladies in Black and Matilda.
The night went to Matilda: The Musical, sweeping a record of 13 wins to RSC’s most recent bout. The performance which was composed by English-born Perth-raised comedian Tim Minchin swept all categories in Musicals, including best costume and sound design, with the tiny 8 Matilda’s themselves picking up Best Female Actor in a Musical.
Griffin Theatre Company’s The Bleeding Tree took the forefront for the plays, winning Best Play, Best Direction and Best Female Actor in a Play with Lee Lewis and Paula Arundell heralding the helm respectively whilst both echoing the heartfelt importance of upcoming Australian Theatre, funding for the industry and the relevance of new writing and how it manages to tap into the psyche of its audience, aiming for it to connect to our innermost selves as a society and how we can develop.
The 2016 Sue Nattrass Award recipient Michael Lynch CBE AM stood upon the stage with such glee as announcers graciously outlined his significance in the Australian Arts industry by pushing previous governments to increase funding and keep the scene alive for decades to come. The JC Williamson Award was announced by the recipient’s son, Hunter Page-Lochard, as Steven Page spoke so eloquently of Bangarra Dance Theatre and how much it meant to our indigenous communities, and how it is currently the only indigenous theatre that is currently operating, and proudly supported the fact in the near future, Indigenous performing arts would be more prevalent.
The final number of the night came from Singin’ In The Rain, with the first few rows in the audience receiving ponchos to keep them dry whilst drops flew around the theatre. See below for the complete winners list.
Helpmann Awards Winners 2016:
Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play
Mark Leonard Winter, King Lear, Sydney Theatre Company
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 Musical
Daniel Frederiksen, Matilda The Musical
The Royal Shakespeare Company and Louise Withers, Michael Coppel and Michael Watt with Chokey Productions, Just for Laughs Theatricals, Glass Half Full Productions, Paula Marie Black, Greenleaf Productions and Michael Lynch
Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical
Elise McCann, Matilda The Musical
The Royal Shakespeare Company and Louise Withers, Michael Coppel and Michael Watt with Chokey Productions, Just for Laughs Theatricals, Glass Half Full Productions, Paula Marie Black, Greenleaf Productions and Michael Lynch
Best International Contemporary Concert
Prince Piano & A Microphone Tour 2016
Prince, Dainty Group and ICO ApS
Best Contemporary Music Festival
Womadelaide 2016 , Womadelaide Foundation
Best Australian Contemporary Concert
Kate Miller-Heidke and The Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra with visuals by Amy Gebhardt
MOFO 2016, Kate Miller-Heidke and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra with Amy Gebhardt
Best Costume Design
Rob Howell, Matilda The Musical
The Royal Shakespeare Company and Louise Withers, Michael Coppel and Michael Watt with Chokey Productions, Just for Laughs Theatricals, Glass Half Full Productions, Paula Marie Black, Greenleaf Productions and Michael Lynch
Best Scenic Design
Rob Howell, Matilda The Musical
The Royal Shakespeare Company and Louise Withers, Michael Coppel and Michael Watt with Chokey Productions, Just for Laughs Theatricals, Glass Half Full Productions, Paula Marie Black, Greenleaf Productions and Michael Lynch
Best Lighting Design
Hugh Vanstone, Matilda The Musical
The Royal Shakespeare Company and Louise Withers, Michael Coppel and Michael Watt with Chokey Productions, Just for Laughs Theatricals, Glass Half Full Productions, Paula Marie Black, Greenleaf Productions and Michael Lynch
Best Sound Design
Simon Baker, Matilda The Musical
The Royal Shakespeare Company and Louise Withers, Michael Coppel and Michael Watt with Chokey Productions, Just for Laughs Theatricals, Glass Half Full Productions, Paula Marie Black, Greenleaf Productions and Michael Lynch
Best Individual Classical Music Performance
Pierre-Laurent Aimard
Melbourne Recital Centre and Sydney Symphony Orchestra
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 Original Score
Tim Minchin, Matilda The Musical
The Royal Shakespeare Company and Louise Withers, Michael Coppel and Michael Watt with Chokey Productions, Just for Laughs Theatricals, Glass Half Full Productions, Paula Marie Black, Greenleaf Productions and Michael Lynch
Best Music Direction
Stephen Amos, Matilda The Musical
The Royal Shakespeare Company and Louise Withers, Michael Coppel and Michael Watt with Chokey Productions, Just for Laughs Theatricals, Glass Half Full Productions, Paula Marie Black, Greenleaf Productions and Michael Lynch
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 Cabaret Performer
Michael Griffiths, Cole, Adelaide Festival Centre’s Adelaide Cabaret Festival
Best Comedy Performer
Tom Ballard, The World Keeps Happening, Token Events
Best Visual or Physical Theatre Production
Il Ritorno, Brisbane Festival and Circa
Best Choreography in a Dance or Phsyical Theatre Work
Frances Rings, Sheoak, Bangarra Dance Theatre
Best Choreography in a Musical
Peter Darling, Matilda The Musical
The Royal Shakespeare Company and Louise Withers, Michael Coppel and Michael Watt with Chokey Productions, Just for Laughs Theatricals, Glass Half Full Productions, Paula Marie Black, Greenleaf Productions and Michael Lynch
Best Male Dancer in a Dance or Physical Theatre Work
Kimball Wong, Habitus, Australian Dance Theatre
Best Female Dancer in a Dance or Physical Theatre Work
Yolanda Lowatta, Sheoak, Bangarra Dance Theatre
Best Male Performer in a Supporting Role in an Opera
Joao Fernandes, Agrippina, Brisbane Baroque in association with QPAC
Best Female Performer in a Supporting Role in an Opera
Keri Fuge, Agrippina, Brisbane Baroque in association with QPAC
Best Male Performer in an Opera
Carlo Vistoli, Agrippina, Brisbane Baroque in association with QPAC
Best Female Performer in an Opera
Nicole Car, Luisa Miller, Opera Australia
Best Direction of an Opera
Sir David Mcvicar, The Marriage of Figaro, Opera Australia
Best Male Actor in a Play
Mark Leonard Winter, Birdland, Melbourne Theatre Company
Best Female Actor in a Play
Paula Arundell, The Bleeding Tree, Griffin Theatre Company
Best Male Actor in a Musical
James Millar, Matilda The Musical
The Royal Shakespeare Company and Louise Withers, Michael Coppel and Michael Watt with Chokey Productions, Just for Laughs Theatricals, Glass Half Full Productions, Paula Marie Black, Greenleaf Productions and Michael Lynch
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
The Royal Shakespeare Company and Louise Withers, Michael Coppel and Michael Watt with Chokey Productions, Just for Laughs Theatricals, Glass Half Full Productions, Paula Marie Black, Greenleaf Productions and Michael Lynch
Best Direction of a Play
Lee Lewis, The Bleeding Tree, Griffin Theatre Company
Best Direction of a Musical
Matthew Warchus, Matilda The Musical
The Royal Shakespeare Company and Louise Withers, Michael Coppel and Michael Watt with Chokey Productions, Just for Laughs Theatricals, Glass Half Full Productions, Paula Marie Black, Greenleaf Productions and Michael Lynch
Best New Australian Work
Carolyn Burns and Tim Finn with Simon Phillips, Ladies in Black, Queensland Theatre Company
Best Opera
Agrippina, Brisbane Baroque and QPAC
Best Ballet or Dance Work
Sheoak, Bangarra Dance Theatre
Best Play
The Bleeding Tree, Griffin Theatre Company
Best Musical
Matilda The Musical
The Royal Shakespeare Company and Louise Withers, Michael Coppel and Michael Watt with Chokey Productions, Just for Laughs Theatricals, Glass Half Full Productions, Paula Marie Black, Greenleaf Productions and Michael Lynch
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