2017 Helpmann Award winners – full list
The 17th Annual Helpmann Awards, presented by Live Performance Australia, were held this evening at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre, celebrating Australia’s vibrant live performance industry.
42 awards were handed out this evening in a star studded event, with My Fair Lady, Aladdin, The Book of Mormon and Kinky Boots each winning two awards from their nominated categories.
My Fair Lady‘s fair ladies Anna O’Byrne and Robyn Nevin won the Best Leading Actress and Best Supporting Actress in a musical categories, Aladdin took out Best Costume Design (Gregg Barnes) and Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role (Michael James Scott), Kinky Boots won Best Choreography (Jerry Mitchell) and Best Male Actor in a Musical (Callum Francis) and The Book of Mormon won Best Direction of a Musical (Trey Parker and Casey Nicholaw) and Best Musical.
INDUSTRY AWARDS
BEST NEW AUSTRALIAN WORK
LEAH PURCELL
The Drover’s Wife
Belvoir
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
GREGG BARNES
Aladdin
Disney Theatrical Productions (Australia)
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN
JOACHIM KLEIN
Saul
Adelaide Festival in association with the State Opera of South Australia, the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and the Adelaide Festival Centre present a Glyndebourne Festival Opera production
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
IAIN GRANDAGE AND RAHAYU SUPANGGAH
Satan Jawa
Arts Centre Melbourne, Asia TOPA and Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
BEST MUSIC DIRECTION
ERIN HELYARD
Saul
Adelaide Festival in association with the State Opera of South Australia, the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and the Adelaide Festival Centre present a Glyndebourne Festival Opera production
BEST SCENIC DESIGN
ANNA CORDINGLEY
Jasper Jones
Melbourne Theatre Company
BEST SOUND DESIGN
GARETH FRY AND PETE MALKIN
The Encounter
Complicite, Sydney Festival, Malthouse Theatre, Adelaide Festival and Perth International Arts Festival
CABARET
BEST CABARET PERFORMER
HOPE HAAMI, JUANITA DUNCAN, OFA FOTU, CRYSTAL STACEY, ALEXIS WEST, GHENOA GELA, LISA FA’ALAFI AND KIM ‘BUSTY BEATZ’ BOWERS
Hot Brown Honey
Briefs Factory, Arts Centre Melbourne and Sydney Opera House
COMEDY
BEST COMEDY PERFORMER
HANNAH GADSBY
Nanette
Token Events
PRESENTATION FOR CHILDREN
BEST PRESENTATION FOR CHILDREN
JUMP FIRST, ASK LATER
Powerhouse Youth Theatre and Force Majeure
REGIONAL TOURING AWARDS
BEST REGIONAL TOURING PRODUCTION
TERRAIN
Bangarra Dance Theatre
CONTEMPORARY MUSIC
BEST AUSTRALIAN CONTEMPORARY CONCERT
NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS AND BILLIONS AUSTRALIA
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
Billions Australia
BEST CONTEMPORARY MUSIC FESTIVAL
MONA FOMA 2017
Museum of Old and New Art
BEST INTERNATIONAL CONTEMPORARY CONCERT
PATTI SMITH AND BLUESFEST TOURING
Patti Smith and her Band Australian Tour 2017
Bluesfest Touring
DANCE AND PHYSICAL THEATRE AWARDS
BEST BALLET
BALLET PRELJOCAJ’S SNOW WHITE
QPAC in association with Brisbane Festival
BEST DANCE PRODUCTION
ATTRACTOR
Dancenorth and Lucy Guerin Inc, with Arts Centre Melbourne, Asia TOPA, WOMADelaide and Brisbane Festival
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY IN A BALLET, DANCE OR PHYSICAL THEATRE PRODUCTION
GIDEON OBARZANEK AND LUCY GUERIN
Attractor
Dancenorth and Lucy Guerin Inc, with Arts Centre Melbourne, Asia TOPA, WOMADelaide and Brisbane Festival
BEST MALE DANCER IN A BALLET, DANCE OR PHYSICAL THEATRE PRODUCTION
KEVIN JACKSON
Nijinsky
The Australian Ballet
BEST FEMALE DANCER IN A BALLET, DANCE OR PHYSICAL THEATRE PRODUCTION
LILIAN STEINER
Split
Lucy Guerin Inc and Arts House
BEST VISUAL OR PHYSICAL THEATRE PRODUCTION
SNAKE SESSIONS
Branch Nebula, produced by Intimate Spectacle, toured by Arts on Tour
OPERA AND CLASSICAL MUSIC
BEST DIRECTION OF AN OPERA
BARRIE KOSKY
Saul
Adelaide Festival in association with the State Opera of South Australia, the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and the Adelaide Festival Centre present a Glyndebourne Festival Opera production
BEST FEMALE PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN AN OPERA
LORINA GORE
King Roger
Opera Australia
BEST MALE PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN AN OPERA
KANEN BREEN
Saul
Adelaide Festival in association with the State Opera of South Australia, the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and the Adelaide Festival Centre present a Glyndebourne Festival Opera production
BEST FEMALE PERFORMER IN AN OPERA
LISE LINDSTROM
The Ring Cycle
Opera Australia
BEST MALE PERFORMER IN AN OPERA
CHRISTOPHER PURVES
Saul
Adelaide Festival in association with the State Opera of South Australia, the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and the Adelaide Festival Centre present a Glyndebourne Festival Opera production
BEST OPERA
SAUL
Adelaide Festival in association with the State Opera of South Australia, the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and the Adelaide Festival Centre present a Glyndebourne Festival Opera production
BEST CHAMBER AND/OR INSTRUMENTAL ENSEMBLE CONCERT
ACADEMY OF ST MARTIN IN THE FIELDS
Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Melbourne Recital Centre, Sydney Opera House and QPAC
BEST SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA CONCERT
STEMME, SKELTON, TRISTAN & ISOLDE
Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra
BEST INDIVIDUAL CLASSICAL MUSIC PERFORMANCE
JOSHUA BELL
Academy of St Martin in the Fields
Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Melbourne Recital Centre, Sydney Opera House and QPAC
THEATRE
BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY
LETICIA CÁCERES
The Drover’s Wife
Belvoir
BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A PLAY
AMBER MCMAHON
Girl Asleep
Windmill Theatre Company
BEST MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A PLAY
GUY SIMON
Jasper Jones
Melbourne Theatre Company
BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A PLAY
KATE MULVANY
Richard 3
Bell Shakespeare
BEST MALE ACTOR IN A PLAY
MARK COLES SMITH
The Drover’s Wife
Belvoir
BEST PLAY
THE DROVER’S WIFE
Belvoir
MUSICALS AWARDS
BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL
TREY PARKER AND CASEY NICHOLAW
The Book of Mormon
ANNE GAREFINO, SCOTT RUDIN, IMPORTANT MUSICALS, JOHN FROST, Roger Berlind, Scott M. Delman, Jean Doumanian, Roy Furman, Stephanie P. McClelland, Kevin Morris, Jon B. Platt, Sonia Friedman Productions
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY IN A MUSICAL
JERRY MITCHELL
Kinky Boots
MICHAEL CASSEL by special arrangement with DARYL ROTH and HAL LUFTIG
BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL
ROBYN NEVIN
My Fair Lady
Opera Australia and John Frost
BEST MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL
MICHAEL JAMES SCOTT
Aladdin
Disney Theatrical Productions (Australia)
BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
ANNA O’BYRNE
My Fair Lady
Opera Australia and John Frost
BEST MALE ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
CALLUM FRANCIS
Kinky Boots
MICHAEL CASSEL by special arrangement with DARYL ROTH and HAL LUFTIG
BEST MUSICAL
THE BOOK OF MORMON
ANNE GAREFINO, SCOTT RUDIN, IMPORTANT MUSICALS, JOHN FROST, Roger Berlind, Scott M. Delman, Jean Doumanian, Roy Furman, Stephanie P. McClelland, Kevin Morris, Jon B. Platt, Sonia Friedman Productions
BESTOWED HELPMANN AWARD
Outstanding contribution to the Live Performance Industry
Ross Cunningham
If you’re keen on watching the live stream from Foxtel Arts, check it out here
