That’s Showbiz, kid: 2012 Helpmann Awards a great night out
The Helpmann Awards are over for another year, and for those not fortunate enough to see the event live at the Sydney Opera House last night, a full list of winners can be found below.
In an unfortunate bungle with the award presentation last night, the Helpmann for Best Presentation for Children was mistakenly awarded to Perth’s Barking Gecko Theatre Company’s The Red Tree instead of Hobart’s Terapin Puppet Theatre’s production of Boats.
It is understood that Evelyn Richardson, the CEO of the Helpmann Awards has apologised to both companies for the error, and that the presentation made by Eddie Perfect will be cut from this evening’s ceremony on Foxtel.
A Chorus Line won the best Musical gong – its only award of the evening, and Rock Of Ages managed to score one win also (Kelly Devine, for the original choreography). Bert La Bonte took out the Best Supporting Male Actor Helpmann for An Officer and a Gentleman – another singular Helpmann for one of the big four musicals. But it was the two week season of Grey Gardens, presented by The Production Company who took out the Best Direction (Roger Hodgman) Best Female Actor (Pamela Rabe) and Best Supporting Female Actor (Nancye Hayes).
Best Play was awarded to last year’s Melbourne Festival standout Ganesh Versus the Third Reich, while Cate Blanchett’s standout performance in STC’s Gross und Klein (Big and Small) won her the Bobby for Best Female Actor in a Play.
Best Actor in a Musical winner Mitchell Butel (The Mikado) took time in his acceptance speech to mention performers’ concerns about the Foreign Artists Agreement issues and a surprise appearance by Hugh Jackman brightened the faces of all involved (although some had hoped for a Tony-esque closing number featuring our Hugh!).
Congratulations from the AussieTheatre team to all the nominees and winners, and to all the performers and presenters who gave up their time to recognise the wonderful and rich industry we have here in Australia.
Our red carpet feature video will be online within the next week – so stay tuned!
2012 Winners
Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical
Bert LaBonte
An Officer and a Gentleman
Sharleen Cooper Cohen, John Frost
Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical
Nancye Hayes
Grey Gardens
The Production Company
Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play
Bob Hornery
The Importance of Being Earnest
Melbourne Theatre Company
Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play
Robyn Nevin
Summer of the Seventeenth Doll
Belvoir
Best Costume Design
Toni Maticevski and Richard Nylon
Aviary: A Suite for the Bird
Phillip Adams BalletLab in Melbourne Festival 2011
Best Scenic Design
Brian Thomson
La Traviata
Opera Australia – Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour
Best Lighting Design
Paul Jackson
Little Match Girl
Malthouse Theatre in association with Meow Meow Revolution
Best Sound Design
Tony David Cray
La Traviata
Opera Australia – Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour
Best International Contemporary Concert
Prince Welcome 2 Australia
Prince, presented by Van Egmond Group and Chugg Entertainment
Best Contemporary Music Festival
MONA FOMA
Museum of Old and New Art
Best Australian Contemporary Concert
Kylie Aphrodite Les Folies Tour 2011
Kylie Minogue and The Frontier Touring Company
Best Choreography in a Dance or Physical Theatre Production
Stephen Page
ID from Belong
Bangarra Dance Theatre
Best Choreography in a Musical
Kelly Devine
Rock of Ages
Rodney Rigby and the Rock of Ages Australia Management LLC
Best Direction of a Musical
Roger Hodgman
Grey Gardens
The Production Company
Best Direction of an Opera
Leonard Foglia
Moby Dick
State Opera of South Australia
Best Direction of a Play
Benedict Andrews
Gross und Klein (Big and Small)
Sydney Theatre Company
Best Special Event
La Traviata
Opera Australia – Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour
Lotterywest Festival Celebration: Place Des Anges by Les Studios De Cirque
2012 Perth International Arts Festival
Best Original Score
David Page and Steve Francis
Belong
Bangarra Dance Theatre
Best Individual Classical Music Performance
Evgeny Kissin
Evgeny Kissin
Presented by Sydney Symphony and Brisbane Festival
Best Chamber &/or Instrumental Ensemble Concert
Tafelmusik ‘The Galileo Project: Music of the Spheres’
Musica Viva Australia
Best Symphony Orchestra Concert
Evgeny Kissin Plays Chopin
Sydney Symphony
Best Music Direction
Iain Grandage
Little Match Girl
Malthouse Theatre in association with Meow Meow Revolution
Best Male Performer in a Supporting Role in an Opera
Grant Doyle
Moby Dick
State Opera of South Australia
Best Female Performer in a Supporting Role in an Opera
Orla Boylan
Elektra
A Co-Production of West Australian Opera, ThinIce, Perth International Arts Festival and Opera Australia
Best New Australian Work
Paul Capsis, Julian Meyrick and Hilary Bell
Angela’s Kitchen
Griffin Theatre Company
Best Comedy Performer
Tim Minchin
Tim Minchin vs The Orchestras Round II
Fox in the Snow
Best Cabaret Performer
Meow Meow
Little Match Girl
Malthouse Theatre in association with Meow Meow Revolution
Best Regional Touring Production
Namatjira
Big hART, created with the Namatjira family
Best Presentation for Children
Boats
Terrapin Puppet Theatre
Best Visual or Physical Theatre Production
CIRCA
Circa
Best Male Dancer in a Dance or Physical Theatre Production
Paul White
Anatomy of an Afternoon
Martin del Amo, Performing Lines and Sydney Festival
Best Female Dancer in a Dance or Physical Theatre Production
Charmene Yap
2 One Another
Sydney Dance Company
Best Male Performer in an Opera
Anthony Dean Griffey
Of Mice & Men
Opera Australia
Best Female Performer in an Opera
Emma Matthews
La Traviata
Opera Australia – Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour
Best Male Actor in a Musical
Mitchell Butel
The Mikado
Opera Australia
Best Female Actor in a Musical
Pamela Rabe
Grey Gardens
The Production Company
Best Male Actor in a Play
Paul Capsis
Angela’s Kitchen
Griffin Theatre Company
Best Female Actor in a Play
Cate Blanchett
Gross und Klein (Big and Small)
Sydney Theatre Company
Best Ballet or Dance Work
Can We Talk About This?
Presented by DV8 Physical Theatre and Sydney Opera House. Co-produced with Théâtre de la Ville and Festival d’Automne, Paris, National Theatre of Great Britain and Dansens Hus Stockholm.
Best Opera
Moby Dick
State Opera of South Australia
Best Play
Ganesh Versus the Third Reich
Presented by Back to Back Theatre, Malthouse Theatre and Melbourne Festival
Best Musical
A Chorus Line
Tim Lawson in association with the Adelaide Festival Centre
