Helpmann Awards: How it unfolded
Troy Dodds’ live coverage of the 2011 Helpmann Award Ceremony
Troy Dodds with coverage of the 2011 Helpmann Awards:
11:08pm: That brings an end to our coverage of the Helpmanns for the evening. Rock of Ages closed the show. The guests, winners and nominees are now off to the party.
11.00pm: That’s eight awards for Poppins.
10:59pm: Mary Poppins wins Best Musical.
10:56pm: Caroline O’Connor and Alan Jones on stage to present Best Musical.
10:55pm: The winner of Best Play is The Wild Duck over at the Belvoir in Sydney.
10:52pm: The award for Best Opera goes to Opera Australia for Partenope
10:49pm: Best Ballet or Dance Work taken out by Where The Heart Is.
10:46pm: Best Physical or Dance Production won by Not In A Million Years.
10:43pm: Cast of Stomp performing live on stage now. I’ve also just put up an opinion piece in the regular columns section.
10:33pm: The big awards are coming! Right now, the 10 Tenors are performing the Meat Loaf classic ‘I’d Do Anything For Love’.
10:31pm: Best Female Actor in a Play won by Cate Blanchett for Uncle Vanya.
10:28pm: Best Male Actor in a Play won by Geoffrey Rush.
10:25pm: Verity Hunt Ballard wins Best Female Actor in a musical for Mary Poppins. “What an incredible time for women in the arts in this country… I am truly honoured,” she said.
10:21pm: Matt Lee wins his first Helpmann, taking home Best Male Actor in a Musical. “I grew up just wanting to sing like Anthony Warlow and to be in a category with him is just incredible,” he said.
10:18pm: Lucy Maunder and Taneel Van Zyl performing live. Brilliant work… Maunder is one of this country’s strongest female voices.
10:14pm: Emma Matthews wins Best Female Performer in an Opera. She’s now won more Helpmann Awards than any other artist. Good to see the last two winners actually in the audience!
10:12pm: John Wegner wins Best Male Performer in an Opera.
10:08pm: Best Male Dancer in a Dance of Physical Dancer Production taken home by Paul White. Best Female won by Kristina Chan.
10:01pm: Best Director of a Play won by Neil Armfield for Diary of a Madman.
10.00pm: Nigel Jamieson wins Best Director of an Opera.
9:59pm: Mary Poppins wins another. Richard Eyre and Matthew Bourne take out Best Direction.
9:56pm: Mary Poppins wins Best Choreography. Congratulations to Matthew Bourne and Stephen Mear.
9:55pm: Best Choreography in a Dance or Physical Theatre Production won by Natalie Weir for Where the Heart Is.
9:50pm: Jaz Flowers currently leading the Hairspray cast in a live performance.
9:48pm: They’ve just paid an emotional tribute to those who have left this world in the past year.
9:40pm: Best Australian Contemporary Concert won by Powderfinger.
9:38pm: Best Regional Touring Production taken home by Bangarra Dance Theatre for Mathinna.
9:35pm: Best Music Festival won by Spelndour in the Grass 2010.
9:32pm: Best International Contemporary Concert won by Leonard Cohen @ Hanging Rock.
9:28pm: Best Presentation for Children won by Me and My Shadow, Patch Theatre Company.
9:25pm: Tim Minchin wins Best New Australian Work.
9:24pm: NSW Government announces it will support the Helpmann Awards for three more years at the Sydney Opera House.
9:20pm: Jill Perryman, Nancye Hayes and Toni Lamond celebrated and honoured as they are given the JC Williamson award.
9:15pm: Sharon Millerchip, Caroline O’Connor and Amanda Harrison currently performing ‘Broadway Baby’ as tribute to Perryman, Hayes and Lamond.
9:09pm: Todd McKenney is currently talking about Nancye Hayes, Jill Perryman and Toni Lamond, as they prepare to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
9:05pm Stephen Brooker and Michael Tyack win Best Music Direction for Mary Poppins.
9:03pm: The winner of Best Symphony Orchestra Concert is Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.
9:02pm: Sydney Symphony wins Best Chamber and/or Instrumental Ensemble Concert.
8:59pm: Best Individual Classical Performance goes to Simon Rattle.
8:56pm: Alan John wins Best Original Score for Dairy of a Madman.
8:51pm: Peter Grubb wins Best Sound Design for Mary Poppins.
8:50pm: Love Never Dies takes home another one. Nick Schliper wins for Best Lighting Design.
8:44pm: Gabriela Tylesova wins Best Costume Design for Love Never Dies and backs it up with another award for Best Scenic Design, also for Love Never Dies.
8:43pm: Ben Lewis with a brilliant live performance from Love Never Dies
8:36pm: Eddie Perfect wins Best Cabaret Performer.
8:31pm: We’re churning through the winners! Denise Scott wins Best Comedy Performer.
8:29pm: Elizabeth Campbell wins Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in an Opera. So far the majority of winners haven’t been there to collect their awards!
8:26pm: Kanen Breen wins best Male Actor in a Supporting Role in an Opera
8:22pm: Anita Hegh wins Best Supporting Actress in a Play.
8:21pm: Anthony Phelan wins Best Supporting Actor in a Play.
8:18pm: Esther Hannaford takes home Best Supporting Actress in a Musical.
8:16pm: Mary Poppins wins first Helpmann for the night. Phillip Quast takes home Best Supporting Actor in a Musical.
8:14pm: Jonathan Biggins survives his opening gambit. Relatively unscathed.
8:06pm: Mary Poppins opening the show – Verity Hunt Ballard and the cast performing live.
7.58pm: We’re just minutes away from the 2011 Helpmann Awards
7:43pm: The pre-ceremony is done and dusted and the Live Helpmann Awards are about 15 minutes away. Stand by!
