The 2017 Helpmann Awards were presented at a star-studded ceremony tonight, Monday 24 July, in front of a full house at the Capitol Theatre, Sydney on the set of Kinky Boots.
Check out all the winners below!
Celebrity Hosts for the evening were Tim Draxl and Jan Van De Stool. The celebrations continued after the ceremony as guests enjoyed an After Party at the Grand Ballroom, Hyatt Regency Sydney.
The high-profile line-up of Presenters included Trevor Ashley, Jimmy Barnes AO, Joan Carden AO OBE, Penny Cook, Joel Creasey, Chloe Dallimore, Charles Edwards, Toby Francis, Wayne Harrison AM, Deborah Hutton, Dami Im, Barry Jones AC, Andrew Kay AM, Minister for the Arts Don Harwin, Emma Matthews, David McAllister AM, Tim McFarlane AM, Kate Miller-Heidke, Richard Mills AM, Kate Mulvany, Stephen Page AO, Graeme Russell, Brooke Satchwell, Garry Stewart, Lyndon Terracini AM, and Brian Walsh.
At the ceremony, the 2017 Helpmann Award winners were announced in the categories of comedy, cabaret, presentation for children, contemporary music, dance and physical theatre, industry, musicals, opera and classical music, regional touring and theatre. Awards previously announced and presented live on stage tonight included the JC Williamson Award® recognising outstanding contribution to the Australian live performance industry presented to Richard Tognetti AO and the Sue Nattrass Award®, presented toRob Brookman AM, which honours exceptional service to the Australian live performance industry. A special bestowed award was also given to Ross Cunningham for his significant role and contribution to the live performance industry as LPA' slong standing Chair of the Helpmann Awards Administration Committee.
INDUSTRY
BEST NEW AUSTRALIAN WORK
Busty Beatz and Lisa Fa'alafi
HOT BROWN HONEY
Arts Centre Melbourne and Sydney Opera House in association with Briefs Factory presents
David Morton
THE WIDER EARTH
Queensland Theatre and Dead Puppets Society
Jacob Randell, Jascha Boyce, Simon McClure, Lauchlan Binns, Mieke Lizotte, Lewie West, Martin Schreiber, Joanne Curry, Lachlan Harper, Jackson Manson and Lewis Rankin
BACKBONE
Gravity and Other Myths and 2017 Adelaide Festival
Kate Mulvany
JASPER JONES
Melbourne Theatre Company
Leah Purcell ***WINNER***
THE DROVER'S WIFE
Belvoir
GIRL ASLEEP
Windmill Theatre Co
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
MY FAIR LADY
Opera Australia & John Frost
Gregg Barnes ***WINNER***
ALADDIN
Disney Theatrical Productions (Australia)
OUR LAND PEOPLE STORIES
Bangarra Dance Theatre
THE DROVER'S WIFE
Belvoir
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN
Geoff Cobham
BACKBONE
Gravity and Other Myths and 2017 Adelaide Festival
Joachim Klein ***WINNER***
SAUL
2017 Adelaide Festival in association with the State Opera of South Australia, the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and the Adelaide Festival Centre
Mark Howett and Sean McKernan
BOORNA WAANGINY
Perth International Arts Festival
Green Day's AMERICAN IDIOT
shake & stir co and QPAC
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Iain Grandage and Rahayu Supanggah ***WINNER***
SATAN JAWA
Arts Centre Melbourne and Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
Paul Kelly and Camille O'Sullivan with Feargal Murray
ANCIENT RAIN
Far and Away Productions in association with Brink Productions, co-commissioned by Melbourne Festival and Adelaide Cabaret Festival
Rully Shabara and Wukir Suryadi
ATTRACTOR
Dancenorth and Lucy Guerin Inc, with Melbourne Arts Centre, WOMADelaide and Brisbane Festival
Trey Parker, Matt Stone And Robert Lopez
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 MUSIC DIRECTION
Chong Lim
ROLLING THUNDER VIETNAM
Blake Entertainment
Erin Helyard ***WINNER***
SAUL
2017 Adelaide Festival in association with the State Opera of South Australia, the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and the Adelaide Festival Centre
Luke Hunter
KINKY BOOTS
Michael Cassel by special arrangement with Daryl Roth and Hal Luftig
Nicolette Fraillon AM
NIJINSKY
The Australian Ballet
BEST SCENIC DESIGN
Anna Cordingley ***WINNER***
JASPER JONES
Melbourne Theatre Company
Bob Crowley
ALADDIN
Disney Theatrical Productions (Australia)
David Morton & Aaron Barton
THE WIDER EARTH
Queensland Theatre & Dead Puppet Society
Katrin Lea Tag
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 SOUND DESIGN
Gareth Fry and Pete Malkin ***WINNER***
THE ENCOUNTER
Complicite, Sydney Festival, Malthouse Theatre, Adelaide Festival & Perth International Arts Festival
Kingsley Reeve
BOORNA WAANGINY
Perth International Arts Festival
MY FAIR LADY
Opera Australia and John Frost
Tony David Cray
SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE -THE OPERA (THE EIGHTH WONDER)
Opera Australia
CABARET
BEST CABARET PERFORMER
Betty Grumble
GRUMBLE: SEX CLOWN SAVES THE WORLD
Don't Be Lonely
Working Class Boy: An Evening of Stories & Songs
Frontier Touring and in Association with Premier Artists
Hope Haami, JuAnita Duncan, Ofa Fotu, Crystal Stacey, Alexis West, Ghenoa Gela, Lisa Fa'alafi and Kim 'Busty Beatz' Bowers ***WINNER***
Hot Brown Honey
Arts Centre Melbourne and Sydney Opera House in Association with Briefs Factory Presents
Sven Ratzke
Starman
Adelaide Festival Centre's Adelaide Cabaret Festival and Release Creative
COMEDY
BEST COMEDY PERFORMER
Aunty Donna
Big Boys
Century Entertainment
Hannah Gadsby ***WINNER***
Nanette
Token Events
Joel Creasey
Poser
Live Nation Australasia
Nazeem Hussain
Public Frenemy Nazeem Hussain
Live Nation Australasia
Sammy J
Hero Complex
Laughing Stock Productions
Tom Ballard
Problematic
Token Events
PRESENTATION FOR CHILDREN
BEST PRESENTATION FOR CHILDREN
CERITA ANAK
Polyglot Theatre and Papermoon Puppet Theatre, Presented by Arts Centre Melbourne and Asia TOPA
IN A DEEP DARK FOREST
The Inhabitors and Arts Centre Melbourne
JUMP FIRST, ASK LATER ***WINNER***
Powerhouse Youth Theatre, Force Majeure Arts Centre Melbourne and Sydney Opera House
NEW OWNER
The Last Great Hunt
REGIONAL TOURING
BEST REGIONAL TOURING PRODUCTION
COUNTERMOVE
Sydney Dance Company
TERRAIN ***WINNER***
Bangarra Dance Theatre
THE MOON'S A BALLOON
Patch Theatre Company
THEY SAW A THYLACINE
Human Animal Exchange and Performing Lines
CONTEMPORARY MUSIC
BEST AUSTRALIAN CONTEMPORARY CONCERT
MISSY HIGGINS ORCHESTRAL CONCERT SERIES 2016
Missy Higgins and Frontier Touring
FLUME
Flume, Future Classic, Chugg Entertainment and Laneway Presents
THE BEGINNING AND THE END
Deborah Conway & Willy Zygier with QPAC, NSFA, Arts Centre Melbourne, Theatre Royale, Margaret River Cultural Centre and StudioVictor
NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS ***WINNER***
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds and Billions Australia
BEST INTERNATIONAL CONTEMPORARY CONCERT
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band - Summer '17
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band and Frontier Touring
ADELE LIVE 2017
Adele and Live Nation Australasia
Patti Smith AND HER BAND AUSTRALIA TOUR 2017 ***WINNER***
Patti Smith and Bluesfest Touring
PJ Harvey and Billions Australia
BEST CONTEMPORARY MUSIC FESTIVAL
ST JEROME'S LANEWAY FESTIVAL 2017
Lunatic Entertainment and Laneway Presents
THE 28TH ANNUAL BLUESFEST BYRON BAY
The 28th Annual Bluesfest Byron Bay
MONA FOMA 2017 ***WINNER***
Museum of Old and New Art
WOMADELAIDE 2017
Womadelaide Foundation
DANCE AND PHYSICAL THEATRE
BEST BALLET
WE WHO ARE LEFT
Queensland Ballet and QPAC
STRICTLY GERSHWIN
Queensland Ballet and QPAC
SOLO ECHO
Nederlands Dans Theatre and Arts Centre Melbourne
BALLET PRELJOCAJ'S SNOW WHITE ***WINNER***
QPAC in association with Brisbane Festival
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY IN A BALLET, DANCE OR PHYSICAL THEATRE PRODUCTION
DarCy Grant with Jacob Randell, Jascha Boyce, Simon McClure, Lachlan Binns, Mieke Lizotte, Lewie West, Martin Schreiber, Joanne Curry, Lachlan Harper, Jackson Manson, Triton Tunis-Mitchel and Lewis Rankin
BACKBONE
Gravity & Other Myths and Adelaide Festival
Gideon Obarzanek and Lucy Guerin ***WINNER***
ATTRACTOR
Dancenorth and Lucy Guerin Inc, with Melbourne Arts Centre, Asia TOPA, WOMADelaide and Brisbane Festival
Lucy Guerin
SPLIT
Lucy Guerin Inc and Arts House
Gabrielle Nakivell
WILDEBEEST
Sydney Dance Company
BEST FEMALE DANCER IN A BALLET, DANCE OR PHYSICAL THEATRE PRODUCTION
Elma Kris
NYAPANYAPA
Bangarra Dance Theatre
Samantha Hines
ATTRACTOR
Dancenorth and Lucy Guerin Inc, with Melbourne Arts Centre, Asia TOPA, WOMADelaide and Brisbane Festival
Lilian Steiner ***WINNER***
SPLIT
Lucy Guerin Inc and Arts House
Melanie Lane
SPLIT
Lucy Guerin Inc and Arts House
BEST MALE DANCER IN A BALLET, DANCE OR PHYSICAL THEATRE PRODUCTIN
Kevin Jackson ***WINNER***
NIJINSKY
The Australian Ballet
Benjamin Hancock
THE DARK CHORUS
Lucy Guerin Inc
Andre Santos
BEAUTY & THE BEAST
West Australian Ballet
Bernhard Knauer
WILDEBEEST
Sydney Dance Company
BEST VISUAL OR PHYSICAL THEATRE PRODUCTION
SEDIMENT
Company 2
STILL LIFE
Dimitris Papaioannou presented by Sydney Festival
MERMERMER
Chunky Move (Next Move), by Nicola Gunn and Jo Lloyd
SNAKE SESSIONS ***WINNER***
Branch Nebula, produced by Intimate Spectacle, toured by Arts on Tour
BEST DANCE PRODUCTION
INTIMATE SPACE
Restless Dance Theatre in association with Adelaide Festival
OUR LAND PEOPLE STORIES
Bangarra Dance Theatre
ATTRACTOR ***WINNER***
Dancenorth and Lucy Guerin Inc, with Melbourne Arts Centre, Asia TOPA, WOMADelaide and Brisbane Festival
SPLIT
Lucy Guerin Inc and Arts House
OPERA AND CLASSICAL MUSIC
BEST CHAMBER AND/OR INSTRUMENTAL ENSEMBLE CONCERT
MONTEVERDI, L'ORFEO
Concerto Italiano and Adelaide Festival
ACADEMY OF ST MARTIN IN THE FIELDS ***WINNER***
Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Melbourne Recital Centre, Sydney Opera House and QPAC
BACH VIOLIN CONCERTO
Australian Chamber Orchestra
JULIA LEZHNEVA - BAROQUE BRILLIANCE
Australian Chamber Orchestra
BEST DIRECTION OF AN OPERA
Barrie Kosky ***WINNER***
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
Sir David McVicar
COSI FAN TUTTE
Opera Australia
Damiano Michieletto
CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA & I PAGLIACCI
Opera Australia
Gale Edwards AM
CLOUDSTREET
State Opera South Australia
BEST FEMALE PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN AN OPERA
Anna Dowsley
COSI FAN TUTTE
Opera Australia
Lorina Gore ***WINNER***
KING ROGER
Opera Australia
Taryn Fiebig
COSI FAN TUTTE
Opera Australia
Caitlin Hulcup
THEODORA
Pinchgut Opera
BEST FEMALE PERFORMER IN AN OPERA
Lise Lindstrom ***WINNER***
THE RING CYCLE
Opera Australia
Nicole Car
COSI FAN TUTTE
Opera Australia
Antoinette Halloran
TOSCA
West Australian Opera
Rachelle Durkin
ARMIDA
Pinchgut Opera
BEST INDIVIDUAL CLASSICAL PERFORMANCE
Joshua Bell ***WINNER***
ACADEMY OF ST MARTIN IN THE FIELDS
Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Melbourne Recital Centre, Sydney Opera House and QPAC
Christoph von Dohnanyi
ROMANTIC MEMORIES: DOHNANYI CONDUCTS BRUCKNER
Sydney Symphony Orchestra
Daniil Trifonov
YOUNG RUSSIANS: PROKOFIEV, RACHMANINOFF AND SHOSTAKOVICH
Sydney Symphony Orchestra
Richard Tognetti AO
BACH VIOLIN CONCERTOS
Australian Chamber Orchestra
BEST MALE PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN AN OPERA
Kanen Breen ***WINNER***
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
Jose Carbo
CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA & I PAGLIACCI
Opera Australia
Saimir Pirgu
KING ROGER
Opera Australia
Daniel Sumegi
THE RING CYCLE
Opera Australia
BEST MALE PEROFRMER IN AN OPERA
Christopher Purves ***WINNER***
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
Michael Honeyman
KING ROGER
Opera Australia
YongHoon Lee
CARMEN
Opera Australia
George Petean
SIMON BOCCANEGRA
Opera Australia
BEST OPERA
SAUL ***WINNER***
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
KING ROGER
Opera Australia
COSI FAN TUTTE
Opera Australia
CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA & I PAGLIACCI
Opera Australia
BEST SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA CONCERT
THE RITE OF SPRING - PRIMAL
Sydney Symphony Orchestra
THE FIREBIRD - RAVISHING
Sydney Symphony Orchestra
STEMME, SKELTON, TRISTAN & ISOLDE ***WINNER***
Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra
ASHER FISCH CONDUCTS RESURRECTION
West Australian Symphony Orchestra
THEATRE
BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY
Susie Dee
SHIT
Dee & Cornelius, Presented by Sydney Festival
FAITH HEALER
Belvoir
Kip Williams
CHIMERICA
Leticia Caceres ***WINNER***
THE DROVER'S WIFE
Belvoir
BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A PLAY
Kate Mulvany ***WINNER***
RICHARD 3
Bell Shakespeare
Alison Whyte
FAITH HEALER
Belvoir
Helen Morse
JOHN
Melbourne Theatre Company
THE DROVER'S WIFE
Belvoir
BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A PLAY
Amber McMahon ***WINNER***
GIRL ASLEEP
Windmill Theatre Company
Chloe Bayliss
GLORIA
Griffin Theatre Company
Tilda Cobham-Hervey
THINGS I KNOW TO BE TRUE
State Theatre Company South Australia and Frantic Assembly
Melita Jurisic
JOHN
Melbourne Theatre Company
BEST MALE ACTOR IN A PLAY
Colin Friels
FAITH HEALER
Belvoir
Jason Klarwein
ONCE IN ROYAL DAVID'S CITY
Queensland Theatre and BLACK SWAN State Theatre Company
Jason Chong
CHIMERICA
Mark Coles Smith ***WINNER***
THE DROVER'S WIFE
Belvoir
BEST MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A PLAY
Jamie Oxenbould
The Literati
Bell Shakespeare & Griffin Theatre Company
Guy Simon ***WINNER***
JASPER JONES
Melbourne Theatre Company
FAITH HEALER
Belvoir
TWELFTH NIGHT
Belvoir
BEST PLAY
THINGS I KNOW TO BE TRUE
State Theatre Company South Australia and Frantic Assembly
ONCE IN ROYAL DAVID'S CITY
Queensland Theatre and BLACK SWAN State Theatre Company
JASPER JONES
Melbourne Theatre Company
THE DROVER'S WIFE ***WINNER***
Belvoir
MUSICALS
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY IN A MUSICAL
Jerry Mitchell ***WINNER***
KINKY BOOTS
Michael Cassel by special arrangement with Daryl Roth and Hal Luftig
MY FAIR LADY
Opera Australia & John Frost
ALADDIN
Disney Theatrical Productions (Australia)
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 DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL
KINKY BOOTS
Michael Cassel by special arrangement with Daryl Roth and Hal Luftig
MY FAIR LADY
Opera Australia & John Frost
ALADDIN
Disney Theatrical Productions (Australia)
Trey Parker and Casey Nickolaw ***WINNER***
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 FEMALE ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Sophie Wright
KINKY BOOTS
Michael Cassel by special arrangement with Daryl Roth and Hal Luftig
Amy Lehpamer
DUSTY
The Production Company Ltd
Anna O'Byrne ***WINNER***
MY FAIR LADY
Opera Australia & John Frost
Zahara Newman
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 FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL
KINKY BOOTS
Michael Cassel by special arrangement with Daryl Roth and Hal Luftig
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, Greenlief Productions and Michael Lynch
Phoebe Panaretos
Green Day'S AMERICAN IDIOT
Shake & stir theatre co and QPAC
Robyn Nevin ***WINNER***
MY FAIR LADY
Opera Australia & John Frost
BEST MALE ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Callum Francis ***WINNER***
KINKY BOOTS
Michael Cassel by special arrangement with Daryl Roth and Hal Luftig
MY FAIR LADY
Opera Australia & John Frost
ALADDIN
Disney Theatrical Productions (Australia)
AJ Holmes
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 MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL
MY FAIR LADY
Opera Australia & John Frost
Michael James Scott ***WINNER***
ALADDIN
Disney Theatrical Productions (Australia)
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
Rowan Witt
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 MUSICAL
KINKY BOOTS
Michael Cassel by special arrangement with Daryl Roth and Hal Luftig
MY FAIR LADY
Opera Australia & John Frost
ALADDIN
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