The Helpmann Awards are the premier celebration of Australia’s vibrant live performance industry. The Awards recognise achievement and excellence in Australia’s live performance sectors including musicals, contemporary music, comedy, opera and classical music, theatre, ballet, dance and physical theatre, presentations for children, regional touring and cabaret.
Live Performance Australia (LPA) announced the Nominees in the 42 categories of the Helpmann Awards at simultaneous events in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.
The 18th Annual Helpmann Awards Live in Sydney will be held in two parts. Act 1 will take place at on Sunday 15 July at Sydney Town Hall and Act 2 is to be presented at The Capitol Theatre in Sydney on Monday 16 July.
Below are the list of nominations announced at the official presentations around Australia.
ACT I Sunday 15 July 2018
BEST MALE PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN AN OPERA
JUD ARTHUR – Hamlet
Glyndebourne Festival and Adelaide Festival in association with the State Opera of South Australia and the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra
KANEN BREEN – Coronation of Poppea
Pinchgut Opera
KIM BEGLEY – Hamlet
Glyndebourne Festival and Adelaide Festival in association with the State Opera of South Australia and the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra
WARWICK FYFE – Don Quichotte
Opera Australia
BEST FEMALE PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN AN OPERA
ANTOINETTE HALLORAN – Cunning Little Vixen
Victorian Opera
LORINA GORE – Hamlet
Glyndebourne Festival and Adelaide Festival in association with the State Opera of South Australia and the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra
MEOW MEOW- Black Rider: The Casting of the Magic Bullets
Victorian Opera and Malthouse Theatre in association with Melbourne Festival
NATALIE CHRISTIE PELUSO – Coronation of Poppea
Pinchgut Opera
BEST MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A PLAY
COLIN MOODY – The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui
Sydney Theatre Company
HARRY GREENWOOD – Cloud Nine
Sydney Theatre Company
MITCHELL BUTEL – Mr Burns, A Post-Electric Play
Belvoir and State Theatre Company South Australia
PETER CARROLL – The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui
Sydney Theatre Company
BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A PLAY
ANITA HEGH – The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui
Sydney Theatre Company
ELAINE CROMBIE – An Octoroon
Queensland Theatre and Brisbane Festival
JANE MONTGOMERY-GRIFFITHS – Macbeth
Melbourne Theatre Company
KATE BOX – Top Girls
Sydney Theatre Company
BEST MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL
BOBBY FOX – Assassins
Hayes Theatre Co
MARTIN CREWES – Dream Lover
John Frost and Gilbert Theatrical
MAT VEREVIS – Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
Michael Cassel in association with Paul Blake & Sony/ATV Music Publishing & Mike Bosner
ROBERT GRUBB – Priscilla Queen of the Desert – The Musical
Michael Cassel Group and Nullarbor Productions in association with MGM on Stage
BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL
AMY LEHPAMER – Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
Michael Cassel in association with Paul Blake & Sony/ATV Music Publishing & Mike Bosner
CHRISTIE WHELAN BROWNE – Muriel’s Wedding The Musical
Sydney Theatre Company and Global Creatures
JEMMA RIX – The Wizard of Oz
John Frost and Suzanne Jones by arrangement with The Production Company
MADELEINE JONES – Muriel’s Wedding The Musical
Sydney Theatre Company and Global Creatures
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
GABRIELA TYLESOVA – Muriel’s Wedding The Musical
Sydney Theatre Company and Global Creatures
JENNIFER IRWIN – Bennelong
Bangarra Dance Theatre
JONATHON OXLADE – Mr Burns, A Post-Electric Play
Belvoir and State Theatre Company South Australia
ZOË ATKINSON – Black Rider: The Casting of the Magic Bullets
Victorian Opera and Malthouse Theatre in association with Melbourne Festival
BEST SCENIC DESIGN
BOB CROWLEY – Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
The Australian Ballet
BUNNY CHRISTIE – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
National Theatre, Melbourne Theatre Company and Arts Centre Melbourne
DAVID MORTON, JONATHON OXLADE AND JUSTIN HARRISON – Laser Beak Man
Brisbane Festival, La Boite Theatre Company and Dead Puppet Society in association with PowerArts
JACOB NASH – Bennelong
Bangarra Dance Theatre
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN
DAMIEN COOPER – You Animal, You
Force Majeure, Sydney Festival and Carriageworks
GEOFF COBHAM – Emil and the Detectives
Slingsby
NICK SCHLIEPER – Bennelong
Bangarra Dance Theatre
PAULE CONSTABLE – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
National Theatre, Melbourne Theatre Company and Arts Centre Melbourne
BEST SOUND DESIGN
BYRON J. SCULLIN, TOM SUPPLE AND HANNAH FOX – Siren Song
Byron J. Scullin & Supple Fox and Perth Festival
IAN DICKINSON FOR AUTOGRAPH – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
National Theatre, Melbourne Theatre Company and Arts Centre Melbourne
MICHAEL WATERS – Dream Lover
John Frost and Gilbert Theatrical
MICHAEL WATERS – Muriel’s Wedding The Musical
Sydney Theatre Company and Global Creatures
BEST MUSIC DIRECTION
BRIAN RITCHIE – The Spirit of Churaki
Bleach* Festival and Banaam
ISAAC HAYWARD – Muriel’s Wedding The Musical
Sydney Theatre Company and Global Creatures
NICOLETTE FRAILLON – Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
The Australian Ballet
PHOEBE BRIGGS – Black Rider: The Casting of the Magic Bullets
Victorian Opera and Malthouse Theatre in association with Melbourne Festival
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
KATE MILLER-HEIDKE & KEIR NUTTAL – Muriel’s Wedding The Musical
Sydney Theatre Company and Global Creatures
MAX RICHTER – Woolf Works
The Royal Ballet & QPAC
SAM CROMACK – Laser Beak Man
Brisbane Festival, La Boite Theatre Company and Dead Puppet Society in association with PowerArts
STEVE FRANCIS – Bennelong
Bangarra Dance Theatre
BEST SPECIAL EVENT
TAYLOR MAC: A 24-DECADE HISTORY OF POPULAR MUSIC
Melbourne International Arts Festival
BEST PRESENTATION FOR CHILDREN
EMIL AND THE DETECTIVES
Slingsby
JUNK
Flying Fruit Fly Circus
Sydney Opera House and Arts Centre Melbourne
TETRIS
DreamBIG Children’s Festival 2017 at Adelaide Festival Centre
THE SECRET LIFE OF SUITCASES
Arts Centre Melbourne, Ailie Cohen Puppet Maker and The Unicorn Theatre London
BEST REGIONAL TOURING PRODUCTION
HELLO, GOODBYE AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Roslyn Oades and Performing Lines
ODDYSEA
Sensorium Theatre and Performing Lines WA
OUR LAND PEOPLE STORIES
Bangarra Dance Theatre
SALTBUSH
Insite Arts, Compagnia TPO and Performing Lines/Blak Lines
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY IN A BALLET, DANCE OR PHYSICAL THEATRE PRODUCTION
CHRISTOPHER WHEELDON – Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
The Australian Ballet
PHILLIP ADAMS – EVER
Phillip Adams BalletLab in association with Melbourne Festival
STEPHEN PAGE – Bennelong
Bangarra Dance Theatre
WAYNE MCGREGOR – Woolf Works
The Royal Ballet & QPAC
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY IN A MUSICAL
ANDREW HALLSWORTH – Muriel’s Wedding The Musical
Sydney Theatre Company and Global Creatures
JOSH PRINCE – Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
Michael Cassel in association with Paul Blake & Sony/ATV Music Publishing & Mike Bosner
KAREN BRUCE – The Bodyguard
John Frost, Michael Harrison and David Ian with Michael Watt, Brian Fenty, Tulchin/Bartner, BB Group/Freddy Burger, Elizabeth Williams and Jeanne and Ed Arnold
TOM HODGSON – MAMMA MIA! The Musical
Michael Coppel, Louise Withers & Linda Bewick
BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY
KIP WILLIAMS – Cloud Nine
Sydney Theatre Company
KIP WILLIAMS – The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui
Sydney Theatre Company
MATTHEW LUTTON – The Real and Imagined History of the Elephant Man
Malthouse Theatre
SARAH GOODES – The Children
Melbourne Theatre Company and Sydney Theatre Company
BEST DIRECTION OF AN OPERA
BARRIE KOSKY – The Nose
Opera Australia
MATTHEW LUTTON – Black Rider: The Casting of the Magic Bullets
Victorian Opera and Malthouse Theatre in association with Melbourne Festival
NEIL ARMFIELD – Hamlet
Glyndebourne Festival and Adelaide Festival in association with the State Opera of South Australia and the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra
STUART MAUNDER AM – Cunning Little Vixen
Victorian Opera
BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL
DEAN BRYANT – Assassins
Hayes Theatre Co
MARC BRUNI – Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
Michael Cassel in association with Paul Blake & Sony/ATV Music Publishing & Mike Bosner
SIMON PHILLIPS – Dream Lover
John Frost and Gilbert Theatrical
SIMON PHILLIPS – Muriel’s Wedding The Musical
Sydney Theatre Company and Global Creatures
ACT II Monday 16 July 2018
BEST MALE ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
DAVID CAMPBELL – Assassins
Hayes Theatre Co
DAVID CAMPBELL – Dream Lover
John Frost and Gilbert Theatrical
DAVID HARRIS – Priscilla Queen of the Desert – The Musical
Michael Cassel Group and Nullarbor Productions in association with MGM on Stage
EUAN DOIDGE – Priscilla Queen of the Desert – The Musical
Michael Cassel Group and Nullarbor Productions in association with MGM on Stage
IAN STENLAKE – MAMMA MIA! The Musical
Michael Coppel, Louise Withers & Linda Bewick
BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
ESTHER HANNAFORD – Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
Michael Cassel in association with Paul Blake & Sony/ATV Music Publishing & Mike Bosner
MAGGIE MCKENNA – Muriel’s Wedding The Musical
Sydney Theatre Company and Global Creatures
MARINA PRIOR – Dream Lover
John Frost and Gilbert Theatrical
NATALIE O’DONNELL – MAMMA MIA! The Musical
Michael Coppel, Louise Withers & Linda Bewick
BEST MALE ACTOR IN A PLAY
DANIEL MONKS – The Real and Imagined History of the Elephant Man
Malthouse Theatre
HUGO WEAVING – The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui
Sydney Theatre Company
JOHN BELL – The Father
Sydney Theatre Company and Melbourne Theatre Company
TOBY SCHMITZ – Thyestes
A Belvoir production, originally created by The Hayloft Project
BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A PLAY
HELEN MORSE – Memorial
Brink Productions and Adelaide Festival in association with Adelaide Festival Centre, Brisbane Festival and Melbourne Festival through the Major Festival’s Initiative, the 1418 NOW: WW1 Centenary Art Commissions, UK, and the Barbican
MIRANDA DAUGHTRY – A Doll’s House
State Theatre Company South Australia
PAMELA RABE – The Children
Melbourne Theatre Company and Sydney Theatre Company
SARAH PEIRSE – The Children
Melbourne Theatre Company and Sydney Theatre Company
BEST COMEDY PERFORMER
ANNE EDMONDS – Helen Bidou – Enter the Spinnaker Lounge
Token Events
CELIA PACQUOLA – All Talk
Token Events
COLIN LANE & FRANK WOODLEY – Lano & Woodley – Fly
Token Events
JULIA MORRIS – Lift and Separate Golden Jubilee
Live Nation
RHYS NICHOLSON – Seminal
Century
URZILA CARLSON – Studies Have Shown
Live Nation
ZOE COOMBS MARR – Bossy Bottom
Token Events
BEST CABARET PERFORMER
BRIEFS ENSEMBLE – Briefs: Close Encounters
Briefs Factory
QUEENIE VAN DE ZANDT – BLUE: The Songs of Joni Mitchell
Neil Gooding Productions & Queenie van de Zandt
REUBEN KAYE – Journey to the Centre of Attention
Adelaide Festival Centre’s Adelaide Cabaret Festival
TAYLOR MAC – 24-Decade History of Popular Music
Melbourne International Arts Festival
BEST MALE DANCER IN A BALLET, DANCE OR PHYSICAL THEATRE PRODUCTION
BEAU DEAN RILEY SMITH – Bennelong
Bangarra Dance Theatre
JOSHUA THOMSON – TIDE
Bleach* Festival, The Farm and City of Gold Coast
KEVIN JACKSON – Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
The Australian Ballet
NELSON EARL – Ocho
Sydney Dance Company
BEST FEMALE DANCER IN A BALLET, DANCE OR PHYSICAL THEATRE PRODUCTION
AKO KONDO – Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
The Australian Ballet
ELISE MAY – Behind Closed Doors
Expressions Dance Company and QPAC
MELISSA BONIFACE – The Great Gatsby
West Australian Ballet
VIVIENNE WONG – Infra
The Australian Ballet
BEST VISUAL OR PHYSICAL THEATRE PRODUCTION
CARRION – Justin Shoulder
LIMBO UNHINGED – Strut & Fret Production House
TIDE – BLEACH* Festival & The Farm
WHITE SPIRIT – Zaman Production & Galerie Itinerrance In Collaboration with the Musée Du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac and Perth Festival
BEST MALE PERFORMER IN AN OPERA
ALLAN CLAYTON – Hamlet
Glyndebourne Festival and Adelaide Festival in association with the State Opera of South Australia and the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra
BARRY RYAN – Cunning Little Vixen
Victorian Opera
FERRUCCIO FURLANETTO – Don Quichotte
Opera Australia
KANEN BREEN – Black Rider: The Casting of the Magic Bullets
Victorian Opera and Malthouse Theatre in association with Melbourne Festival
BEST FEMALE PERFORMER IN AN OPERA
DIMITY SHEPHERD – Black Rider: The Casting of the Magic Bullets
Victorian Opera and Malthouse Theatre in association with Melbourne Festival
HELEN SHERMAN – Coronation of Poppea
Pinchgut Opera
NICOLE CAR – La Traviata
Opera Australia
TARYN FIEBIG – Triple Bill
Pinchgut Opera
BEST INTERNATIONAL CONTEMPORARY CONCERT
CÉCILE MCLORIN SALVANT AND ADELAIDE FESTIVAL
– Cécile McLorin Salvant
ED SHEERAN & FRONTIER TOURING
– ÷ World Tour 2018
PAUL MCCARTNEY, FRONTIER TOURING, MPL & MARSHALL ARTS
– Paul McCartney: One On One World Tour 2017
UNDERWORLD AND SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE PRESENTS
– Underworld
BEST CONTEMPORARY MUSIC FESTIVAL
CHUGG ENTERTAINMENT AND ROB POTTS ENTERTAINMENT EDGE
– CMC Rocks QLD 2018
LUNATIC ENTERTAINMENT & LANEWAY PRESENTS
– St. Jeromes Laneway Festival 2018
MUSEUM OF OLD AND NEW ART (MONA)
– MONA FOMA
WOMADELAIDE FOUNDATION
– WOMADelaide 2018
BEST AUSTRALIAN CONTEMPORARY CONCERT
ARMAND VAN HELDEN, MELBOURNE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, FRONTIER TOURING AND ARTS CENTRE MELBOURNE
– Symphonica with Armand van Helden
GANG OF YOUTHS AND LIVE NATION
– Gang of Youths – Australia 2017
GOTYE PRESENTED BY SYDNEY FESTIVAL & MONA FOMA
– Gotye Presents a Tribute to Jean-Jacques Perrey
MIDNIGHT OIL & FRONTIER TOURING
–The Great Circle World Tour 2017
BEST INDIVIDUAL CLASSICAL MUSIC PERFORMANCE
EMANUEL AX – A Mozart Celebration: Emanuel Ax with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra The Sydney Symphony Orchestra
JONAS KAUFMANN – Parsifal
Opera Australia
KWANGCHUL YOUN – Parsifal
Opera Australia
PIETER WISPELWEY – Pieter Wispelwey plays the Bach Cello Suites
The Sydney Symphony Orchestra
BEST CHAMBER AND/OR INSTRUMENTAL ENSEMBLE CONCERT
HUMAN REQUIEM – Rundfunkchor Berlin
Adelaide Festival
JORDI SAVALL WITH HESPERION XXI & TEMBEMBE ENSAMBLE CONTINUO
– Perth Festival, Sydney Opera House, Melbourne Recital Centre & QPAC
PIETER WISPELWEY: BEETHOVEN, BACH, BRAHMS WITH CAROLINE ALMONTE – Pieter Wispelwey & Caroline Almonte and Melbourne Recital Centre
TAKACS QUARTET
– Musica Viva Australia
BEST SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA CONCERT
BEETHOVEN AND BRUCKNER: SIMONE YOUNG CONDUCTS
– The Sydney Symphony Orchestra
BLUEBEARD’S CASTLE: WITH BACH AND BRAHMS
– The Sydney Symphony Orchestra
ORCHESTRA OF THE AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT WITH RACHEL PODGER
– Musica Viva Australia
WAGNER AND BEYOND: INSPIRING WAGNER
– West Australian Symphony Orchestra
BEST BALLET
ALICE’S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND
– The Australian Ballet
THE GREAT GATSBY
– West Australian Ballet
THE WINTER’S TALE
– The Royal Ballet & QPAC
WOOLF WORKS
– The Royal Ballet & QPAC
BEST DANCE PRODUCTION
BENNELONG
– Bangarra Dance Theatre
INTIMATE SPACE
– Restless Dance Theatre
Restless Dance Theatre in association with Bleach* Festival and Festival 2018
MOZART AIRBORNE
– Expressions Dance Company, Opera Queensland and QPAC
ONE FLAT THING, REPRODUCED
– STRUT DANCE
BEST PLAY
BLACK IS THE NEW WHITE
– Sydney Theatre Company
LASER BEAK MAN
Brisbane Festival, La Boite Theatre Company and Dead Puppet Society in association with PowerArts
THE CHILDREN
Melbourne Theatre Company and Sydney Theatre Company
THE IRRESISTIBLE
– Side Pony Productions & The Last Great Hunt
THE REAL AND IMAGINED HISTORY OF THE ELEPHANT MAN
– Malthouse Theatre
THE RESISTIBLE RISE OF ARTURO UI
– Sydney Theatre Company
BEST OPERA
BLACK RIDER: THE CASTING OF THE MAGIC BULLETS
– Malthouse Theatre and Victorian Opera
Victorian Opera and Malthouse Theatre in association with Melbourne Festival
CUNNING LITTLE VIXEN
–Victorian Opera
HAMLET
– Glyndebourne Festival, Adelaide Festival, State Opera Of South Australia and The Adelaide Symphony Orchestra
THE NOSE
– Opera Australia
BEST MUSICAL
BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL
Michael Cassel In Association With Paul Blake & Sony/Atv Music Publishing & Mike Bosner
DREAM LOVER
John Frost And Gilbert Theatrical
MAMMA MIA! THE MUSICAL
Michael Coppel, Louise Withers & Linda Bewick
MURIEL’S WEDDING THE MUSCIAL
Sydney Theatre Company and Global Creatures
BEST NEW AUSTRALIAN WORK
BRETT DEAN AND MATTHEW JOCELYN – Hamlet
Glyndebourne Festival and Adelaide Festival in association with the State Opera of South Australia and the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra
COLIN LANE & FRANK WOODLEY – Lano & Woodley – Fly
Token Events
NAKKIAH LUI – Black is the New White
Sydney Theatre Company
NICHOLAS PAINE, DAVID MORTON, TIM SHARP AND SAM CROMACK – Laser Beak Man
Brisbane Festival, La Boite Theatre Company and Dead Puppet Society in association with PowerArts
PJ HOGAN, KATE MILLER-HEIDKE & KEIR NUTTALL – Muriel’s Wedding The Musical
Sydney Theatre Company and Global Creatures
STEPHEN PAGE – Bennelong
Bangarra Dance Theatre
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
2017 CENTENARY SUE NATTRASS AWARD®
CARRILO GANTNER AO
SUSAN PROVAN AO
IAN MCRAE AO
RHODA ROBERTS AO
FRANK VAN STRATEN AM
2017 CENTENARY JC WILLIAMSON AWARD®
ROBYN ARCHER AO
REG LIVERMORE AO
ROBYN NEVIN AM
ARCHIE ROACH AM
JIM SHARMAN
Tickets for the 18th Annual Helpmann Awards are now on sale via Ticketmaster HERE!
Helpmann Awards ACT I – Sunday 15 July 2018, 6pm – 7.30pm
Sydney Town Hall
An intimate sit down event at cocktail hour celebrating the very best creative, designer and supporting roles.
Show only Tickets $29*
Helpmann Awards ACT II – Monday 16 July 2018, 8pm
Capitol Theatre, Sydney – staged on the set of Priscilla Queen of the Desert, The Musical
A Black Tie event, celebrating all live performance genres along with the 2017 Centenary JC Williamson and Sue Nattrass Awards.
Red Carpet 6 – 7.30pm & After Party 10pm – 1am Sydney Town Hall
Gold Pass $175* (Show + Souvenir Programme + After Party)
Show only tickets $69*
Watch The Helpmann Awards LIVE on ABC TV!
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