13th Annual Helpmann Awards, Sydney Opera House 2013

Last night saw the 2013 Helpmann Awards, Australian Theatre’s night of nights at the Sydney Opera House.  Established in 1991 this prestigious awards recognize the talents and achievement of Australia’s vibrant live performance scene.

In the operatic categories Opera Australia shone, especially with the new production of Richard Strauss’ Salome which had its premiere late last year.  Cheryl Barker, John Wegner and Jacqueline Dark won their respective vocal categories while the production itself won Best Opera.  

Simone Young and Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra also won Best Individual Classical Music Performance and Best Symphony Orchestra Concert for their concert version of Wagner’s Das Rheingold.

Western Australia featured once again with Lucy Durack winning Best Female Actor in a Musical and David Blenkinsop being honoured with the JC Williamson Lifetime Achievement Award for his work with the Festival of Perth.  

Geoffrey Rush, Colin Friels and Allison Bell were also winners but the biggest winner of the night, Opera Australia aside, would be the musical King Kong.

Below is a complete list of winners, click 'read more' to get there...

2013 Winners

Best Regional Touring Production

CIRCA

Circa, toured by Performing Lines for Road Work

Best Male Performer in a Supporting Role in an Opera

José Carbó

Die Tote Stadt

Opera Australia

Best Female Performer in a Supporting Role in an Opera

Jacqueline Dark

Salome

Opera Australia

Best Chamber & / or Instrumental Ensemble Concert

Jordi Savall & Andrew Lawrence King

Melbourne Recital Centre

Best Scenic Design

Peter England

King Kong

Global Creatures

Best Costume Design

Roger Kirk

King Kong

Global Creatures

Best Presentation for Children

School Dance

Windmill Theatre

Best Individual Classical Music Performance

Simone Young conducting the Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra

Das Rheingold by Richard Wagner (concert performance) Hamburg State Opera with the Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra & Symphony No. 2 in C Minor, Resurrection by Gustav Mahler, Soloists from the Hamburg State Opera with the Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra and Brisbane Mahler Chorus

Queensland Performing Arts Centre & Tourism and Events Queensland

Best Choreography in a Musical

Jerry Mitchell

Legally Blonde The Musical

Howard Panter for The Ambassador Theatre Group & John Frost

Best Lighting Design

Peter Mumford

King Kong

Global Creatures

Best Choreography in a Dance or Physical Theatre Production

Antony Hamilton

Black Project 1 & 2

Antony Hamilton Projects, Arts House & Insite Arts

Best Visual or Physical Theatre Production

Circa & Brisbane Festival

Best Sound Design

Peter Hylenski

King Kong

Global Creatures

Best Special Event

White Night Melbourne Victorian Major Events Company on behalf of the State Government of Victoria

Best Music Direction

Iain Grandage

The Secret River

Sydney Theatre Company in association with The Confederation of Australian International Arts Festivals, Sydney Festival, The Centenary of Canberra, Perth International Arts Festival

Best International Contemporary Concert

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band Wrecking Ball 2013

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band and The Frontier Touring Company in association with Jacobsen International

Best Cabaret Performer

Robyn Archer

Robyn Archer in Concert: QUE RESTE-T-IL? at the Famous Spiegel Garden and Toulouse-Lautrec Cabaret and Curator Dinner at The National Gallery of Australia

Robyn Archer, Michael Morley (Piano), George Butrumlis (Accordian)

Best Direction of an Opera

Alex Ollé

Un Ballo in Maschera

Opera Australia

Best Direction of a Play

Neil Armfield

The Secret River

Sydney Theatre Company in association with The Confederation of Australian International Arts Festivals, Sydney Festival, The Centenary of Canberra, Perth International Arts Festival

Best Direction of a Musical

Jerry Mitchell

Legally Blonde The Musical

Howard Panter for The Ambassador Theatre Group & John Frost

Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical

Russell Dykstra

The Addams Family

Rodney Rigby, Stuart Oken, Roy Furman, Michael Leavitt , Five Cent Productions, Eva Price, Silvio Salom, Stuart Ditsky/Adam Ditsky, James Herbert, Arthur Hershaft, Cheryl Lachowicz, Mary Khoury, Mary Lu Roffe and Gian Christian by special arrangement with Elephant Eye Theatrical

Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical

Helen Dallimore

Legally Blonde The Musical

Howard Panter for The Ambassador Theatre Group & John Frost

Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play

Colin Moody

The Secret River

Sydney Theatre Company in association with The Confederation of Australian International Arts Festivals, Sydney Festival, The Centenary of Canberra, Perth International Arts Festival

Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play

Amber McMahon

School Dance

Windmill Theatre

Best Australian Contemporary Concert

Neil Finn & Paul Kelly

Neil Finn, Paul Kelly & Live Nation Australasia by arrangement with Artist Voice

Best Original Score

Iain Grandage

The Secret River

Sydney Theatre Company in association with The Confederation of Australian International Arts Festivals, Sydney Festival, The Centenary of Canberra, Perth International Arts Festival

Best Contemporary Music Festival

The 24th Annual Bluesfest Byron Bay

Bluesfest

Best New Australian Work

Kate Grenville, An Adaptation for the Stage by Andrew Bovell

The Secret River

Sydney Theatre Company in association with The Confederation of Australian International Arts Festivals, Sydney Festival, The Centenary of Canberra, Perth International Arts Festival

Best Comedy Performer

Julia Morris

Julia Morris - No Judgement

Fox in the Snow

Outstanding Theatrical Achievement 

For the design, creation and operation of King Kong – the creature

Creature Designer: Sonny Tilders

Aerial Director and King’s Men Movement: Gavin Robins

Puppetry Director: Peter Wilson

Kong’s Voice: Harley Durst

The King’s Men: Lincoln Barros, James Brown, Adam Davis, Simon Fairweather, Josh Feldschuh, Brett Franzi, Nathan Jones, Nathan Kell, Russell Leonard, Brent Osborne, Troy Phillips, Mike Snow, Maxwell Trengove, Tayo Wilson

Kong Voodoo: Harley Durst, Danny Miller, Jacob Williams (Kong Captain), Steve Coupe (Puppetry Captain and Voodoo Understudy)

Circus Captain: Leigh-Anne Vizer

Best Male Dancer in a Dance or Physical Theatre Production

Alisdair Macindoe

Dual

Stephanie Lake & Arts House

Best Female Dancer in a Dance or Physical Theatre Production

Deborah Brown

TERRAIN

Bangarra Dance Theatre

Best Ballet or Dance Work

TERRAIN

Bangarra Dance Theatre

Best Male Performer in an Opera

John Wegner

Salome

Opera Australia

Best Female Performer in an Opera

Cheryl Barker

Salome

Opera Australia

Best Symphony Orchestra Concert

Das Rheingold by Richard Wagner (concert performance), Hamburg State Opera with the Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra

Queensland Performing Arts Centre & Tourism and Events Queensland

Best Male Actor in a Musical

Geoffrey Rush

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

John Frost

Best Female Actor in a Musical

Lucy Durack

Legally Blonde The Musical

Howard Panter for The Ambassador Theatre Group & John Frost

Best Male Actor in a Play

Colin Friels

Death of a Salesman

Belvoir

Best Female Actor in a Play

Alison Bell

Hedda Gabler

State Theatre Company of South Australia

Best Opera

Salome

Opera Australia

Best Play

The Secret River

Sydney Theatre Company in association with The Confederation of Australian International Arts Festivals, Sydney Festival, The Centenary of Canberra, Perth International Arts Festival

Best Musical

Legally Blonde The Musical

Howard Panter for The Ambassador Theatre Group & John Frost

List of winners courtesy of the West Australian