The 2017 17th annual Helpmann Awards were held last Monday at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney. Lachlan attended the ceremony and reflects on the experience – his first time at the iconic celebration of stage performances in Australia.
They’re long… and for good reason
Clocking in at 3 hours with no commercial breaks, the ceremony presents 42 awards from 10 categories which helps the Helpmann Awards achieve their pursuit of “recognising distinguished artistic achievement and excellence” across all of Australia’s vibrant live performance sectors. From musical theatre, contemporary music, comedy, cabaret, regional touring, presentations for children, opera, classical music, theatre, dance and physical theatre; each sector got their moment in the spotlight on the night. As Penny Cook noted whilst presenting the award for Best Presentation for Children, “sometimes in the [children’s] sector feel we are made to sit at the young peoples children’s table; that’s okay, we get to have fairy bread and fizzy drink, but it is really exciting when we are included in the conversation and its really exciting when we’re offered an adult glass of fizzy drink.” Even though there are many unfamiliar names recognised and/or nominated, the numerous stills used in the nomination graphics and acceptance speeches serve as a promotion for their works and tease viewers into researching the works as well as realised the depth of productions available to experience.
Bigger isn’t always better
The night saw performances from ‘My Fair Lady’, ‘Kinky Boots’, ‘Disney’s Aladdin’, ‘The Book of Mormon’, ‘Beautiful: The Carole King Musical’, Green Day’s ‘American Idiot’ and ‘Velvet’ starring Marcia Hines. The majority of these scenes used scores of dancers, singers and actors to create a large-scale chorus of energy and vibrancy in their one-scene showcase. But it was the bare, raw and atmospheric three-person scene from Australian Dance Theatre’s ‘Construct’ that was a highlight of the night. Performed as a tribute to choreographer Tanja Liedtke, the production is seeing a revival after a decade and was daringly alluring as two cast members collapsed to the ground as one tried desperately to maintain order and safety. Devoid of speech, the scene is set to a soundtrack of spacious industrial ticking and drips that allow laughs from the audience to picked up – audible gasps of shock were heard in the theatre on the night but don’t seem to have made it to the telecast (Garry Stewart of the Australian Dance Theatre introduces the piece at 1:04:04 into the telecast).
The 2017 Helpmann Awards originally aired live on the Foxtel Arts channel. The full awards ceremony with performances can now be streamed on the Foxtel Arts website by clicking HERE or ABC iView by clicking HERE.
The 2017 Helpmann Awards winners list:
INDUSTRY AWARDS
BEST NEW AUSTRALIAN WORK
LEAH PURCELL – The Drover’s Wife – Belvoir
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
GREGG BARNES – Aladdin – Disney Theatrical Productions (Australia)
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN
JOACHIM KLEIN – 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 ORIGINAL SCORE
IAIN GRANDAGE AND RAHAYU SUPANGGAH – Satan Jawa – Arts Centre Melbourne, Asia TOPA and Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
BEST MUSIC DIRECTION
ERIN HELYARD – 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 SCENIC DESIGN
ANNA CORDINGLEY – Jasper Jones – Melbourne Theatre Company
BEST SOUND DESIGN
GARETH FRY AND PETE MALKIN – The Encounter – Complicite, Sydney Festival, Malthouse Theatre, Adelaide Festival and Perth International Arts Festival
CABARET
BEST CABARET PERFORMER
HOPE HAAMI, JUANITA DUNCAN, OFA FOTU, CRYSTAL STACEY, ALEXIS WEST, GHENOA GELA, LISA FA’ALAFI AND KIM ‘BUSTY BEATZ’ BOWERS – Hot Brown Honey – Briefs Factory, Arts Centre Melbourne and Sydney Opera House
COMEDY
BEST COMEDY PERFORMER
HANNAH GADSBY – Nanette – Token Events
PRESENTATION FOR CHILDREN
BEST PRESENTATION FOR CHILDREN
JUMP FIRST, ASK LATER – Powerhouse Youth Theatre and Force Majeure
REGIONAL TOURING AWARDS
BEST REGIONAL TOURING PRODUCTION
TERRAIN – Bangarra Dance Theatre
CONTEMPORARY MUSIC
BEST AUSTRALIAN CONTEMPORARY CONCERT
NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS AND BILLIONS AUSTRALIA – Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – Billions Australia
BEST CONTEMPORARY MUSIC FESTIVAL
MONA FOMA 2017 – Museum of Old and New Art
BEST INTERNATIONAL CONTEMPORARY CONCERT
PATTI SMITH AND BLUESFEST TOURING – Patti Smith and her Band Australian Tour 2017 – Bluesfest Touring
DANCE AND PHYSICAL THEATRE AWARDS
BEST BALLET
BALLET PRELJOCAJ’S SNOW WHITE – QPAC in association with Brisbane Festival
BEST DANCE PRODUCTION
ATTRACTOR – Dancenorth and Lucy Guerin Inc, with Arts Centre Melbourne, Asia TOPA, WOMADelaide and Brisbane Festival
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY IN A BALLET, DANCE OR PHYSICAL THEATRE PRODUCTION
GIDEON OBARZANEK AND LUCY GUERIN – Attractor – Dancenorth and Lucy Guerin Inc, with Arts Centre Melbourne, Asia TOPA, WOMADelaide and Brisbane Festival
BEST MALE DANCER IN A BALLET, DANCE OR PHYSICAL THEATRE PRODUCTION
KEVIN JACKSON – Nijinsky – The Australian Ballet
BEST FEMALE DANCER IN A BALLET, DANCE OR PHYSICAL THEATRE PRODUCTION
LILIAN STEINER – Split – Lucy Guerin Inc and Arts House
BEST VISUAL OR PHYSICAL THEATRE PRODUCTION
SNAKE SESSIONS – Branch Nebula, produced by Intimate Spectacle, toured by Arts on Tour
OPERA AND CLASSICAL MUSIC
BEST DIRECTION OF AN OPERA
BARRIE KOSKY – 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 FEMALE PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN AN OPERA
LORINA GORE – King Roger – Opera Australia
BEST MALE PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN AN OPERA
KANEN BREEN – 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 FEMALE PERFORMER IN AN OPERA
LISE LINDSTROM – The Ring Cycle – Opera Australia
BEST MALE PERFORMER IN AN OPERA
CHRISTOPHER PURVES – 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 OPERA
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 CHAMBER AND/OR INSTRUMENTAL ENSEMBLE CONCERT
ACADEMY OF ST MARTIN IN THE FIELDS – Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Melbourne Recital Centre, Sydney Opera House and QPAC
BEST SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA CONCERT
STEMME, SKELTON, TRISTAN & ISOLDE – Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra
BEST INDIVIDUAL CLASSICAL MUSIC PERFORMANCE
JOSHUA BELL – Academy of St Martin in the Fields – Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Melbourne Recital Centre, Sydney Opera House and QPAC
THEATRE
BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY
LETICIA CÁCERES – The Drover’s Wife – Belvoir
BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A PLAY
AMBER MCMAHON – Girl Asleep – Windmill Theatre Company
BEST MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A PLAY
GUY SIMON – Jasper Jones – Melbourne Theatre Company
BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A PLAY
KATE MULVANY – Richard 3 – Bell Shakespeare
BEST MALE ACTOR IN A PLAY
MARK COLES SMITH – The Drover’s Wife – Belvoir
BEST PLAY
THE DROVER’S WIFE – Belvoir
MUSICALS AWARDS
BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL
TREY PARKER AND CASEY NICHOLAW – 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 CHOREOGRAPHY IN A MUSICAL
JERRY MITCHELL – Kinky Boots – MICHAEL CASSEL by special arrangement with DARYL ROTH and HAL LUFTIG
BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL
ROBYN NEVIN – My Fair Lady – Opera Australia and John Frost
BEST MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL
MICHAEL JAMES SCOTT – Aladdin – Disney Theatrical Productions (Australia)
BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
ANNA O’BYRNE – My Fair Lady – Opera Australia and John Frost
BEST MALE ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
CALLUM FRANCIS – Kinky Boots – MICHAEL CASSEL by special arrangement with DARYL ROTH and HAL LUFTIG
BEST MUSICAL
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
2017 Sue Nattrass Award
Rob Brookman AM
2017 JC Williamson Award
Richard Tognetti AO
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