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The 2011 Helpmann Awards were presented last night, Monday 1 August from 8pm at the Opera Theatre, Sydney Opera House.

The Helpmann Awards, established in 2001 by Live Performance Australia (LPA), saw the presentation of awards in 41 categories. In addition Nancye Hayes OAM, Toni Lamond AM and Jill Perryman AM MBE. were honoured as the recipients of the prestigious JC Williamson Award that recognises their outstanding contribution to the Australian live performance industry.

Jonathan Biggins was host of the Awards Ceremony which included performances by the casts of Dr Zhivago, Hairspray, Mary Poppins and Rock of Ages; Ben Lewis (The Phantom) from Love Never Dies, The Ten Tenors, Slava and Leonard Grigoryan, Expressions Dance Company from Brisbane, STOMP, and the Opera Australia Chorus.

President of Live Performance Australia, Andrew Kay, said “We’re delighted to be presenting our 11th anniversary Helpmann Awards, live from the Sydney Opera House this evening.

The Helpmann Awards are a celebration of the very best in live performance in Australia. They also serve as a reminder of the central place live performance takes in the lives of so many Australians, whether it be a child attending a live concert for the very first time, a young Australian attending a concert by their favourite band or comedian, or one of the millions of Australians who attend our major musicals or performances by our extraordinary performing arts companies.

Live performance engages and entertains audiences across the breadth of Australia from the smallest rural community to the largest city. And the strength of the industry is evidenced in the extraordinary list of outstanding Helpmann nominees we honour tonight."

NSW Minister for Major Events George Souris congratulated the winners of this year’s Helpmann Awards. "The calibre of our artists is such they and the Helpmanns can hold their heads high in the global performing arts industry and we are very proud of each and every one of them.

“The Helpmanns are the premier awards event for the live performance industry, highlighting the significant contribution the sector makes to our State and country, engaging and entertaining the community through the arts.

“It’s fitting such a prestigious event should be held in one of the world’s great performance spaces, the iconic Sydney Opera House.

“The Liberals and Nationals Government investment in the 2011 Helpmann Awards re-affirms our commitment to the arts and further strengthens Sydney’s position as the live performance capital of Australia,” he said.

Visit: www.helpmannawards.com.au

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FULLL LIST OF WINNERS – 2011 Helpmann Awards


Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical
Philip Quast
Mary Poppins
Disney and Cameron Mackintosh

Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical
Esther Hannaford
Hairspray
Paul Dainty, Dainty Group & Joel Pearlman, Roadshow Live

Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play
Anthony Phelan
The Wild Duck
Belvoir

Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play
Anita Hegh
The Wild Duck
Belvoir

Best Male Performer in a Supporting Role in an Opera
Kanen Breen
Partenope
Opera Australia

Best Female Performer in a Supporting Role in an Opera
Elizabeth Campbell
Aida
State Opera of South Australia

Best Comedy Performer
Denise Scott
Denise Scott Regrets
Token Events

Best Cabaret Performer
Eddie Perfect
Misanthropology
Sydney Festival

Best Costume Design
Gabriela Tylesova
Love Never Dies
The Really Useful Company Asia Pacific and Arts Capital Trust

Best Scenic Design
Gabriela Tylesova
Love Never Dies
The Really Useful Company Asia Pacific and Arts Capital Trust

Best Lighting Design
Nick Schlieper
Love Never Dies
The Really Useful Company Asia Pacific and Arts Capital Trust

Best Sound Design
Peter Grubb
Mary Poppins
Disney and Cameron Mackintosh

Best Original Score
Alan John
The Diary of a Madman
Belvoir

Best Individual Classical Performance
Sir Simon Rattle
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Sydney Opera House and the Perth Concert Hall

Best Chamber &/or Instrumental Ensemble Concert
Garrick Ohlsson in recital as part of the Sydney Symphony International Pianists in Recital Series
Sydney Symphony

Best Symphony Orchestra Concert
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Sydney Opera House and the Perth Concert Hall

Best Music Direction
Stephen Brooker and Michael Tyack
Mary Poppins
Disney and Cameron Mackintosh

Best New Australian Work
Tim Minchin & Sydney Symphony
Tim Minchin Vs Sydney Symphony
Sydney Symphony , Fox in the Snow and Smart Artists Management

Best Presentation for Children
Me and My Shadow
Patch Theatre Company

Best International Contemporary Concert
Leonard Cohen @ Hanging Rock
Leonard Cohen and Frontier Touring Company

Best Contemporary Music Festival
Splendour In the Grass 2010
Village Sounds and Secret Service

Best Regional Touring Production
Mathinna
Bangarra Dance Theatre

Best Australian Contemporary Concert
Powderfinger – Sunsets The Farewell Tour
Powderfinger and Secret Service & Village Sounds

Best Choreography in a Dance or Physical Theatre Production
Natalie Weir
Where the Heart Is
Expressions Dance Company and Queensland Performing Arts Centre

Best Choreography in a Musical
Matthew Bourne and Stephen Mear
Mary Poppins
Disney and Cameron Mackintosh

Best Direction of a Musical
Richard Eyre and Matthew Bourne
Mary Poppins
Disney and Cameron Mackintosh

Best Direction of an Opera
Nigel Jamieson
La Fanciulla del West
Opera Australia

Best Direction of a Play
Neil Armfield
The Diary of a Madman
Belvoir

Best Male Dancer in a Dance or Physical Theatre Production
Paul White
In Glass
Sydney Opera House & Artful Management

Best Female Dancer in a Dance or Physical Theatre Production
Kristina Chan
In Glass
Sydney Opera House & Artful Management

Best Male Performer in an Opera
John Wegner
La Fanciulla del West
Opera Australia

Best Female Performer in an Opera
Emma Matthews
Partenope
Opera Australia

Best Male Actor in a Musical
Matt Lee
Mary Poppins
Disney and Cameron Mackintosh

Best Female Actor in a Musical
Verity Hunt-Ballard
Mary Poppins
Disney and Cameron Mackintosh

Best Male Actor in a Play
Geoffrey Rush
The Diary of a Madman
Belvoir

Best Female Actor in a Play
Cate Blanchett
Uncle Vanya
Sydney Theatre Company in association with Bell Shakespeare

Best Visual or Physical Theatre Production
Not in a Million Years
Force Majeure

Best Ballet or Dance Work
Where the Heart Is
Expressions Dance Company and Queensland Performing Arts Centre

Best Opera
Partenope
Opera Australia

Best Play
The Wild Duck
Belvoir

Best Musical
Mary Poppins
Disney and Cameron Mackintosh