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The 13th Annual Helpmann Awards were presented last night in Sydney at the Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House.
 
The Helpmann Awards recognise distinguished artistic achievement and excellence across the major disciplines of Australia's live performance industry. In total 43 awards were presented by some of Australia’s most celebrated talent including, Tina Arena, Baz Luhrmann, Sarah Murdoch, John Waters, Hugh Sheridan, Marcus Graham, Elizabeth Debicki, Patrick Brammall, Chloe Dallimore, Erika Heynatz, Ashley Zukerman, Miranda Tapsell, Rob Mills, Sharon Millerchip, Toby Schmitz, Alison Bell, David Harris, Wayne Scott Kermond, Lynette Curran, Christen O’Leary, Russell Dykstra, Esther Hannaford, The Hon. George Souris, Ewen Leslie, Jennifer Vuletic and Helen Thomson.
 
Further showcasing Australia’s unique and diverse live performance industry, show highlights included live performances by Tim Minchin, the casts of GREASE and HOT SHOE SHUFFLE, Sydney Dance Company, Silvie Paladino and the Sydney Children’s Choir, Emma Birdsall and Timomatic.
 
In addition, pop music icon Kylie Minogue OBE and Arts philanthropist David Blenkinsop CBE AM were co-recipients of the 2013 JC WILLIAMSON AWARD. By bestowing this award, Live Performance Australia (LPA) recognises individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the Australian live entertainment industry and shaped the future of our industry for the better. Both recipients were specially honoured at the ceremony with jazz great James Morrison AM performing in honour of David Blenkinsop and his tireless work and passion for live performance, while Michael Gudinski AM paid tribute to Kylie Minogue and her unparalleled achievements in the Australian and international live entertainment arena.
 
This year The Helpmann Awards also made two additional presentations, the first awarded to White Night Melbourne for Best Special Event. Further to this the Industry Awards Panel and Helpmann Awards Administration Committee felt strongly that the ground breaking Australian creation of King Kong, the first of its kind in the world, was worthy of individual recognition and created a new award to honour this. Outstanding Theatrical Achievement was presented for the design, creation and operation of King Kong – the creature.
 
Chief Executive, Live Performance Australia, Evelyn Richardson said “Tonight we celebrated the very best of our talented live performance industry. Our annual Ticketing Survey 2012 released today shows that the industry remains strong with ticket sales and attendances stable and revenue exceeding $1.2 billion. More than 16 million people attended live events in 2012 indicating that Australians continue to engage with and be entertained by our wonderful productions across all the live performance genres.”


FULL LIST OF WINNERS – 13th ANNUAL HELPMANN AWARDS

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
S
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