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Helpmann Awards 2010
Avenue Q scooped the musical acting pool at last night’s Helpmann Awards, with Jersey Boys still coming out on top as Best Musical.
The 10 Annual Helpmann Awards were presented at Sydney Opera House and screened on Foxtel’s Stvdio channel. Avenue Q’s Mitchell Butel, Michala Banas, Luke Joslin and Christina O’Neill took home musical acting trophies, with their director Jonathan Biggins also honoured.
Jersey Boys seemed shut out all night, apart from Best Musical Direction for Ron Melrose and Luke Hunter, but was ultimately awarded the top gong. Bobby Fox lead the cast in a performance of ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off You’ followed by ‘Pretty Baby’. Avenue Q, having packed up their puppets, did not perform at the awards.
Further musical numbers included a couple of shows currently playing but not part of this year’s awards. West Side Story showcased the Shark Girls with ‘America’ and Mary Poppins closed the night with the effervescent ‘Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious’, although frantic camera work nearly derailed this presentation. Smoke and Mirrors, winner for Best New Australian Work and Best Original Score, presented an odd number that demonstrated the quirky nature of the show. Host David Campbell opened with ‘When I Get My Name in Lights’ from his current On Broadway album, followed an homage to the past Best Musical winners.
MTC’s sensational production of Richard III was justly awarded five Helpmanns ,including one for fast rising star Ewen Leslie and Best Play. Emma Matthews was a popular winner for Best Female Performer in an Opera. If you haven’t seen Best Australian Contemporary Concert The Man in Black – The Johnny Cash Story it returns to Melbourne on 18 September, this time at the Palais Theatre.
In a night of popular choices there were few upsets. Julie Forsyth’s Best Actress in a Play win over Robyn Nevin’s amazing turn in August: Osage County was surprising. Kelley Abbey’s music video style choreography for Fame did not deserve to win.
The Helpmann Awards can be seen again this Sunday 12 September on Stvdio.
Full list of winners:
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Best Male Actor in supporting role in a Musical
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Luke Joslin - Avenue Q
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Best Female Actor in supporting role in a Musical
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Christina O' Neil - Avenue Q
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Best Male Actor in supporting role in a Play
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Humphrey Bower - Richard III
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Best Female Actor in supporting role in a Play
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Alison Whyte - Richard III
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Best Costume Design
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Gabriela Tylesova - Cosi fan tutte
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Best Scenic Design
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Dale Ferguson - August: Osage County
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Best Sound Design
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Paul Charlier - A Streetcar Named Desire
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Best Lighting Design
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Nigel Levings - Bliss
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Best Male Actor in supporting role in an Opera
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Andrew Foote - Peter Grimes
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Best Female Actor in supporting role in an Opera
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Taryn Fiebig - Bliss
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Best International Contemporary Concert
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Michael Coppel - Pink Funhouse Tour
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Best Contemporary Music Festival
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A Big Day Out
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Best Regional Touring Production
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Bangarra Dance Theatre - True Stories
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Best Special Event
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Sydney Festival 'Festival First Night'
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Best Original Score
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Smoke and Mirrors
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Best Individual Classical performance
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Imogen Cooper
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Best Chamber and Instrumental Ensemble Concert
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Imogen Cooper with the Sydney Symphony
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Best Music Direction
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Ron Melrose and Luke Hunter - Jersey Boys
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Best Choreography in a Dance or Physical Production
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Stephen Page - Fire
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Best Choreography in a Musical
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Kelley Abbey - Fame The Musical
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Best Direction of a Musical
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Jonathan Biggins - Avenue Q
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Best Direction of an Opera
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Neil Armfield - Peter Grimes
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Best Direction of a Play
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Simon Phillips - Richard III
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Best Visual or Physical Theatre Production
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This kind of Ruckus Version 1.0 inc
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Best Cabaret Performer
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iOTA
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Best Male Actor in a Play
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Ewen Leslie - Richard III
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Best Female Actor in a Play
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Julie Forsyth - Happy Days
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Best Male Dancer in a Dance or Physical Theatre Production
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Richard Cilli - We Unfold
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Best Female Dancer in a Dance or Physical Theatre Production
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Danielle Rowe - Dyad 1929
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Best Symphony Orchestra Concert
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Oedipus Rex and Symphony of Psalms Sydney Festival with Sydney Symphony and the Sydney Philharmonia Choir
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Best Male Actor in a Musical
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Mitchell Butel - Avenue Q
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Best Female Actor ina Musical
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Michala Banas - Avenue Q
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Best Presentation fo Children
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Sonya Hartnett's Thursday Child
Monket Baa
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Best New Australian Work
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Smoke and Mirrors iOTA and Craig Illott
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Best Comedy Performer
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Wil Anderson
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Best Australian Contemporary Concert
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The Man in Black The Johnny Cash Story
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Best Male Performer in an Opera
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Stuart Skelton - Peter Grimes
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Best Female Performer in an Opera
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Emma Matthews - La Sonnambula
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Best Opera
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Peter Grimes Opera Australia
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Best Ballet or Dance Work
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Fire Bangarra Dance Theatre
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Best Play
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Richard III Melbourne Theatre Company
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Best Musical
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Jersey Boys Dodger Theatricals,
Rodney Rigby and Dainty Consolidated
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State:
VIC
Help!manns...
I saw a bit of the Helpmanns last night and I still can't make up my mind if I liked them or not. It seemed like a bit of a hodge podge of categories to be thrown together. I do understand that the Australian performing arts landscape is perhaps not big enough to have a major awards ceremony for each individual performing arts discipline, but the format still seems a little... eclectic.