2019 Helpmann Award winners

2 BIG NIGHTS AS 2019 HELPMANN

AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED

THE 2019 HELPMANN AWARDS Act II last Monday night was a star studded black-tie gala event hosted by the fabulous dynamic duo of comedian, writer and actor, Susie Youssef, and Artistic Director of State Theatre SA, Mitchell Butel. 

JC Williamson Award winner at the 2019 Helpmann Awards Kev Carmody.

Saluting artistic excellence and achievement on Australian stages over the past year, 23 prestigious Helpmann Awards were presented in the categories of comedy, cabaret, contemporary music, musicals, opera, classical music, theatre and ballet, dance and physical theatre.

These Awards complement the 20 Awards announced on Sunday night at the 2019 Helpmann Awards Act I.

In addition, the 2019 JC Williamson Award was presented by Paul Kelly AO to the legendary singer-songwriter Kev Carmody, for his outstanding contribution to the live performance industry.

This year’s special guest presenters included industry luminaries Greta Bradman, Rhonda Burchmore OAM, Uncle Jack Charles, Joel Creasey, Lucy Durack, James Egglestone, Nancye Hayes AM, Stephanie Lake, Chong Lim, Paul Kelly AO, Rachael Maza, David McAllister AM, Kate Miller-Heidke, Jacob Nash, Keir Nuttall, Beau Dean Riley Smith and Vanessa Scammell.

The Helpmann Awards were established in 2001 by Live Performance Australia (LPA).

Richard Evans, President of LPA, said: “We are proud to present the 19h Annual Helpmann Awards in Melbourne this year for the very first time.

"The breadth and diversity of Winners, Nominees and performances at Sunday's and Monday’s events shines a spotlight on Australia’s world-class creative and artistic talent. Congratulations to all 2019 Helpmann Award Nominees and Winners!”

In a world first, the cast of HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD performed an exclusive montage at the play’s Australian home, Melbourne’s Princess Theatre, which was beamed live to the thrilled 2019 Helpmann Awards audience at Arts Centre Melbourne’s State Theatre.

As well as the special live cross to Melbourne’s Princess Theatre, acclaimed performances at the State Theatre included Victorian Opera with their new work Lorelei, featuring divas Ali McGregor, Dimity Shepherd and Danielle Calder; The Australian Ballet with an exquisite new piece from Aurum by choreographer Alice Topp; the breathtaking Bangarra dancers Beau Dean Riley Smith, Rikki Mason, Tyrel Dulvarie, Ryan Pearson, Baden Hitchcock and Bradley Smith in an excerpt from the Helpmann Award winning production Bennelong; a special tribute to Kev Carmody from electronic soul pop duo Electric Fields; musical theatre darling Silvie Paladino; and bringing the show home was the sensational Brent Hill and the extraordinary kids from the hit musical School of Rock.

Once again, the Helpmann Awards Orchestra was led by exceptional musical director Vanessa Scammell.

The Helpmann Awards Act II was preceded by the Red Carpet Walk with its fun and fabulous frocks, hosted by colourful comedienne Cal Wilson.

The celebrations continued late into the night with the After Party at the Sofitel Melbourne on Collins.

On Sunday, the 2019 Helpmann Awards Act I saw the gravitas of Australia’s most prestigious live theatre and entertainment awards meet the atmosphere of a sophisticated jazz lounge, for an up close, upbeat, exclusive industry-only night to remember.

Hosted by the legendary performer, writer, artistic director and national treasure, Robyn Archer AO, the evening’s presenters included industry favourites Annie Aitken, Casey Bennetto, Tony Briggs, Uncle Jack Charles, Ako Kondo, Matt Lee, Ali McGregor, Natalie O’Donnell, Gareth Reeves, Graeme Russell, Claire Spencer, Anne Wood and the legendary punk rock duo from Die Roten Punkte, Otto and Astrid Rot.

The Helpmann Awards were established in 2001 by Live Performance Australia (LPA). Below ON WITH THE SHOW has published the full list of winners for 2019.

2019 HELPMANN AWARDS WINNERS

BALLET, DANCE & PHYSICAL THEATRE

BEST BALLET

AURUM
The Australian Ballet

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY IN A BALLET, DANCE

OR PHYSICAL THEATRE PRODUCTION

ANTONY HAMILTON
Forever & Ever
Sydney Dance Company

BEST DANCE PRODUCTION

THE BEGINNING OF NATURE
Australian Dance Theatre

BEST FEMALE DANCER IN A BALLET, DANCE

OR PHYSICAL THEATRE PRODUCTION

TARA JADE SAMAYA
Common Ground
Chunky Move

BEST MALE DANCER IN A BALLET, DANCE

OR PHYSICAL THEATRE PRODUCTION

WAANGENGA BLANCO
Dark Emu
Bangarra Dance Theatre

BEST VISUAL OR PHYSICAL THEATRE PRODUCTION

OUT OF CHAOS...
Gravity & Other Myths

CABARET

BEST CABARET PERFORMER

ALI MCGREGOR
Yma Sumac - The Peruvian Songbird
Adelaide Festival Centre's Adelaide Cabaret Festival

COMEDY

BEST COMEDY PERFORMER

HANNAH GADSBY
Douglas
A Token Event

CONTEMPORARY MUSIC

BEST AUSTRALIAN CONTEMPORARY CONCERT

TIM MINCHIN AND LIVE NATION AUSTRALASIA
Back

BEST CONTEMPORARY MUSIC FESTIVAL

MUSEUM OF OLD AND NEW ART (MONA)
MONA FOMA 2019

BEST INTERNATIONAL CONTEMPORARY CONCERT

DAVID BYRNE AND FRONTIER TOURING
American Utopia Tour 2018

INDUSTRY

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

GABRIELA TYLESOVA
Twelfth Night
Melbourne Theatre Company

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN

NEIL AUSTIN
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Parts One and Two)
Sonia Friedman Productions, Colin Callender and Harry Potter Theatrical
Productions, and Australian Executive Producer, Michael Cassel

BEST MUSIC DIRECTION

ERIN HELYARD
Artaserse
Pinchgut Opera

BEST NEW AUSTRALIAN WORK

S. SHAKTHIDHARAN AND EAMON FLACK
Counting & Cracking
Belvoir & Co-Curious

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

URSULA YOVICH, ALANA VALENTINE AND ADM VENTOURA
Barbara and the Camp Dogs
Belvoir

BEST SCENIC DESIGN

DALE FERGUSON
Counting & Cracking
Belvoir & Co-Curious

BEST SOUND DESIGN

STEFAN GREGORY
Counting & Cracking
Belvoir & Co-Curious

BEST SPECIAL EVENT

DARK MOFO 2018
Museum of Old and New Art

MUSICALS

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY IN A MUSICAL

MALIK LE NOST & MITCHELL WOODCOCK
Saturday Night Fever
John Frost in Association with Robert Stigwood

BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL

FRANCESCA ZAMBELLO
Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour: West Side Story
Opera Australia

BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A MUSICAL

URSULA YOVICH
Barbara and the Camp Dogs
Belvoir

BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL

ELAINE CROMBIE
Barbara and the Camp Dogs
Belvoir

BEST MALE ACTOR IN A MUSICAL

BRENT HILL
School of Rock the Musical
GWB Entertainment and S&Co in association with Kham Inc by
arrangement with The Really Useful Group Limited

BEST MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL

TONY SHELDON
Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory The New Musical
John Frost, Craig Donnell, Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures, Langley Park
Productions and Neal Street Productions

BEST MUSICAL

BARBARA AND THE CAMP DOGS
Belvoir

OPERA & CLASSICAL MUSIC

BEST CHAMBER AND/OR INSTRUMENTAL ENSEMBLE CONCERT

GABRIELI CONSORT & PLAYERS - PURCELL'S KING ARTHUR
Melbourne Recital Centre and State Opera of South Australia

BEST DIRECTION OF AN OPERA

BARRIE KOSKY AND SUZANNE ANDRADE AND 1927
Komische Oper Berlin’s The Magic Flute
Adelaide Festival and Perth Festival by arrangement with Arts Projects
Australia

BEST FEMALE PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN AN OPERA

TARYN FIEBIG
Metamorphosis
Opera Australia

BEST FEMALE PERFORMER IN AN OPERA

LISE LINDSTROM
Salome
Opera Australia

BEST INDIVIDUAL CLASSICAL MUSIC PERFORMANCE

ASHER FISCH
Tristan und Isolde
West Australian Symphony Orchestra

BEST MALE PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN AN OPERA

TOM ERIK LIE
Komische Oper Berlin’s The Magic Flute
Adelaide Festival and Perth Festival by arrangement with Arts Projects
Australia

BEST MALE PERFORMER IN AN OPERA

MICHAEL HONEYMAN
Wozzeck
Opera Australia

BEST OPERA

KOMISCHE OPER BERLIN'S THE MAGIC FLUTE
Arts Projects Australia, Adelaide Festival and Perth Festival

BEST SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA CONCERT

TRISTAN UND ISOLDE
West Australian Symphony Orchestra

PRESENTATION FOR CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE

BEST PRESENTATION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE

ROBOT SONG
Arena Theatre Company

REGIONAL TOURING

BEST REGIONAL TOURING PRODUCTION

BENNELONG
Bangarra Dance Theatre

THEATRE

BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY

EAMON FLACK AND S. SHAKTHIDHARAN
Counting & Cracking
Belvoir & Co-Curious

BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A PLAY

KATE MULVANY
Every Brilliant Thing
Belvoir

BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A PLAY

VAISHNAVI SURYAPRAKASH
Counting & Cracking
Belvoir & Co-Curious

BEST MALE ACTOR IN A PLAY

PRAKASH BELAWADI
Counting & Cracking
Belvoir & Co-Curious

BEST MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A PLAY

PAUL BLACKWELL
Faith Healer
A Belvoir Production presented by State Theatre Company South Australia

BEST PRODUCTION OF A PLAY

COUNTING & CRACKING
Belvoir & Co-Curious

2019 SUE NATTRASS AWARD

LIZ JONES AO

Artistic Director of La Mama Theatre, Liz Jones AO, announced as the recipient of the 2019 Sue Nattrass Award® for exceptional service to the live performance industry.

Artistic Director of La Mama Theatre, Liz Jones AO, announced as the recipient of the 2019 Sue Nattrass Award.

As artistic director of Carlton’s legendary La Mama Theatre, Liz Jones has been a cornerstone of Melbourne’s independent theatre scene since 1976. She took over the helm just nine years after it was founded (and just three weeks after giving birth to her first child) and her steadfast commitment to the foundation model of ‘low financial risk, high artistic risk’ has ensured La Mama remains a place where experimental and emerging theatre-makers can try out new ideas and hone their craft.

2019 JC WILLIAMSON AWARD

KEV CARMODY

Kev Carmody announced as the recipient of the 2019 JC Williamson Award Australia’s most prestigious live performance industry accolade.

Kev Carmody, one of Australia’s pre-eminent singer songwriters, is known for his lyrical passion and musical imagination.

A tireless traveller and performer, Kev has played in some of the world’s foremost venues, been a feature artist at many major Australian and international music festivals and has worked with some of the world’s most acclaimed musicians. He is also known for his work with youth and prison inmates. Kev has presented song-writing and recording workshops in communities in Western NSW, NT and Queensland. 

He has received numerous awards including the Deadly Awards Jimmy Little Award, Australian Recording Industry Association Hall of Fame inductee and Australia Council Don Banks Award.

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