The Helpmann Awards are gearing up for their 16th year celebrating performance art, and today organizers have announced this year’s categories as well as the nominees for each, highlighting just how huge 2016 has been for Australian culture and art.
A star performer this year is Tim Minchin‘s Matilda The Musical, which has swept up the noms including, flagship awards Best Musical and Best Original Score.
Music wise, the Best Contemporary Music Festival nominees are Bluesfest, WOMADelaide 2016, St Jerome’s Laneway Festival 2016 and MOFO 2016, while Aussie tours from the likes of Prince, Fleetwood Mac and Florence + The Machine are also up for awards. Local tours from Australian musos like Flight Facilities, Vance Joy and Kate Miller-Heidke are nominated as well.
Australia’s live performance industry brought in more than $1 billion in ticket revenue in the past year. Evelyn Richardson, Live Performance Australia Chief Executive says, “This year has been a remarkable year for live performances in Australia reflecting a vibrant industry with more than 18 million people attending shows across the country and ticket revenues of $1.5 billion.”
This year’s Helpmann nominees have been announced in categories like Cabaret, Comedy, Contemporary Music, Dance & Physical Theatre, Musicals, Opera & Classical Music, Children’s Presentation, Regional Touring, Theatre, and Industry. We’ve collected a handful for you to peruse below, but for the full hit head along to the Helpmann Awards website.
Winners of The 16th Annual Helpmann Awards will be announced Monday, 25th July at Sydney’s Lyric Theatre. Tickets available now.
2016 Helpmann Awards – Nominee Highlights
Contemporary Music
Best Australian Contemporary Concert
Flight Facilities with Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (Melbourne Festival)
Vance Joy – Fire And The Flood Tour (Frontier Touring, Unified and Village Sounds)
Kate Miller-Heidke and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra with visuals by Amy Gebhardt (MOFO 2016)
A State Of Grace: The Music Of Tim & Jeff Buckley (Gaynor Crawford Presents, Kirsten Siddle, State of Grace Company)
Best International Contemporary Concert
Prince Piano & A Microphone Tour (Dainty Group and ICO ApS)
Brian Wilson Live At The Palais Theatre (Bluesfest Touring)
Fleetwood Mac On With The Show Tour (Fleetwood Mac and Live Nation)
Florence + The Machine (Laneway Presents, Chugg Entertainment, Sydney Opera House)
Best Contemporary Music Festival
27th Annual Bluesfest Byron Bay
WOMADelaide 2016 (Womadelaide Foundation)
St Jerome’s Laneway Festival 2016 (Laneway Presents and Chugg Entertainment)
MOFO 2016 (MONA)
Comedy
Best Comedy Performer
Julia Morris – I Don’t Want Your Honest Feedback
Zoë Coombs Marr – Trigger Warning
Tom Ballard – The World Keeps Happening
Doug Anthony Allstars – Paul McDermott, Tim Ferguson, Paul Livingston – Reunion. Rebirth
Musicals
Best Choreography in a Musical
Andrew Wright and Jaye Elster – Singin’ In The Rain
Andrew Hallsworth – Little Shop Of Horrors
Peter Darling – Matilda The Musical
Arlene Phillips – The Sound Of Music
Best Direction of a Musical
Roger Hodgman – Fiddler On The Roof
Simon Phillips – Ladies In Black
Matthew Warchus – Matilda The Musical
Dean Bryant – Little Shop Of Horrors
Best Female Actor in a Musical
Molly Barwick, Dusty Bursill, Tiana Mirra, Alannah Parfett, Sasha Rose, Georgia Taplin, Bella Thomas and Ingrid Torelli – Matilda The Musical
Amy Lehpamer – The Sound Of Music
Antoinette Halloran – Sweeney Todd
Esther Hannaford – Little Shop Of Horrors
Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical
Wendy Mae Brown – Ghost The Musical
Erika Heynatz – Singin’ In The Rain
Elise McCann – Matilda The Musical
Jacqueline Dark – The Sound Of Music
Best Male Actor in a Musical
Rob Mills – Ghost The Musical
Anthony Warlow – Fiddler On The Roof
James Millar – Matilda The Musical
Brent Hill – Little Shop Of Horrors
Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical
Jack Chambers – Singin’ In The Rain
Daniel Frederiksen – Matilda The Musical
Tyler Coppin – Little Shop Of Horrors
Simon Gallaher – Wicked
Best Musical
The Sound Of Music
Fiddler On The Roof
Ladies In Black
Matilda The Musical
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