THE 2016 HELPMANN AWARDS
Watch the awards LIVE and only on Foxtel Arts
Media Release: Wednesday July 6, 2016
Foxtel Arts is proud to honour excellence in Australia’s vibrant live performance industry in its LIVE broadcast of the prestigious and glamorous 2016 Helpmann Awards, direct from the Sydney Lyric Theatre on the set of Singin’ in the Rain on Monday July 25 at 7.30pm.
The Helpmann Awards, now in its 16th year, will be hosted by some of Australia’s most dynamic performers including Adam Garcia, Helen Dallimore, Guy Noble, Simon Phillips, Queenie van de Zandt, Stuart Maunder AM and The Umbilical Brothers. The Awards Ceremony will also be simulcast on foxtelarts.com.au
The Helpmann Awards recognise distinguished achievement and excellence in Australia’s live performance sectors spanning musical theatre, contemporary music, comedy, opera, classical music, theatre, dance, contemporary music, physical theatre, children’s presentations, regional touring and cabaret.
The awards will also feature spectacular live performances and an array of Australia’s biggest stars with performances by the casts of Matilda the Musical, The Sound of Music, Ladies in Black and Singin’ in the Rain, with individual performances by Marina Prior and Mark Vincent, Sarah Blasko, as well as West Australian Ballet and the 1st prize winner of the Sydney International Piano Competition.
A total of 41 categories will be presented at the 2016 Helpmann Awards. In addition, the prestigious Sue Nattrass Award for outstanding service to the live performance industry will be presented to Michael Lynch CBE AM. The live performance industry’s foremost honour for outstanding contribution to live entertainment in Australia will be presented this year to Stephen Page, in his 25th year as Artistic Director of Bangarra Dance Theatre. This year an additional award will be presented to the Melbourne International Comedy Festival for ‘Outstanding Contribution to the Development of Comedy in Australia’.
Fiddler on the Roof, Ladies in Black, Matilda the Musical and The Sound of Music have all been nominated in the ‘Best Musical’ category.
Nominees for ‘Best Male Actor in a Musical’ are Anthony Warlow (Fiddler on the Roof), Brent Hill (Little Shop of Horrors), James Millar (Matilda the Musical) and Rob Mills (Ghost The Musical). Nominees for ‘Best Female Actor in a Musical’ are Amy Lehpamer (The Sound of Music), Antoinette Halloran (Sweeney Todd), Esther Hannaford (Little Shop of Horrors), Molly Barwick, Dusty Bursill, Tiana Mirra, Alannah Parfett, Sasha Rose, Georgia Taplin, Bella Thomas and Ingrid Torelli (Matilda the Musical).
Piece for Person and Ghetto Blaster, Prize Fighter, North by Northwest and The Bleeding Tree have all been nominated for ‘Best Play’. Nominees for ‘Best Female Actor in a Play’ include Cate Blanchett (The Present), Catherine McClements (The Events), Noni Hazlehurst (Mother) and Paula Arundell (The Bleeding Tree). Nominees for ‘Best Male Actor in a Play’ include Dan Spielman (The Blind Giant is Dancing), Mark Leonard Winter (Birdland), Pacharo Mzembe (Prize Fighter) and Richard Roxburgh (The Present).
The complete list of 2016 nominations, further information and other news about The Helpmann Awards is available at www.helpmannawards.com.au
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-Brad