The winners of the 2016 Helpmann Awards have been crowned, highlighting just how big the past 12 months have been for the live arts. Among the winners, the stand out from the awards is Matilda: The Musical, which brought home a record 13 awards this year.
Matilda scored gongs in categories like Best Choreography, Best Direction, Best Female Actor and Best Supporting Female, not to mention the very affirming Best Musical nod.
Other big winners include Kate Miller-Heidke and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, who’s performance for MOFO 2016 took out Best Australian Contemporary Concert, which was no small feat considering the company they kept in that nomination.
Late music mega-star Prince was honoured with a posthumous award for his Piano & A Microphone Australian Tour, which was crowned the best live international experience from last year.
The progressive and habitually amazing WOMADelaide 2016 was deemed the best festival experience from 2016, and our beloved Tom Ballard took out Best Comedy Performer, flanked by a list of worthy peers.
Catch the winners highlights from this year’s Helpmann Awards below, and get the scoop on the full list of winners and grinners at the Helpmann Awards website.
2016 Helpmann Awards – Winners Highlights In Bold
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
