Double Helpmann win for Windmill

InReview

Tuesday July 30, 2013 Comments

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Windmill Theatre’s comedic play about the “special kind of hell” that is the school dance has won two prestigious Helpmann Awards, including Best Presentation for Children.

School Dance, which premiered at last year’s Adelaide Festival, is set against a backdrop of ’80s culture and follows three awkward teens in their quest for social acceptance. It was nominated for a total of six Helpmanns, with Amber McMahon winning Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play.

Hosted by Eddie Perfect and Christie Whelan Browne, the 13th annual Helpmann Awards were announced at a ceremony last night at the Sydney Opera House, with 43 awards presented across the live performance industry.

Alison Bell was named Best Actor in a Play for her role in the State Theatre Company of South Australia production of Hedda Gabler, but the same production missed out on the Best Play gong, which was won by Sydney Theatre Company’s The Secret River. An adaptation of the 2005 novel by Kate Grenville, The Secret River was awarded six Helpmanns, including Best New Australian Work for the stage adaptation by South Australian playwright Andrew Bovell and Best Direction of a Play for Neil Armfield.

Other big winners were Legally Blonde The Musical, which took home five awards, and King Kong, which ruled the technical categories and was presented with a new award titled Outstanding Theatrical Achievement created solely to recognise the ground-breaking design, creation and operation of the giant ape – the first of its kind in the world.

Neil Finn and Paul Kelly, who performed a free concert in front of thousands of fan in Elder Park on the opening night of this year’s Adelaide Festival, took out the Best Australian Contemporary Concert award, while Byron Bay’s Bluesfest was named Best Contemporary Musical Concert and Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band’s Wrecking Ball won Best International Contemporary Concert.

In opera, Salome was the big winner, taking home Best Opera and three other awards, while Robyn Archer was named Best Cabaret Performer for Robyn Archer in Concert: Que Reste-T-Il?

2013 Helpmann Award winners

Best Regional Touring Production

CIRCA – Circa, toured by Performing Lines for Road Work

Best Male Performer in a Supporting Role in an Opera

Jose Carbo – Die Tote Stadt, Opera Australia

Best Female Performer in a Supporting Role in an Opera

Jacqueline Dark – Salome, Opera Australia

Best Chamber &/or Instrumental Ensemble Concert

Jordi Savall & Andrew Lawrence King – Melbourne Recital Centre

Best Scenic Design

Peter England – King Kong, Global Creatures

Best Costume Design

Roger Kirk – King Kong, Global Creatures

Best Presentation for Children

School Dance – Windmill Theatre

Best Individual Classical Music Performance

Simone Young conducting the Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra – Das Rheingold by Richard Wagner (concert performance) Hamburg State Opera with the Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra & Symphony No. 2 in C Minor, Resurrection by Gustav Mahler, Soloists from the Hamburg State Opera with the Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra and Brisbane Mahler Chorus, Queensland Performing Arts Centre & Tourism and Events Queensland

Best Choreography in a Musical

Jerry Mitchell – Legally Blonde The Musical, Howard Panter for The Ambassador Theatre Group & John Frost

Best Lighting Design

Peter Mumford – King Kong, Global Creatures

Best Choreography in a Dance or Physical Theatre Production

Antony Hamilton – Black Project 1 & 2, Antony Hamilton Projects, Arts House & Insite Arts

Best Visual or Physical Theatre Production

S – Circa & Brisbane Festival

Best Sound Design

Peter Hylenski – King Kong, Global Creatures

Best Special Event

White Night Melbourne – Victorian Major Events Company on behalf of the State Government of Victoria

Best Music Direction

Iain Grandage – The Secret River, Sydney Theatre Company in association with The Confederation of Australian International Arts Festivals, Sydney Festival, The Centenary of Canberra, Perth International Arts Festival

Best International Contemporary Concert

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band Wrecking Ball 2013 – Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band and The Frontier Touring Company in association with Jacobsen International

Best Cabaret Performer

Robyn Archer – Robyn Archer in Concert: QUE RESTE-T-IL? at the Famous Spiegel Garden and Toulouse-Lautrec Cabaret and Curator Dinner at The National Gallery of Australia Robyn Archer, Michael Morley (Piano), George Butrumlis (Accordian)

Best Direction of an Opera

Alex Olle – Un Ballo in Maschera, Opera Australia

Best Direction of a Play

Neil Armfield – The Secret River, Sydney Theatre Company in association with The Confederation of Australian International Arts Festivals, Sydney Festival, The Centenary of Canberra, Perth International Arts Festival

Best Direction of a Musical

Jerry Mitchell – Legally Blonde The Musical, Howard Panter for The Ambassador Theatre Group & John Frost

Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical

Russell Dykstra – The Addams Family, Rodney Rigby, Stuart Oken, Roy Furman, Michael Leavitt , Five Cent Productions, Eva Price, Silvio Salom, Stuart Ditsky/Adam Ditsky, James Herbert, Arthur Hershaft, Cheryl Lachowicz, Mary Khoury, Mary Lu Roffe and Gian Christian by special arrangement with Elephant Eye Theatrical

Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical

Helen Dallimore – Legally Blonde The Musical, Howard Panter for The Ambassador Theatre Group & John Frost

Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play

Colin Moody – The Secret River, Sydney Theatre Company in association with The Confederation of Australian International Arts Festivals, Sydney Festival, The Centenary of Canberra, Perth International Arts Festival

Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play

Amber McMahon – School Dance, Windmill Theatre

Best Australian Contemporary Concert

Neil Finn & Paul Kelly – Neil Finn, Paul Kelly & Live Nation Australasia by arrangement with Artist Voice

Best Original Score

Best Contemporary Music Festival

The 24th Annual Bluesfest Byron Bay – Bluesfest

Best New Australian Work

Kate Grenville, An Adaptation for the Stage by Andrew Bovell – The Secret River, Sydney Theatre Company in association with The Confederation of Australian International Arts Festivals, Sydney Festival, The Centenary of Canberra, Perth International Arts Festival

Best Comedy Performer

Julia Morris – Julia Morris – No Judgement, Fox in the Snow

Outstanding Theatrical Achievement

For the design, creation and operation of King Kong – the creature

Creature Designer: Sonny Tilders
Aerial Director and Kings Men Movement: Gavin Robins
Puppetry Director: Peter Wilson
Kong’s Voice: Harley Durst
The King’s Men: Lincoln Barros, James Brown, Adam Davis, Simon Fairweather, Josh Feldschuh, Brett Franzi, Nathan Jones, Nathan Kell, Russell Leonard, Brent Osborne, Troy Phillips, Mike Snow, Maxwell Trengove, Tayo Wilson
Kong Voodoo: Harley Durst, Danny Miller, Jacob Williams (Kong Captain), Steve Coupe (Puppetry Captain and Voodoo Understudy)
Circus Captain: Leigh-Anne Vizer
Best Male Dancer in a Dance or Physical Theatre Production
Alisdair Macindoe – Dual, Stephanie Lake & Arts House

Best Female Dancer in a Dance or Physical Theatre Production

Deborah Brown – TERRAIN, Bangarra Dance Theatre

Best Ballet or Dance Work

TERRAIN – Bangarra Dance Theatre

Best Male Performer in an Opera

John Wegner – Salome, Opera Australia

Best Female Performer in an Opera

Cheryl Barker – Salome, Opera Australia

Best Symphony Orchestra Concert Das Rheingold by Richard Wagner (concert performance), Hamburg State Opera with the Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra – Queensland Performing Arts Centre & Tourism and Events Queensland

Best Male Actor in a Musical

Geoffrey Rush – A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, John Frost

Best Female Actor in a Musical

Lucy Durack – Legally Blonde The Musical, Howard Panter for The Ambassador Theatre Group & John Frost

Best Male Actor in a Play

Colin Friels – Death of a Salesman, Belvoir

Best Female Actor in a Play

Alison Bell – Hedda Gabler, State Theatre Company of South Australia

Best Opera

Salome – Opera Australia

Best Play

The Secret River – Sydney Theatre Company in association with The Confederation of Australian International Arts Festivals, Sydney Festival, The Centenary of Canberra, Perth International Arts Festival

Best Musical

Legally Blonde The Musical, Howard Panter for The Ambassador Theatre Group & John Frost

– with AAP

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<h1>Double Helpmann win for Windmill</h1>

<address><a href="https://inreview.com.au/contributors/suzie-keen/" class="author">Suzie Keen</a></address>
											
							Windmill Theatre’s comedic play about the “special kind of hell” that is the school dance has won two prestigious Helpmann Awards, including Best Presentation for Children.
School Dance, which premiered at last year’s Adelaide Festival, is set against a backdrop of ’80s culture and follows three awkward teens in their quest for social acceptance. It was nominated for a total of six Helpmanns, with Amber McMahon winning Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play.
Hosted by Eddie Perfect and Christie Whelan Browne, the 13th annual Helpmann Awards were announced at a ceremony last night at the Sydney Opera House, with 43 awards presented across the live performance industry.
Alison Bell was named Best Actor in a Play for her role in the State Theatre Company of South Australia production of Hedda Gabler, but the same production missed out on the Best Play gong, which was won by Sydney Theatre Company’s The Secret River. An adaptation of the 2005 novel by Kate Grenville, The Secret River was awarded six Helpmanns, including Best New Australian Work for the stage adaptation by South Australian playwright Andrew Bovell and Best Direction of a Play for Neil Armfield.
Other big winners were Legally Blonde The Musical, which took home five awards, and King Kong, which ruled the technical categories and was presented with a new award titled Outstanding Theatrical Achievement created solely to recognise the ground-breaking design, creation and operation of the giant ape – the first of its kind in the world.
Neil Finn and Paul Kelly, who performed a free concert in front of thousands of fan in Elder Park on the opening night of this year’s Adelaide Festival, took out the Best Australian Contemporary Concert award, while Byron Bay’s Bluesfest was named Best Contemporary Musical Concert and Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band’s Wrecking Ball won Best International Contemporary Concert.
In opera, Salome was the big winner, taking home Best Opera and three other awards, while Robyn Archer was named Best Cabaret Performer for Robyn Archer in Concert: Que Reste-T-Il?
<h4><a href="#2013-helpmann-award-winners" aria-hidden="true" class="aal_anchor" id="2013-helpmann-award-winners"><svg aria-hidden="true" class="aal_svg" height="16" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 16 16" width="16"><path fill-rule="evenodd" d="M4 9h1v1H4c-1.5 0-3-1.69-3-3.5S2.55 3 4 3h4c1.45 0 3 1.69 3 3.5 0 1.41-.91 2.72-2 3.25V8.59c.58-.45 1-1.27 1-2.09C10 5.22 8.98 4 8 4H4c-.98 0-2 1.22-2 2.5S3 9 4 9zm9-3h-1v1h1c1 0 2 1.22 2 2.5S13.98 12 13 12H9c-.98 0-2-1.22-2-2.5 0-.83.42-1.64 1-2.09V6.25c-1.09.53-2 1.84-2 3.25C6 11.31 7.55 13 9 13h4c1.45 0 3-1.69 3-3.5S14.5 6 13 6z"></path></svg></a>2013 Helpmann Award winners</h4>
Best Regional Touring Production
CIRCA – Circa, toured by Performing Lines for Road Work
Best Male Performer in a Supporting Role in an Opera
Jose Carbo – Die Tote Stadt, Opera Australia
Best Female Performer in a Supporting Role in an Opera
Jacqueline Dark – Salome, Opera Australia
Best Chamber &/or Instrumental Ensemble Concert
Jordi Savall & Andrew Lawrence King – Melbourne Recital Centre
Best Scenic Design
Peter England – King Kong, Global Creatures
Best Costume Design
Roger Kirk – King Kong, Global Creatures
Best Presentation for Children
School Dance – Windmill Theatre
Best Individual Classical Music Performance
Simone Young conducting the Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra – Das Rheingold by Richard Wagner (concert performance) Hamburg State Opera with the Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra & Symphony No. 2 in C Minor, Resurrection by Gustav Mahler, Soloists from the Hamburg State Opera with the Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra and Brisbane Mahler Chorus, Queensland Performing Arts Centre & Tourism and Events Queensland
Best Choreography in a Musical
Jerry Mitchell – Legally Blonde The Musical, Howard Panter for The Ambassador Theatre Group & John Frost
Best Lighting Design
Peter Mumford – King Kong, Global Creatures
Best Choreography in a Dance or Physical Theatre Production
Antony Hamilton – Black Project 1 & 2, Antony Hamilton Projects, Arts House & Insite Arts
Best Visual or Physical Theatre Production
S – Circa & Brisbane Festival
Best Sound Design
Peter Hylenski – King Kong, Global Creatures
Best Special Event
White Night Melbourne – Victorian Major Events Company on behalf of the State Government of Victoria
Best Music Direction
Iain Grandage – The Secret River, Sydney Theatre Company in association with The Confederation of Australian International Arts Festivals, Sydney Festival, The Centenary of Canberra, Perth International Arts Festival
Best International Contemporary Concert
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band Wrecking Ball 2013 – Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band and The Frontier Touring Company in association with Jacobsen International
Best Cabaret Performer
Robyn Archer – Robyn Archer in Concert: QUE RESTE-T-IL? at the Famous Spiegel Garden and Toulouse-Lautrec Cabaret and Curator Dinner at The National Gallery of Australia Robyn Archer, Michael Morley (Piano), George Butrumlis (Accordian)
Best Direction of an Opera
Alex Olle – Un Ballo in Maschera, Opera Australia
Best Direction of a Play
Neil Armfield – The Secret River, Sydney Theatre Company in association with The Confederation of Australian International Arts Festivals, Sydney Festival, The Centenary of Canberra, Perth International Arts Festival
Best Direction of a Musical
Jerry Mitchell – Legally Blonde The Musical, Howard Panter for The Ambassador Theatre Group & John Frost
Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical
Russell Dykstra – The Addams Family, Rodney Rigby, Stuart Oken, Roy Furman, Michael Leavitt , Five Cent Productions, Eva Price, Silvio Salom, Stuart Ditsky/Adam Ditsky, James Herbert, Arthur Hershaft, Cheryl Lachowicz, Mary Khoury, Mary Lu Roffe and Gian Christian by special arrangement with Elephant Eye Theatrical
Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical
Helen Dallimore – Legally Blonde The Musical, Howard Panter for The Ambassador Theatre Group & John Frost
Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play
Colin Moody – The Secret River, Sydney Theatre Company in association with The Confederation of Australian International Arts Festivals, Sydney Festival, The Centenary of Canberra, Perth International Arts Festival
Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play
Amber McMahon – School Dance, Windmill Theatre
Best Australian Contemporary Concert
Neil Finn & Paul Kelly – Neil Finn, Paul Kelly & Live Nation Australasia by arrangement with Artist Voice
Best Original Score
Iain Grandage – The Secret River, Sydney Theatre Company in association with The Confederation of Australian International Arts Festivals, Sydney Festival, The Centenary of Canberra, Perth International Arts Festival
Best Contemporary Music Festival
The 24th Annual Bluesfest Byron Bay – Bluesfest
Best New Australian Work
Kate Grenville, An Adaptation for the Stage by Andrew Bovell – The Secret River, Sydney Theatre Company in association with The Confederation of Australian International Arts Festivals, Sydney Festival, The Centenary of Canberra, Perth International Arts Festival
Best Comedy Performer
Julia Morris – Julia Morris – No Judgement, Fox in the Snow
Outstanding Theatrical Achievement
For the design, creation and operation of King Kong – the creature
Creature Designer: Sonny Tilders 
Aerial Director and Kings Men Movement: Gavin Robins 
Puppetry Director: Peter Wilson 
Kong’s Voice: Harley Durst 
The King’s Men: Lincoln Barros, James Brown, Adam Davis, Simon Fairweather, Josh Feldschuh, Brett Franzi, Nathan Jones, Nathan Kell, Russell Leonard, Brent Osborne, Troy Phillips, Mike Snow, Maxwell Trengove, Tayo Wilson 
Kong Voodoo: Harley Durst, Danny Miller, Jacob Williams (Kong Captain), Steve Coupe (Puppetry Captain and Voodoo Understudy) 
Circus Captain: Leigh-Anne Vizer 
Best Male Dancer in a Dance or Physical Theatre Production 
Alisdair Macindoe – Dual, Stephanie Lake & Arts House
Best Female Dancer in a Dance or Physical Theatre Production
Deborah Brown – TERRAIN, Bangarra Dance Theatre
Best Ballet or Dance Work
TERRAIN – Bangarra Dance Theatre
Best Male Performer in an Opera
John Wegner – Salome, Opera Australia
Best Female Performer in an Opera
Cheryl Barker – Salome, Opera Australia
Best Symphony Orchestra Concert Das Rheingold by Richard Wagner (concert performance), Hamburg State Opera with the Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra – Queensland Performing Arts Centre & Tourism and Events Queensland
Best Male Actor in a Musical
Geoffrey Rush – A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, John Frost
Best Female Actor in a Musical
Lucy Durack – Legally Blonde The Musical, Howard Panter for The Ambassador Theatre Group & John Frost
Best Male Actor in a Play
Colin Friels – Death of a Salesman, Belvoir
Best Female Actor in a Play
Alison Bell – Hedda Gabler, State Theatre Company of South Australia
Best Opera
Salome – Opera Australia
Best Play
The Secret River – Sydney Theatre Company in association with The Confederation of Australian International Arts Festivals, Sydney Festival, The Centenary of Canberra, Perth International Arts Festival
Best Musical
Legally Blonde The Musical, Howard Panter for The Ambassador Theatre Group & John Frost
– with AAP
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