The 2008 Helpmann Awards were presented on 28 July 2008 at the Lyric Theatre, Sydney. The ceremony was hosted by Jonathan Biggins and Julia ZemiroGeorgiou, Andrew: Helpmann Awards 2008 , Time Out Sydney, 29 July 2008. and was broadcast live on Bio. (Foxtel's biography channel).Know, David: Airdate: 2008 Helpmann Awards, TV Tonight, 30 June 2008.
Nominees (winners are bolded)
Theatre Best Play Best Direction of a PlayWho's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? – Company BBlack Watch – National Theatre of Scotland presented by Sydney Festival, Perth International Arts Festival When the Rain Stops Falling – Brink Productions Toy Symphony – Company B | valign="top" |Neil Armfield – Toy Symphony Benedict Andrews – Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Barrie Kosky – The Tell-Tale Heart (Malthouse Theatre and Melbourne International Arts Festival) John Tiffany – Black Watch Best Female Actor in a Play Best Male Actor in a PlayLeah Purcell – The Story of the Miracles at Cookie's Table (Griffin Theatre Company and HotHouse Theatre) Catherine McClements – Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Kate Dickie – Aalst (National Theatre of Scotland, presented by Sydney Festival, Perth International Arts Festival and Brisbane Powerhouse) Genevieve Picot – Rock 'n' Roll (Melbourne Theatre Company)Richard Roxburgh – Toy Symphony Marton Csokas – Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Martin Niedermair – The Tell-Tale Heart Geoffrey Rush – Exit the King (Company B and Malthouse Theatre) Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a PlayJulie Forsyth – Exit the King Monica Maughan – Toy Symphony Susan Prior – Riflemind (Sydney Theatre Company) Alison Whyte – Don's Party (Melbourne Theatre Company and Sydney Theatre Company)Russell Dykstra – Toy Symphony Travis McMahon – Don's Party (Melbourne Theatre Company and Sydney Theatre Company) James Stewart – The Glass Menagerie (Queensland Theatre Company) David Woods – Exit the King
Musicals Best MusicalBilly Elliot the Musical – Universal Pictures, Working Title Films and Old Vic ProductionsGuys and Dolls – Ambassador Theatre Group, Shows Inc, Marriner Theatres and Tulchin/Bartner Productions Company – Kookaburra: The National Musical Theatre Company The Phantom of the Opera – The Really Useful Group Asia Pacific and The Gordon/Frost Organisation |- ! style="background:#C4C3D0;width:50%" | Best Direction of a Musical ! style="background:#C4C3D0;width:50%" | Best Choreography in a Musical |- | valign="top" |Stephen Daldry in association with Julian Webber – Billy Elliot the Musical Gale Edwards – Company Michael Grandage & Jamie Lloyd – Guys and Dolls Roger Hodgman – Little Me (The Production Company)Peter Darling – Billy Elliot the Musical Rob Ashford – Guys and Dolls Ross Coleman – Sweet Charity (The Production Company) Ross Coleman – Shout! The Legend of The Wild One (Dennis Smith & John Gilbert) Best Female Actor in a Musical Best Male Actor in a MusicalGenevieve Lemon – Billy Elliot the Musical Marina Prior – Guys and Dolls Ana Marina – The Phantom of the Opera Sharon Millerchip – Sweet CharityLochlan Denholm, Nick Twiney, Rarmian Newton and Rhys Kosakowski – Billy Elliot the Musical iOTA – Richard O'Brien's Rocky Horror Show Mitchell Butel – Little Me Anthony Warlow – The Phantom of the Opera Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a MusicalSharon Millerchip – Richard O'Brien's Rocky Horror Show Lola Nixon – Billy Elliot the Musical Colette Mann – Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical Jackie Rees – The Phantom of the OperaShane Jacobson – Guys and Dolls Linal Haft – Billy Elliot the Musical Bill Hunter – Priscilla Queen of the Desert – The Musical John Paul Young – Shout! The Legend of The Wild One
Opera and Classical Music Best Opera Best Direction of an OperaArabella – Opera AustraliaLes Contes d'Hoffmann – Opera Australia Dead Man Walking – Andrew McManus Presents and Alexander Productions Little Women – State Opera of South Australia and State Theatre Company of SA | valign="top" |John Cox – Arabella Bruce Beresford – A Streetcar Named Desire Nigel Jamieson – Dead Man Walking Adam Cook – Little Women Best Female Performer in an Opera Best Male Performer in an OperaCheryl Barker – Arabella Emma Matthews – Les Contes d'Hoffmann Kirsti Harms – Dead Man Walking Elvira Fatykhova – RigolettoTeddy Tahu Rhodes – Dead Man Walking John Wegner – Les Contes d'Hoffmann Peter Coleman-Wright – Arabella Jonathan Summers – Il trittico Best Female Performer in a Supporting Role in an Opera Best Male Performer in a Supporting Role in an OperaEmma Matthews – Arabella Antoinette Halloran – A Streetcar Named Desire Hye Seoung Kwon – Carmen Anke Hoppner – The Love of the NightingaleJames Egglestone – Little Women Luke Gabbedy – La bohème Kanen Breen – Les Contes d'Hoffmann Stuart Skelton – A Streetcar Named Desire Best Classical Concert Presentation Best Performance in a Classical ConcertWest Australian Opera – Opera in the Park – Madama Butterfly Australian Brandenburg Orchestra with L'Arpeggiata – Baroque Beat Sydney Symphony – Sir Charles Mackerras concerts Adelaide Symphony Orchestra – Sibelius FestivalMelbourne Symphony Orchestra – Classical Connections – Sir Charles Returns Simone Young – Turangalîla-Symphonie Michael Kieran Harvey – Messiaen's Catalogue d'oiseaux Aivale Cole – Opera in the Park – Madama Butterfly
Dance and Physical Theatre Best Ballet or Dance Work Best Visual or Physical Theatre Production Glow – Chunky Move & Melbourne International Arts Festival The Nutcracker – The Australian Ballet Sacred Monsters – Akram Khan Co. presented by Adelaide Festival of Arts, Sydney Opera House, Brisbane Powerhouse Roadkill – Brisbane Powerhouse and Dancenorth choreographed by SplintergroupMortal Engine – Chunky Move presented by Sydney FestivalAu Revoir Parapluie – Sydney Festival Paradise City – Branch Nebula produced by Performing Lines Secret – Cirque Ici presented by Sydney Festival |- ! style="background:#C4C3D0;width:50%" | Best Female Dancer in a Dance or Physical Theatre Work ! style="background:#C4C3D0;width:50%" | Best Male Dancer in a Dance or Physical Theatre Work |- | valign="top" |Sara Black – Glow Sarah-Jayne Howard – Roadkill Larissa McGowan – G (Australian Dance Theatre, Theatre de la Ville, Joyce Theatre, Southbank Centre, Merrigong Theatre) Lucinda Dunn – Don Quixote (The Australian Ballet)Paul White – Construct (Sydney Festival) Akram Khan – Sacred Monsters Steven Heathcote – After the Rain (The Australian Ballet) Gavin Webber – Roadkill Best Choreography in a Dance or Physical Theatre WorkTanja Liedtke – Construct Christopher Wheeldon – After the Rain Gideon Obarzanek – Glow Lloyd Newson – To Be Straight With You (DV8 Physical Theatre presented by Adelaide Festival of Arts)
Contemporary Music Best Australian Contemporary Concert Best Contemporary Music FestivalThe Frontier Touring Company – Crowded House Maiden Australia and QPAC – Broad Andrew McManus Presents – Kate Ceberano – Nine Lime Avenue Tour Sydney Symphony – The Whitlams with the Sydney SymphonyWomadelaide Foundation – Womadelaide Chugg Entertainment & Rockin Roll Circus – St Jeromes Laneway Festival Chugg Entertainment & Peter Noble Presents – 19th Annual East Coast Blues and Roots Festival Vivian Lees & Ken West – Big Day Out Festival 2008 Best Performance in an Australian Contemporary Concert Best International Contemporary ConcertDavid Campbell – The Swing Sessions 2 Guy Sebastian – The Memphis Tour Kate Ceberano – Nine Lime Avenue Tour Tina Arena in concertSydney Festival – Björk on the Steps of the Sydney Opera House The Frontier Touring Company – Justin Timberlake Dainty Consolidated Entertainment – Bon Jovi – Lost Highway Tour Chugg Entertainment and Perth International Arts Festival – Rufus Wainwright
Other Best Presentation for Children Best Regional Touring ProductionMr McGee and the Biting Flea – Patch Theatre Company My Grandma Lived in Gooligulch – Gooligulch Productions in association with Garry Ginivan Attractions Hoods – Real T.V. Cat – Windmill Performing Arts | valign="top" |Keating! – Company BMr McGee and the Biting Flea – Patch Theatre Company True Stories – Bangarra Dance Theatre Heroes – Queensland Theatre Company |- ! style="background:#C4C3D0;width:50%" | Best Comedy Performer |- | valign="top" |David Collins & Shane Dundas – The Umbilical Brothers: Don't Explain Frank Woodley – Possessed Julia Morris – Julia Morris in Shoosh Please! Ross Noble
Industry Best New Australian WorkMichael Gow – Toy Symphony Andrew Bovell – When the Rain Stops Falling (Brink Productions co-presented by State Theatre Company of South Australia and Adelaide Festival of Arts) Gideon Obarzanek – Glow (Chunky Move presented by Melbourne International Arts Festival) Alana Valentine – Parramatta Girls (Company B) Best Original Score Best Music DirectionBarrie Kosky – The Tell-Tale Heart Richard Mills – Songlines for the Heart's Desire Andree Greenwell – Venus & Adonis Ben Frost – Mortal EngineStephen Amos – Billy Elliot the Musical Peter Farnan – Sleeping Beauty Lionel Friend – Arabella Peter Casey – Company Best Scenic Design Best Costume DesignDan Potra – Dead Man Walking Peter McKintosh – The 39 Steps John F Macfarlane – The Nutcracker Ian MacNeil – Billy Elliot the MusicalJulie Lynch – Richard O'Brien's Rocky Horror Show Robert Perdziola – Arabella Stephen Curtis – The Government Inspector John F Macfarlane – The Nutcracker Best Lighting Design Best Sound DesignRick Fisher – Billy Elliot the Musical Paul Jackson – Moving Target Trudy Dalgleish – Dead Man Walking Niklas Pajanti – When the Rain Stops FallingGareth Fry – Black Watch Chris Full, John Scandrett & Nick Reich – Guys and Dolls Paul Arditti – Billy Elliot the Musical Mic Pool – The 39 Steps Best Special EventSydney Opera House and Australian Broadcasting Corporation – The Choir of Hard Knocks Kookaburra: The National Musical Theatre Company – An Audience With Stephen Sondheim Adelaide Festival of Arts & The Electric Canvas – Ignition! and Northern Lights Queensland Music Festival and Brisbane City Council – Pig City
References
External links Helpmann Awards official site