2018 Helpmann Award winners announced – Act 1

Amy Lehpamer wins Best Female Supporting Actor in a Musical for her role in Beautiful.

This evening, at an intimate cocktail event, the Act I of the 2018 Helpmann Awards were held at the Sydney Town Hall.

Amy Lehpamer wins Best Female Supporting Actor in a Musical for her role in Beautiful.

The winners were announced for the best creative, designer and supporting roles as well as the Awards for Best Presentation for Children, Best Regional Touring Production and Best Special Event in front of an industry A-list crowd.The remaining 20 awards will be presented during Helpmann Awards Act II at the Capitol Theatre, Sydney tomorrow (16 July).See a full list of Act I winners below.

BEST MALE PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN AN OPERA

Kanen BREEN
Coronation of Poppea
Pinchgut Opera

BEST FEMALE PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN AN OPERA

LORINA GORE
Hamlet
Glyndebourne Festival and Adelaide Festival in association with the State Opera of South Australia
and the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra

BEST MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A PLAY
MITCHELL BUTEL

Mr Burns, A Post-Electric Play
Belvoir and State Theatre Company South Australia

BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A PLAY

ANITA HEGH
The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui
Sydney Theatre Company

BEST MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL

MAT VEREVIS
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
Michael Cassel in association with Paul Blake & Sony/ATV Music Publishing & Mike Bosner

BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL

AMY LEHPAMER
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
Michael Cassel in association with Paul Blake & Sony/ATV Music Publishing & Mike Bosner

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

GABRIELA TYLESOVA
Muriel’s Wedding The Musical
Sydney Theatre Company and Global Creatures

BEST SCENIC DESIGN

JACOB NASH
Bennelong
Bangarra Dance Theatre

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN

NICK SCHLIEPER
Bennelong
Bangarra Dance Theatre

BEST SOUND DESIGN

MICHAEL WATERS
Muriel’s Wedding The MusicalSydney Theatre Company and Global Creatures

BEST MUSIC DIRECTION

ISAAC HAYWARD
Muriel’s Wedding The Musical
Sydney Theatre Company and Global Creatures

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

KATE MILLER-HEIDKE and KEIR NUTTALL
Muriel’s Wedding The Musical
Sydney Theatre Company and Global Creatures

BEST SPECIAL EVENT

TAYLOR MAC: A 24 DECADE HISTORY OF POPULAR MUSIC
Melbourne International Arts Festival and Pomegranate Arts

BEST PRESENTATION FOR CHILDREN

EMIL AND THE DETECTIVES
Slingsby

BEST REGIONAL TOURING PRODUCTION

OUR LAND PEOPLE STORIES
Bangarra Dance Theatre

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY IN A BALLET, DANCE OR PHYSICAL THEATRE PRODUCTION

STEPHEN PAGE AO
Bennelong
Bangarra Dance Theatre

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY IN A MUSICAL

ANDREW HALLSWORTH
Muriel’s Wedding The Musical
Sydney Theatre Company and Global Creatures

BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY

SARAH GOODES
The Children
Melbourne Theatre Company and Sydney Theatre Company

BEST DIRECTION OF AN OPERA

NEIL ARMFIELD AO
Hamlet
Glyndebourne Festival and Adelaide Festival in association with the State Opera of South Australia
and the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra

BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL

MARC BRUNI
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
Michael Cassel in association with Paul Blake & Sony/ATV Music Publishing & Mike Bosner

Erin James

Erin James is AussieTheatre.com's former Editor in Chief and a performer on both stage and screen. Credits include My Fair Lady, South Pacific and The King and I (Opera Australia), Love Never Dies and Cats (Really Useful Group), Blood Brothers (Enda Markey Presents), A Place To Call Home (Foxtel/Channel 7) and the feature film The Little Death (written and directed by Josh Lawson).