2012 Helpmann Awards Nominations Announced

Live Performance Australia (LPA) today announced the List of Nominations in each of the 41 categories for the 2012 Helpmann Awards®. The announcement was made concurrently in Sydney with MC Simon Burke; in Melbourne with MC Bert LaBonte; and in Brisbane with MC Bille Brown AM.

Reading the names were David Berthold, Blake Bowden, Michael Cormick, Martin Crewes, Chloe Dallimore, Helen Dallimore, Nicole Da Silva, Bobby Fox, Lisa Gasteen AO, Tony Gould AM D UNI, Lucy Maunder, Silvie Paladino, Teddy Tahu Rhodes, Glaston Toft, and Natalie Weir.

NSW Minister for Tourism, Major Events and the Arts, The Hon. George Souris, congratulated the nominees of the 2012 Helpmann Awards® and said Sydney is proud to host this prestigious Australian event for the 12th year in succession.

“The Helpmanns are the premiere awards event for the live performance industry. Our investment in the 2012 Helpmann Awards® and the staging of them in Sydney re-affirms the NSW Government’s commitment to the arts and further strengthens Sydney’s position as the live performance capital of Australia,” Mr Souris said.

Additionally, Minister Souris announced that Katharine Brisbane AM is the co-recipient of the coveted 2012 JC Williamson AwardTM, awarded to distinguished members of Australia's live entertainment industry for their extraordinary contribution to the industry. It was announced earlier this year that the late Dr Jimmy Little AO would be a 2012 recipient of this award. Katharine Brisbane is renowned in Australia for her dedication to Australian theatre, as a respected reviewer, a zealous advocate for the industry and its people, and an adventurous publisher of Australian plays and performing arts history.

Kathryn Sadler, Chair of the Brian Stacey Memorial Trust, announced that Daniel Carter is this year’s winner of the Brian Stacey Award for Emerging Australian Conductors. Daniel received an $8,000 prize, presented this year by Sydney Lyric & Capitol Theatre Managing Director, Stephen Found. This will be the 15th year this Award has been given.

The 2012 Helpmann Awards® Ceremony will be held on Monday 24 September at 8pm at Opera Theatre, Sydney Opera House. Simon Burke, acclaimed actor and writer, will MC the Awards Ceremony.

Jon Nicholls, Executive Producer of the Awards Ceremony said “This year marks our twelfth Helpmanns and I am hugely excited about the fabulous line up we have as guest Artists on the night. We have asked Simon Burke to return to host the evening and we are constructing an Opening Number which will be great fun and will feature a bevy of top Australian Artists. We have large company pieces from A Chorus Line and South Pacific and a host of great stars from the 70s as they recreate their smash hit Long Way to the Top. Dan Sultan presents a tribute to Dr Jimmy Little and to celebrate the Australian Ballet’s 50th Anniversary we are proud to present the “BLACK SWAN” Pas De Deux from Swan Lake. I am very excited about the presentation of the Classical Group Aston. They are a young group from the Sydney Conservatorium and through their YouTube exposure have been highly sought after all over the World. In addition to all these great performances, there are still some acts yet to be announced. Monday 24 September will be a very exciting night at the Sydney Opera House and televised nationally on Studio the following night.”

LPA's Chief Executive, Evelyn Richardson, said "the Helpmann Awards® are the pinnacle industry event for Australia's live performance industry, recognising the very best in live performances that annually attracts over 17 million people to shows across the nation with revenues of over $1.3 billion."

The Helpmann Awards® will be broadcast exclusively the following night on Australia’s arts and entertainment channel STUDIO – channel 132 on Foxtel. See the full ceremony recorded live on Tuesday 25 September at 8.30pm.

Tickets go on sale to the general public on Tuesday 7 August and can be purchased from the Sydney Opera House Box Office 02 9250 7777 or www.sydneyoperahouse.com' for a full list of nominations, visit www.helpmannawards.com.au.