(© Tristan Fuge)
The nominations for the 2011 Helpmann Awards, honoring distinguished artistic achievement and excellence in a variety of disciplines in Australia, have been announced. The prizes will be presented in a ceremony to be held on August 1 at the Sydney Opera House, hosted by Jonathan Biggins.
The Walt Disney musical Mary Poppins has received the most nominations, 12, including one for Best Musical, as well as ones for Verity Hunt-Ballard, who is nominated for a Best Female Actor in a Musical award, for her performance as the title character, and Matt Lee, nominated in the Best Male Actor in a Musical. In addition, Richard Eyre and Matthew Bourne have been nominated for Best Direction of a Musical and Bourne and Stephen Mear have received a nomination for Best Choreography in a Musical.
The other musicals nominated as Best Musical are also the other most-nominated ones: Love Never Dies, which has received a total of ten nominations and Dr. Zhivago and Hairspray, each of which has received seven nominations. These productions have also garnered nominations for directors Simon Phillips, Des McAnuff, and David Atkins, respectively.
Other performers nominated in musical categories include Alinta Chidzey, Martin Crewes, Jaz Flowers, Simon Gleeson, Esther Hannaford, David Harris, Scott Irwin, Ben Lewis, Lucy Maunder, Marina Prior, Philip Quast, Jemma Rix, Taneel Van Zyl, and Anthony Warlow.
In non-musical categories, Geoffrey Rush has been nominated for his performance in The Diary of a Madman, which, along with Do not go gentle, The Wild Duck, and Uncle Vanya, has been nominated for Best Play. Uncle Vanya, seen at the Sydney Theatre Company, has also received nominations for Cate Blanchett (Best Female Actor in a Play), Richard Roxburgh (Best Male Actor in a Play), and John Bell (Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play).
Other performers nominated for their work in plays include Anita Hegh, Robin McLeavy, Colin Moody, Robyn Nevin, Dennis Olsen, Ann Phelan, Anthony Phelan, Toby Schmitz, Lucas Stibbard, Yael Stone, Helen Thomson, and Ursula Yovich.
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