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Sydney Theatre Company has been the major winner at The Helpmann Awards 2018, securing wins in 10 categories - more than any other company - across the event’s two ceremonies on Sunday and last night at Sydney's Capitol Theatre.

Over the two nights the Sydney Theatre Company (STC) won for three shows: its Global Creatures co-production Muriel's Wedding The Musical (receiving the Costume, Choreography, Music Direction, Sound Design and Original Score awards); artistic director Kip Williams' production of Bertolt Brecht's The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui (Best Male Actor, for Hugo Weaving; Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role, for Anita Hegh); and the Melbourne Theatre Company co-production of British playwright Lucy Kirkwood's intimate drama The Children (which won Best Play; Best Direction of a Play, for Sarah Goodes; Best Female Actor in a Leading Role, for Pamela Rabe).

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical was named Best Musical as well as winning the awards for Best Direction of a Musical (Marc Bruni), Female Actor in a Musical (Esther Hannaford), Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical (Amy Lehpamer), and Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical (Mat Verevis).

In the contemporary music categories Paul McCartney’s One On One World Tour 2017 was named Best International Contemporary Concert, Gotye Presents a Tribute to Jean-Jacques Perrey was named Best Australian Contemporary Concert while Hobart’s Mona Foma received the award for Best Contemporary Music Festival.

With The Helpmann Awards having been split over two nights, 23 of the 43 awards, in the most high profile categories, were presented last night.

The Bangarra Theatre's Bennelong also took home the Helpmann Awards for Best Dance Production; Best Choreography in a Ballet, Dance or Physical Theatre Production (Stephen Page); Best Scenic Design (Jacob Nash); Best Lighting Design (Nick Schlieper); and Best Male Dancer in a Ballet, Dance of Physical Theatre Production (Beau Dean Riley Smith).

Neil Armfield received the Helpmann for Best Direction of an Opera for Hamlet (staged at the 2018 Adelaide Festival in association with Glyndebourne Festival, State Opera of South Australia and the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra).

Hamlet also won the Helpmann Awards for Best Opera, Male Performer in an Opera (awarded to Allan Clayton), and Female Performer in a Supporting Role in an Opera, won by Lorina Gore.

Sarah Goodes - the only female director nominated in any category - received the Helpmann for Best Direction of a Play for The Children, an MTC/STC co-production. The Children was also awarded the Helpmann for Best Play, while cast member Pamela Rabe took out Best Female Actor in a Play.

Coupled with wins for Hugo Weaving as Best Male Actor in The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui and Anita Hegh for Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in the same production, the STC took home 10 awards in total - three of them shared with the MTC.

Sydney Symphony Orchestra took home the Helpmann for Best Symphony Orchestra Concert for its concert performance of Bluebeard’s Castle.

To mark Live Performance Australia’s one hundred years of service to the live performance industry, 10 luminaries of Australia’s live entertainment and performing arts industry were honoured with the 2017 Centenary Awards. These revered industry titans were acknowledged from the stage.

The recipients of the 2017 Centenary JC Williamson Award recognising outstanding contribution to the Australian live performance industry were Robyn Archer AO, Reg Livermore AO, Robyn Nevin AM, Archie Roach AM and Jim Sharman.

The recipients of the 2017 Centenary Sue Nattrass Award for outstanding service to the live performance industry were Carrillo Gantner AO, Ian McRae AO, Susan Provan AO, Rhoda Roberts AO and Frank Van Straten AM.

Congratulating the winners on last night, Live Performance Australia President Andrew Kay stated “we are proud to present the 18th Annual Helpmann Awards across two nights this year. The breadth and diversity of winners, nominees and performances at tonight’s and yesterday’s events shines a spotlight on Australia’s world class creative and artistic talent.”

To view the full list of winners go to www.helpmannawards.com.au/2018/nominees-and-winners

Images: Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (top, courtesy of Ben Symons) and Hobart’s Mona Foma winner of the Awdrd for Best Contemporary Music Festival (below).

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