Helpmann Awards 2012: Sydney, Australia

Australia's top female dramatic actors, Robyn Nevin and Cate Blanchett, won their categories in the national Helpmann Awards presented in Sydney last night, but unusually no single production dominated the ceremony.

While Nevin won for Belvoir St Theatre's Summer of the Seventeenth Doll and Blanchett for Sydney Theatre Company's Gross und Klein, the award for best play went to Ganesh Versus the Third Reich by the Geelong company for intellectually impaired performers, Back to Back Theatre.

This was the pattern for the night with glamour productions picking up individual awards but rarely clinching the top gong in their categories.

The most successful production was Opera Australia's first Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour, La Traviata, which won four awards, including best female singer for Emma Matthews.

Best special event - Perth Festival's Place des Anges

Meow Meow's Little Match Girl at the Malthouse Theatre won three awards, including best cabaret performer.

Paul Capsis was best actor in a play for Angela's Kitchen. Also snatched the award for best new Australian work.

Melbourne's Production Company won three musical awards for Grey Gardens, with Pamela Rabe winning for best female actor in a musical, Nancye Hayes for her supporting role and Roger Hodgman for direction.

But the overall best musical award went to A Chorus Line.

Stephen Page won best dance choreography for ID from Bangarra's Belong, which also earned the award for best score for his brother, David, and Steve Francis.

English company DV8 won for best ballet or dance work for its verbatim theatre piece, Can We Talk About This? at the Opera House.

Opera Australia won seven awards, with Anthony Dean Griffey best male performer in Of Mice and Men and Mitchell Butel best actor in a musical for The Mikado.

But the best opera award went to the State Opera of South Australia's Moby Dick, which won three awards.

Background...

The Helpmann Awards recognize distinguished artistic achievement and excellence in Australia's live performing arts sectors. The recognized disciplines include musical and physical theatre, contemporary and classical music, opera, and dance, with a comedy category introduced in 2006. The Helpmann Awards also incorporates the JC Williamson award (formerly the James Cassius Award) for outstanding contribution to the Australian entertainment industry.

The award, named after Sir Robert Helpmann, was established by the Australian Entertainment Industry Association (AEIA). It is similar to Broadway's Tony Awards and London's Laurence Olivier Awards. The awards inaugurated in 2001 and are presented annually in Sydney Australia.

The official website lists the objectives of the awards 'to nationally and internationally serve and promote Australian live performing arts industry by recognising distinguished artistic achievement and excellence, ensuring the Awards are administered and made with integrity, ensuring the Awards are celebrated by the industry and the Australian community; and ensuring the Awards are the most prestigious awards in the industry and the highlight of each Season'.

The full name of the Awards is the Helpmann Awards for Performing Arts in Australia. The trophy was designed by silversmith Hendrik Forster.

The Helpmann Awards were hosted by Simon Burke from 2001-2006.

Since 2010, the awards have been broadcast live on arts channel STVDIO.

News Update...

Hours before the Australian theatre industry celebrates its success with the Helpmann Awards at the Opera House tonight, 100 top actors and directors have launched a campaign against the use of more foreign performers on Australian stages.

A long list of Helpmann award winners, including actors Richard Roxburgh, Rachel Griffiths and Geoffrey Rush, playwright David Williamson and director Neil Armfield, have signed an open letter to theatre and musical producers, calling on them to renegotiate a 20-year agreement on the use of foreign performers.

For two decades, the number of foreign performers hired for Australian productions has been controlled via the agreement between the producers' association, Live Performance Australia, and the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, in a bid to protect local jobs.

Signatory against foreign performers ... actor Geoffrey Rush. 

LPA, which represents subsidised and commercial producers and organises the Helpmanns, abandoned the agreement in April and since then has, according to the union, refused to discuss the issue. (Fairfax Media)

Arts Minister Simon Crean, who was not at the awards ceremony last night but sent an adviser, has said the NCP will appear by the end of the year.

In LPA's submission to the discussion paper, Richardson spelled out the sector's need for policies that not only assist production of cultural events but also encourage demand. It also argued for funds to help develop new Australian work and for measures to promote private investment.

A note of discord surrounding this year's Helpmanns concerns the vexed issue of foreign performers working in this country. Earlier this year LPA unilaterally broke its agreement with the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, ending an arrangement to consult the union when producers want to engage foreign artists.

The MEAA yesterday published an open letter to LPA members -- among the signatories are Neil Armfield, Steven Heathcote, Emma Matthews and Rush -- warning that harmony between performers and producers is at risk over the issue.

Websites

Helpmann Awards official website

www.helpmannawards.com.au

Sydney Opera House

www.sydneyoperahouse.com

Eva Rinaldi Photography

www.evarinaldi.com

Eva Rinaldi Photography Flickr

www.flickr.com/evarinaldiphotography

Music News Australia

www.musicnewsaustralia.com

MGM Publicity and Promotions

www.mgmpublicity.com.au

Killing Then Softly movie premiere at Dendy Opera Quays

'Killing Them Softly' enjoyed its Sydney, Australia movie premiere at Dendy Opera Quays this evening.

Writer/ director Andrew Dominik (Chopper, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford) and star of the film Ben Mendelsohn (The Dark Knight Rises, Animal Kingdom) will attend the Australian premiere of KILLING

THEM SOFTLY on Monday 24 September.

Other guests attending include Bella Heathcote, Aaron Glenane, Brenna Harding, Elizabeth Blackmore, Felix Willamson, Gillian Armstrong, James Frecheville, John Jarratt Khan Chittenden, Krew Boylan, Leanna Walsman, Mary

Coustas, Matthew Nable, Peter Phelps, Sacha Horler, Samara Weaving, Sarah Snook, Sean Keenan and Toby Schmitz.

Adapted from George V. Higgins novel and set in New Orleans, Killing Them Softly follows professional enforcer, Jackie Cogan (Pitt), who investigates a heist that occurs during a high stakes, mob-protected poker game.

Plot:

Jackie Cogan is a professional enforcer who investigates a heist that went down during a mob-protected poker game.

Director: Andrew Dominik

Writers: Andrew Dominik (screenplay), George V. Higgins (novel)

Stars: Brad Pitt, Ray Liotta and Richard Jenkins

IN CINEMAS 11 OCTOBER 2012

Websites

Killing Them Softly

www.killingthemsoftlymovie.com

Dendy Cinemas

www.dendy.com.au

Eva Rinaldi Photography

www.evarinaldi.com

Eva Rinaldi Photography Flickr

www.flickr.com/evarinaldiphotography

Music News Australia

www.musicnewsaustralia.com

Nixco

www.nixco.com.au

Good Charlotte performs at The Big Top, Luna Park, Sydney

Good Charlotte performed strongly at The Big Top at Sydney's Luna Park earlier this evening.

It was jam packed and Joel Madden looked and sounded as good as ever.

News media was rushed on this busy Friday night but we will have more follow up information published soon.

Thanks to everyone who made the event possible.

Bio (short)

Good Charlotte is an American pop punk band from Waldorf, Maryland, that formed in 1996. Since 1998, the band's constant members have been lead vocalist Joel Madden, lead guitarist and back-up vocalist Benji Madden, bass guitarist Paul Thomas, and rhythm guitarist and keyboardist Billy Martin. Their latest drummer and percussionist is Dean Butterworth, who has been a member of the band since 2005. The band has released five studio albums: Good Charlotte (2000), The Young and the Hopeless (2002), The Chronicles of Life and Death (2004), Good Morning Revival (2007), and Cardiology (2010) as well as two compilations: Greatest Remixes (2008) and Greatest Hits (2010). (Wikipedia)

Websites

Good Charlotte

www.goodcharlotte.com

Eva Rinaldi Photography Flickr

www.flickr.com/evarinaldiphotography

Eva Rinaldi Photography

www.evarinaldi.com

Music News Australia

www.musicnewsaustralia.com

Good Charlotte performs at The Big Top, Luna Park, Sydney

Good Charlotte performed strongly at The Big Top at Sydney's Luna Park earlier this evening.

It was jam packed and Joel Madden looked and sounded as good as ever.

News media was rushed on this busy Friday night but we will have more follow up information published soon.

Thanks to everyone who made the event possible.

Bio (short)

Good Charlotte is an American pop punk band from Waldorf, Maryland, that formed in 1996. Since 1998, the band's constant members have been lead vocalist Joel Madden, lead guitarist and back-up vocalist Benji Madden, bass guitarist Paul Thomas, and rhythm guitarist and keyboardist Billy Martin. Their latest drummer and percussionist is Dean Butterworth, who has been a member of the band since 2005. The band has released five studio albums: Good Charlotte (2000), The Young and the Hopeless (2002), The Chronicles of Life and Death (2004), Good Morning Revival (2007), and Cardiology (2010) as well as two compilations: Greatest Remixes (2008) and Greatest Hits (2010). (Wikipedia)

Websites

Good Charlotte

www.goodcharlotte.com

Eva Rinaldi Photography Flickr

www.flickr.com/evarinaldiphotography

Eva Rinaldi Photography

www.evarinaldi.com

Music News Australia

www.musicnewsaustralia.com

Legally Blonde The Musical to open at The Star, Sydney tonight

News Media Update...

Theatre production 'Legally Blonde' enjoyed a media call this morning at Sydney Lyric Theatre at Pyrmont in Sydney.

The play comes with much fanfare so it will be interesting to see if the show lives up to its reputation and hype once it plays to live audiences at the Sydney Lyric Theatre, which is part of The Star (formally known as Star City Casino).

The Star and its business partners have taken a calculated gamble on running with 'Legally Blonde', and you can bet that they will be hoping for similar outstanding results that they received with musicals such as 'Annie' (which was considerable helped along with a strong performance and some wonderful publicity from Sydney radio icon Alan Jones).

Sydney continues to secure world class entertainment thanks to our friends at The Star and Lyric, and we encourage you to check out what all the fuss is about.

Update...

News Media has been notified that short segments of four musical numbers from the show will be performed, and afterwards producers Howard Panter and John Frost and lead cast members Lucy Durack (Elle Woods), Rob Mills (Warner), David Harris (Emmett), Helen Dallimore (Paulette), Erika Heynatz (Brooke Wyndham) and Cameron Daddo (Professor Callahan) will be available for interview and photographs.

The musical numbers will be:

Serious

So Much Better

Whipped Into Shape

Legally Blonde Remix

Based on the hit movie of the same name starring Reese Witherspoon, LEGALLY BLONDE is the award-winning London and Broadway sensation created by a top-of-their-class creative team, led by Tony Award-winning director and Olivier Award-nominated choreographer Jerry Mitchell (Hairspray). LEGALLY BLONDE ran for three triumphant years in the West End, over two years on Broadway and is currently on a major UK Tour playing to packed houses. Winner of seven major awards including the coveted Best New Musical 2011 (Olivier Awards®) this all singing, all dancing romantic comedy is about knowing who you are and showing what you’ve got! 

The Australian Premiere of this award-winning Broadway and West End sensation was secured for Sydney with the assistance of the NSW Government through Destination NSW and the City of Sydney.

Legally Blonde To Open Tonight...

The Sydney Lyric Theatre is going to be host to the famous musical 'Legally Blonde'.

Legally Blonde The Musical is the hilarious story of college sweetheart and homecoming queen, Elle Woods - a girl who doesn't take no for an answer. When her boyfriend dumps her for someone "serious", Elle puts down the credit card, hits the books and heads for Harvard Law School! Along the way, she proves that being true to yourself never goes out of style.

Legally Blonde The Musical - Winner of Best Musical 2011 Olivier Awards and a smash hit running into its third year on the West End was created by a world-class creative team led by Tony Award-winning director Jerry Mitchell.

Based on the movie starring Reese Witherspoon and remaining true to the script, Legally Blonde the Musical is a feel-good number with a '90s feel.

College sweetheart Elle heads off to law school to win back her boyfriend Warner after he dumps her for someone more serious, only to graduate top of her class and find a far better love interest.

Warner, too, finds the courage to dump family expectations of a career in law and politics and pursue his true calling as a model.

"I've seen it on Broadway and the West End and it's great. It really does do the movie justice," leading actress Lucy Durack says.

"I love the role of Elle. As much as she looks like she hasn't a care in the world, people are unkind to her and judge her and she struggles with that.

"But she takes a positive path and rises above it. She doesn't take the low road, ever. The whole show is a celebration - be who you are, the best version of yourself, and be proud."

LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL opens in 'Sin City' Sydney tonight!

Websites

Legally Blonde The Musical (Australia)

www.legallyblonde.com.au

The Star

www.star.com.au

Sydney Lyric Theatre

www.sydneylyric.com.au

Echo Entertainment

www.echoentertainment.com.au

Eva Rinaldi Photography Flickr

www.flickr.com/evarinaldiphotography

Eva Rinaldi Photography

www.evarinaldi.com

Music News Australia

www.musicnewsaustralia.com

IP Publicity

www.ippublicity.com.au

Kardashian in Sydney, Australia for E! News: Red carpet and dinner at Nield Ave

Kardashian mania has once again hit Sydney, Australia, for better or worse.

One has to ponder the question... what are they flogging this time?

We understand Kim and clan are promoting their new diet program (which has garnered less than stellar reviews on American soil).  Maybe the strategy is to spread the seed far and wide and hope that some fertilise. If you believe the detractors, 'The Devil Wears Prada', and whispers about a "wolf in sheep's clothing".

Cosy Rushcutters Bay restaurant, Neild Avenue, was the venue to the red carpet, as media melodrama played out on the footpath as it was a battle between media with those who had media accreditation VS those without (which were the vast majority). A PR agency who will remain nameless for now handled the media relations (which we have been told by many was not well handled).

Leaving new boyfriend Kanye West at home and keeping most of the juicy details of their romance off limits, Kardashian advised she had set new boundaries in a bid to protect the relationship and herself from the close scrutiny which followed her divorce from basketballer Kris Humphries.

While West has appeared in the latest season of Keeping Up With The Kardashians, his girlfriend has promised to keep private their intimate moments.

In Australia for Foxtel's E! Channel and diet supplement QuikTrim, the 32-year-old said her painful and public split had taught her to "hold back (sharing) a little bit with my new relationship."

"I don't share everything. Yes, Kanye has been in a few episodes, but that's only natural when he's in my life. He's around when I'm filming, but I don't think I'd really share our intimate dinner dates (on the show) which I would have so willingly done before."

Her latest 48-hour Australian publicity blitz reflects her rushed visit about 12 months ago, when she came under the gun for flying back to Los Angeles early amid international criticism and media accusations she had married Humphries for a huge TV pay day.

The fallout was filmed as part of the popular reality series, which has also documented - in brief - her romance with West, who had already been a friend for eight years.

A relaxed Kardashian said that "it was definitely a very difficult time".

"But I feel like I'm just in a better space now. I feel content with everything and where my life is. I feel happy and I have no regrets," she said.

"I'm a different person because of it. I've grown up, I've really grown up... that situation made me grow up. I just feel at a good place in my life right now."

Press Release...(U.S news release)...

E! News Welcomes Celebrity Guests and Guest Hosts.

E! News To Get Special Guest Hosts: Pop Star Carly Rae Jepsen And WWE Wrestler John Cena As Guests Plus E!’s Bruce Jenner, Singer/Songwriter Christina Milian and TV Host & Personality Melissa Rycroft As Celebrity Guest-Hosts...

E! News Welcomes Pop Star Carly Rae Jepsen And WWE Wrestler John Cena As Guests Plus E!’s Bruce Jenner, Singer/Songwriter Christina Milian and TV Host & Personality Melissa Rycroft As Celebrity Guest-Hosts 

E! News, the destination for pop culture news and information, welcomes a slew of celebs to the set over the next few weeks. Bruce Jenner, Christina Milian and Melissa Rycroft will guest host while E! News anchor Giuliana Rancic is on leave with baby Duke. Plus, Carly Rae Jepsen stops by to discuss her new album and John Cena swings by to chat about his new initiative with the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

Mark your calendars: 

September 18– Carly Rae Jepsen visits E! News to discuss her new album and upcoming duet with Justin Bieber, “Beautiful.” 

September 19 – TV host and personality Melissa Rycroft guest hosts with Jason Kennedy. 

September 21– Pop star Christina Milian guest hosts with Jason Kennedy. 

October 8– Former E! News Correspondent for the Olympic Games and E! fan-favorite, Bruce Jenner, guest hosts with Catt Sadler. 

October 9 - WWE Superstar John Cena visits E! to talk about his new initiative launching with the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

Websites

Keeping Up With The Kardashians

http://au.eonline.com/shows/kardashians

E! News

www.eonline.com

Nield Ave Restaurant

www.idrb.com

Kim Kardashian official website

www.kimkardashian.celebuzz.com

Eva Rinaldi Photography

www.evarinaldi.com

Eva Rinaldi Photography Flickr

www.flickr.com/evarinaldiphotography

Mental movie premiere at Event Cinemas, Sydney, Australia

This evening 'Mental' enjoyed its Australian movie premiere at Event Cinemas, George St, Sydney.

The weather was wet outside, but the atmosphere was warmish inside, as Sydney enjoyed yet another red carpet event.

Australian filmmaker PJ Hogan reunites with his "Muriel’s Wedding" star Toni Collette with Liev Schreiber, Anthony LaPaglia and Rebecca Gibney.

Plot...

A charismatic, crazy hothead transforms a family's life when she becomes the nanny of five girls.

Director: P.J. Hogan

Writer: P.J. Hogan

Stars: Liev Schreiber, Toni Collette and Caroline Goodall

Websites

Mental official website

www.mentalmovie.com.au

Universal Pictures Australia

www.universalpicturesaustralia.com.au

Event Cinemas

www.eventcinemas.com.au

Eva Rinaldi Photography

www.evarinaldi.com

Eva Rinaldi Photography Flickr

www.flickr.com/evarinaldiphotography

Music News Australia

www.musicnewsaustralia.com

Hanson performs Enmore Theatre, Sydney, Australia

Tonight Hanson performed to a packed house at the famous Enmore Theatre.

The boys are performing down under live for the their first tour in seven years.

Hanson started writing Shout It Out while touring their 2007 disc, The Walk, and lead vocalist Taylor says it’s the most “holistic” and the least interfered-with of their seven releases. 

“There’s no co-writing with other collaborators as writers, no other producers, we produced the record [ourselves].”

“It feels great to know that you’re able to have some connection that is lasting,” he says. “There is something that goes on with music and with audiences that is so special. With us, a lot of the fans that have stuck around [we] really respect it and admire that dedication, especially Australian fans. They’ve always been amongst the most active and the most engaged.”

Australian fans can look forward to additional tour dates based on how quickly shows sell out in selective cities. “Every show is different,” Taylor says. “We change it up, it’s going to feature some new music and it’s going to also highlight some songs from albums past.”

Tonight all the fans got value for money and by the look of things the band will continue to enjoy strong touring and CD sales in Australia.

Set List:

Where’s The Love

Thinking Bout Something

A Minuet Without You

And I Waited

Crazy Beautiful

Strong Enough to Break

Madeline

Wish That I Was There

With You In Your Dreams

Oh Darling – Beatles Cover

Cant Stop

Thinking of You

Penny and Me

Give a Little

MMMbop

Hey

Lost Without Each Other

Encore:

If Only

Promo...

Isaac, Taylor and Zac Hanson are household names in Australia and it’s no surprise – in 1997 one in ten Australian households owned a copy of the band’s smash album Middle Of Nowhere and the nation’s airwaves, hearts and minds resonated to the infectious sound of the band’s smash hit MMMBop. Now, after a 7-year absence, HANSON are back with a brand new album and tour that is sure to capture the attention and imagination of a nation that has always embraced the band as their own.

HANSON have been making music together for two decades. Fifteen years ago, their out-of-the-blue, soul-inspired brand of American pop-rock‘n’roll was introduced to the world. Unaffected by charts or fads, they’ve spent more than a decade building a community of fans connected to one another and fuelled by the energy and craftsmanship of three brothers and their music, earning praise for their songwriting, musicianship and dynamic live performances, with New York‘s Village Voice calling them the “Finest Straight-Up Rock Band In America.”

Biography...

Native sons of Tulsa, Oklahoma, HANSON has been making music together for nearly two decades. Thirteen years ago, their out-of-the-blue, soul-inspired brand of American pop-rock‘n’roll was introduced to the world. Unaffected by charts or fads, they’ve spent more than a decade building a community of fans connected to one another and fueled by the energy and craftsmanship of three brothers and their music. Their fifth studio album, Shout It Out, was released on June 8th 2010 on their label 3CG Records. They deliver a powerful group of soulful, melodic tunes that will leave you with a contagious sense of optimism for the future and welcomed reminiscence for American rock ‘n’ roll.

Shout It Out is a collection of finely crafted, R&B-flavored pop-rock, a homage to the music that inspired HANSON when they started out. The album produced and written exclusively by the band is augmented with special guests: Funk Brothers bassist Bob Babbitt, who played on some of Motown’s greatest hits, and horn arranger Jerry Hey, who worked with Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, Earth, Wind and Fire and many more.

“The anatomy of our band is similar to a ‘70s rock band – white guys from the Midwest who grew up listening to ‘50s and ‘60s soul, who are mixing guitars, with vintage keys and melodic songs,” Taylor Hanson says. Adds Isaac, “We’ll always be a bit rootsy ‘cause it’s in the Oklahoma soil (the state is also home to artists like Bob Wills, Woody Guthrie and the versatile Leon Russell), but what we’ve never stopped aspiring to is the great songwriters and performers who struck a chord with us first, that early rock ‘n’ rock roll and soul music from Chuck Berry to Otis Redding. We’ve rediscovered that aspiration on this record. There’s a little more swing and a little more air.”

While Shout It Out looks back in time musically, it also represents forward movement for HANSON. “We love playing classic songs,” says Zac Hanson. “But we never sat down and wrote our version of what that sounds like until now.”

HANSON emotes such fresh energy on the new album that it’s easy to forget that this band has been around the block a few times. Multiple Grammy nominations (drummer Zac is the youngest nominated songwriter in history), years of headline shows everywhere from Carnegie Hall to the Hollywood Bowl and world-records for the loudest concert audience in history.

They’ve sold millions of records and reached a level of adoration that few bands experience, and have also faced career obstacles that would have broken many artist’s resolve. They waded through four years of struggle with a new corporate label made up of inherited executives in discord with the band, which eventually lead the band to leave the label (chronicled in the documentary film Strong Enough To Break) and launch their own independent record company, 3CG Records, in 2003. Amidst a crumbling industry, they built their own infrastructure around a DIY attitude and their commitment to their music and their fans. Their independent moves paid off, building a brand that has grown with successful independent albums, singles and tours, during a decade when music sales plummeted. In addition, launching alongside their 2007 album The Walk, they championed calls for action on humanitarian efforts, galvanizing tens of thousands of people around the world to participate in barefoot one-mile walks to fight HIV/AIDS and extreme poverty in sub-Saharan Africa.

Talking to the band about their forthcoming offering sheds light on how they find balance between these different elements and how they have emerged with this current direction. “The feeling I had when we were writing was that – as a band – you should be able to talk about serious subjects and share your passions [like fighting AIDS in Africa], but especially on this album, it was important to be able to share joy,” Taylor says. While The Walk carried a weighty message, in contrast the songs on Shout It Out, written mostly in hotel rooms and during soundchecks while touring The Walk were, according to Taylor, “A breath of fresh air during our hectic schedule”.

Shout It Out showcases not only the music of HANSON, but the many aspects that have allowed the band to survive and stay relevant. “The album is about being alive, and the contrasts we are faced with,” Taylor says. “We’ve come from a generation leaving the analog world and moving into an interconnected culture at risk of forgetting where it came from. This album tries to put together those pieces, but with a bit of melody to back it up.”

While the new album draws inspiration from the past, HANSON is looking to an exciting new era for the band. Their insatiable desire to innovate with technology - seen in their plans to incorporate mobile live streaming video both onstage and off - is building an even stronger fan connection. They’re committed to their live concert experience, with special events like their sold out five-night stand in NYC featuring each of their albums performed in their entirety, culminating with the debut of Shout It Out live. HANSON has established a reputation as successful independent artists who are comfortable at charting their own path, standing at the crossroads of the analog and digital worlds, and offering fans the best of both.

Websites

Hanson official website

www.hanson.net

Enmore Theatre

www.enmoretheatre.com.au

Eva Rinaldi Photography

www.evarinaldi.com

Eva Rinaldi Photography Flickr

www.flickr.com/evarinaldiphotography

Music News Australia

www.musicnewsaustralia.com