This year, the Helpmann Awards is doing something a little bit different: it's split itself into two ceremonies over two nights. Those who attend each year will be breathing a sigh of relief – there's a tonne of awards to get through given that the Helpmanns recognise the entire live performance industry (musicals, plays, classical music, contemporary music, opera, contemporary dance, ballet, cabaret, comedy).
The first ceremony was held tonight at Sydney Town Hall and a few shows are proving early favourites: Muriel's Wedding: The Musical has picked up five awards, followed by Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, with three, including best director of a musical.
In the opera categories, Adelaide Festival's production of Hamlet is the one to beat, and has so far won two of three opera awards, including best director for Neil Armfield.
Here's everybody who's won a Helpmann so far. The biggest awards will be announced tomorrow night.
Helpmann Award winners 2018
BEST MALE PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN AN OPERA
KANEN BREEN Coronation of Poppea
BEST FEMALE PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN AN OPERA
LORINA GORE Hamlet
BEST MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A PLAY
MITCHELL BUTEL Mr Burns, A Post-Electric Play
BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A PLAY
ANITA HEGH The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui
BEST MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL
MAT VEREVIS Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL
AMY LEHPAMER Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
GABRIELA TYLESOVA Muriel's Wedding The Musical
BEST SCENIC DESIGN
JACOB NASH Bennelong
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN
NICK SCHLIEPER Bennelong
BEST SOUND DESIGN
MICHAEL WATERS Muriel’s Wedding The Musical
BEST MUSIC DIRECTION
ISAAC HAYWARD Muriel's Wedding The Musical
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
KATE MILLER-HEIDKE & KEIR NUTTAL Muriel's Wedding The Musical
BEST SPECIAL EVENT
TAYLOR MAC: A 24-DECADE HISTORY OF POPULAR MUSIC Melbourne International Arts Festival
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 Bennelong
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY IN A MUSICAL
ANDREW HALLSWORTH Muriel's Wedding The Musical
BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY
SARAH GOODES The Children
BEST DIRECTION OF AN OPERA
NEIL ARMFIELD Hamlet
BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL
MARC BRUNI Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
Looking for something to see this month? See the best theatre and musicals in Sydney this July.
While all of the winning shows have now closed, Muriel's Wedding: The Musical will have a return Sydney season in June 2019.