Madeleine Jones, Ellen Simpson and Carita Farrer Spencer in the Australian musical, Ladies In Black. Photo: Jared Vethaak.
This week’s nominations for the Helpmann Awards, which recognise the performing arts in Australia, have caused a storm of discussion, particularly about the state of Australian musical theatre. The winners will be announced on July 26.
There are exciting new Australian works nominated in dance, theatre and cabaret. But it is undeniable that the musical theatre nominations reflect a strong bias towards international content and artists. Although it may be thrilling for audiences to see shows direct from Broadway, they provide few opportunities for Australian performers and creative teams at the highest level.
