The 2nd Helpmann Awards ceremony was presented by the Australian Entertainment Industry Association (AEIA), currently known by its trade name, Live Performance Australia (LPA), for achievements in disciplines of Australia's live performance sectors. The ceremony took place on 6 May 2002 at the Star City Show Room in Sydney and was hosted by Simon Burke for the second year in a row. During the ceremony, the AEIA handed out awards in twelve categories for achievements in theatre, musicals, opera, ballet, dance and concerts.

The ceremony received criticism for its rules and voting procedures, and was compared to the previous ceremony's "polished awards night".

Winners and nominees

In the following tables, winners are listed first and highlighted in boldface.

Theatre

Best PlayBest Direction of a Play
CloudstreetCompany B Belvoir and Black Swan Theatre Master Class – International Concert Attractions The TempestMelbourne Theatre Company in association with Melbourne Festival Three SistersSydney Theatre CompanyNeil ArmfieldCloudstreet Benedict AndrewsThree Sisters Rodney Fisher – Master Class Simon PhillipsThe Tempest
Best Female Actor in a PlayBest Male Actor in a Play
Amanda MuggletonMaster Class Essie DavisThe School for Scandal (Sydney Theatre Company) Kris McQuadeCloudstreet Caroline O'ConnorBombshells (Melbourne Theatre Company)John BellRichard III (Bell Shakespeare in collaboration with Queensland Theatre Company) Peter CarrollThe Christian Brothers (Sydney Theatre Company) Willem DafoeThe Hairy Ape (Melbourne Festival) John StantonThe Tempest

Musicals

Best Musical
Mamma Mia! – Littlestar in association with Universal and Dainty Consolidated Entertainment Singin' in the RainDavid Atkins Enterprises / IMG Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet StreetOpera Australia The Wizard of Oz – SEL / GFO / Macks Entertainment
Best Direction of a MusicalBest Choreography in a Musical
Gale EdwardsSweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street David AtkinsSingin' in the Rain Phyllida LloydMamma Mia! Graeme MurphyTivoli (The Australian Ballet & Sydney Dance Company)David AtkinsSingin' in the Rain Tony Bartuccio – The Pirates of Penzance (Essgee Entertainment) Kim GavinOh! What a Night (Majestic Theatre Company) Anthony Van LaastMamma Mia!
Best Female Actor in a MusicalBest Male Actor in a Musical
Judi ConnelliSweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Deborah ConwayAlways ... Patsy Cline (Majestic Theatre Company) Lara Mulcahy – Mamma Mia! Pamela RabeThe Wizard of OzPeter Coleman-WrightSweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Martin CrewesOh! What a Night Robert GrubbMamma Mia! Wayne Scott KermondSingin' in the Rain

Opera

Best OperaBest Direction of an Opera
BataviaOpera Australia in association with Melbourne Festival L'elisir d'amore – Opera Australia ParsifalState Opera of South Australia The Fiery Angel (The Kirov Opera) – Melbourne FestivalLindy HumeBatavia Stephen MedcalfGoing Into Shadows (Queensland Performing Arts Centre / Queensland Conservatorium / Guildhall School of Music & Drama) Elke NeidhardtParsifal Simon PhillipsL'elisir d'amore
Best Female Performer in an OperaBest Male Performer in an Opera
Lisa GasteenTristan und Isolde (Opera Australia) Kate Ladner – The Marriage of Figaro (West Australian Opera) Margaret MedlynParsifal Elizabeth Whitehouse – Andrea Chénier (Opera Australia)Jonathan SummersParsifal Bruce Martin – Batavia Glenn WinsladeLohengrin (Opera Australia) Angus Wood – The Gypsy Princess (Opera Australia)

Dance and Physical Theatre

Best Ballet or Dance WorkBest Visual or Physical Theatre Production
RequiemThe Australian Ballet and State Opera of South Australia CorroboreeBangarra Dance Theatre Eidos:Telos (Ballett Frankfurt) – Melbourne Festival TivoliThe Australian Ballet and Sydney Dance CompanySame, Same But DifferentPerforming Lines in association with Sydney Festival Circus Oz (Sydney season) – Circus Oz Puppetry of the Penis – Ross Mollison Productions Stringraphy EnsembleMelbourne Festival in association with Victorian Arts Centre
Best Choreography in a Ballet or Dance Work
Stephen PageCorroboree Stephen BaynesRequiem William ForsytheEidos:Telos François KlausDon Quixote (Queensland Ballet)
Best Female Dancer in a Dance or Physical Theatre WorkBest Male Dancer in a Dance or Physical Theatre Work
Kate ChampionAbout Face (Performing Lines) Tracey Carrodus – Tivoli Miranda Coney – Requiem Sheree da Costa – Singin' in the RainSteven HeathcoteGiselle (The Australian Ballet) Daryl Brandwood – Beyond Tears (West Australian Ballet) Joshua Horner – Tivoli David McAllisterGiselle

Other

Best Live Music PresentationBest Presentation for Children
Capsis vs CapsisSydney Opera House Mahler Symphony No. 8Melbourne Symphony Orchestra TestimonySydney Opera House and Sydney Festival in association with Melbourne Festival Tim Draxl in Concert – Spirit EntertainmentHi-5 Alive – International Concert Attractions, Kids Like Us and Channel 9 Mad, Bad and SpookySydney Festival and Theatre of Image Mice – A Cheesy Little MusicalBarking Gecko Theatre Company The Sign of the SeahorsePlaybox and Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
Best Special Event or Performance
Buena Vista Social Club - Inaugural Steps of Sydney Opera House paid performance – International Concert Attractions in association with Hocking & Vigo and Sydney Opera House Carmen (12 September [2000] Performance, New York City) – International Concert Attractions and Hocking & Vigo The Alfred Deakin LecturesMelbourne Festival The Celestial Bells (Transe Express) – Sydney Festival

Industry

Best New Australian Work
BataviaRichard Mills & Peter Goldsworthy A Man with Five ChildrenNick Enright (Sydney Theatre Company) CorroboreeStephen Page Mavis Goes to Timor – Angela Chaplin, Katherine Thomson & Kavisha Mazzella (Deckchair Theatre)
Best Original ScoreBest Musical Direction
Iain GrandageCloudstreet David Chisholm – The Shrinking Ledge (Wecreate) Ian McDonald – The Tempest Richard MillsBataviaSimone YoungAndrea Chénier Robert Gavin – Always ... Patsy Cline Jeffrey TateParsifal Simone YoungTristan und Isolde
Best Scenic DesignBest Costume Design
Peter England – Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Michael Anania and Eamon D'Arcy – Singin' in the Rain Dale FergusonThe Seagull (Melbourne Theatre Company) Michael Scott-Mitchell – L'elisir d'amoreKristian FredriksonThe School for Scandal Roger KirkThe Gypsy Princess Paula Ryan – Singin' in the Rain Gabriela TylesovaL'elisir d'amore
Best Lighting DesignBest Sound Design
Mark HowettCloudstreet Nigel LevingsThe Old Masters (Sydney Theatre Company) John Rayment – Up for Grabs (Sydney Theatre Company) Nick Schlieper – ParsifalThe Wooster GroupThe Hairy Ape Max Lyandvert – Three Sisters Wyn Milsom and Michael Waters – Singin' in the Rain David Page and Steve Francis – Corroboree

Lifetime Achievement

JC Williamson Award
Kevin Jacobsen OAM Graeme Murphy AM

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