Belvoir Celebrates it's Original Shareholders

above : Geoffrey Rush  Belvoir's original Artistic Director  Neil Armfield and the current one Ralph Myers

He may be  Hollywood Royalty these days but actor Georfrey Rush still finds time to assist local theatre and most especially at the Belvoir Street Theatre in Surry Hills where Rush got his start. Geoffrey was the MC for a special performance on Sunday for around a hundred Belvoir benefactors and original shareholders who clubbed together 30 years ago to get the theatre up and running. After a show that included a number of acts from early performers (one couldn't make it- superstar Mel Gibson) the crew walked down the road to the Belvoir's rehearsal space for a party.

actors at the Belvoir bash : Mike McLeish Julie McGregor and Simon Burke

Hollywood Stars at the Helpmanns

Every year the Helpmann Awards for live theatre in Australia has become a bigger and grander event and this year it did not disappoint.
Held at the Capitol Theatre guests were treated to a two hour extravaganza featuring numbers from the Lion King and Strictly Ballroom and plenty more. And a host if international names turned up from Geoffrey Rush, Baz Luhrmann and Lou Diamond Phillips.
You can read the full list of winners here : but special congratulations must go to the superb new intimate Kings Cross theatre, the Hayes Theatre which opened just 6 months ago. Their production (and the Shuttle watched it from the very back row which has a superb view of the stage) of Sweet Charity, an ambitious feat, picked up three well deserved gongs.

Lisa McCune & Lou Diamond Phillips     Robyn Nevin & Nicholas Hammond   Silvia Colloca & Richard Roxburgh

Andrew Upton                          Baz Luhrmann & Catherine Martin                  Kelley Abbey & Craig McLachlan

Below : Nancye Hayes with Hayes Theatre Director David Campbell : Sweet Charity