Mirvish, Tarragon, Factory and Canadian Opera Company lead noms for the 37th Dora Awards

The Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA) revealed the nominations for the 37th Annual Dora Mavor Moore Awards at a press conference early this morning. The Dora Awards seek to recognize excellence in the Toronto performing arts community. This year’s ceremony will take place on Monday, June 27 at the Harbourfront Centre’s open-air concert stage and will be hosted by award-winning Stratford Festival and Broadway alum Bruce Dow.

In total, there were 236 nominations for 221 eligible productions, with 113 producing companies having registered eligible productions. 48 total awards will be given out at the ceremony on June 27.

Some highlights: Tarragon Theatre and Factory Theatre led  in the General Theatre Division with 12 and 11 nominations respectively, while Why Not Theatre leads in the Independent Theatre Division with 8 nominations for their production of Butcher and one for Iceland, both by playwright Nicolas Billon. Mirvish leads the Musical Theatre division with a whopping 13 nominations (10 for Kinky Boots and 3 for Titanic: The Musical) while The Canadian Opera Company dominates in the opera and musical theatre/opera divisions with 24 nods, including 8 each for La Traviata and Siegfried.

The 2016 Pauline McGibbon Award for excellence in an early arts career was given to Stratford Festival cutter and tailorJennifer Wonnacott.  The winner of this year’s Barbara Hamilton Memorial Award is artist and educator George Curtiss Randolph, The recipient of the 2016 Leonard McHardy and John Harvey Award (LMJH Award) is arts manager and theatre champion Nancy J. Webster.

Congratulations to all the nominees! Here’s a full list of all the nominations, with links to our reviews for easy reference:

GENERAL THEATRE DIVISION

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION
Bombay Black	Factory Theatre
Botticelli in the Fire & Sunday in Sodom	A Canadian Stage Production in collaboration with the Department of Theatre in the School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design at York University
Mustard	Tarragon Theatre
Salt-Water Moon	Factory Theatre
The Great War	VideoCabaret

OUTSTANDING NEW PLAY
Adapted by Severn Thompson (from book by Douglas Glover)	Elle	Theatre Passe Muraille
Anna Chatterton, Evalyn Parry, with Karin Randoja	Gertrude and Alice	Buddies in Bad Times Theatre and Independent Aunties Productions
Fabrizio Filippo	The Summoned	Tarragon Theatre
Jordan Tannahill	Botticelli in the Fire & Sunday in Sodom	A Canadian Stage Production in collaboration with the Department of Theatre in the School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design at York University
Kat Sandler	Mustard	Tarragon Theatre

OUTSTANDING DIRECTION
Ashlie Corcoran	Mustard	Tarragon Theatre
Matjash Mrozewski, Estelle Shook	Botticelli in the Fire & Sunday in Sodom	A Canadian Stage Production in collaboration with the Department of Theatre in the School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design at York University
Peter Hinton	Bombay Black	Factory Theatre
Ravi Jain	Salt-Water Moon	Factory Theatre
Ravi Jain	(We Are Proud to Present…)	The Theatre Centre

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – MALE
Anand Rajaram	Mustard		Tarragon Theatre
Danny Ghantous	A Line in the Sand		Factory Theatre
Greg Gale	The Crackwalker		Factory Theatre
R.H. Thomson	You Will Remember Me		Tarragon Theatre & Studio 180 Theatre
Sina Gilani	The 20th of November		Buddies In Bad Times Theatre

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – FEMALE
Anusree Roy	Bombay Black	Factory Theatre
Mayko Nguyen	Salt-Water Moon	Factory Theatre
Rebecca Northan	Blind Date	Tarragon Theatre
Sarah Dodd	Mustard	Tarragon Theatre
Valerie Buhagiar	Botticelli in the Fire & Sunday in Sodom	A Canadian Stage Production in collaboration with the Department of Theatre in the School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design at York University

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – ENSEMBLE
The Ensemble of (We Are Proud to Present…)	The Theatre Centre
The Ensemble of Banana Boys	Factory Theatre
The Ensemble of Gertrude and Alice	Buddies in Bad Times Theatre and Independent Aunties Productions
The Ensemble of Happy Place	Soulpepper Theatre Company
The Ensemble of The Great War	VideoCabaret

OUTSTANDING SCENIC DESIGN
Judith Bowden	Chimerica		A Canadian Stage and Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre Production
Julie Fox	The Watershed		Co-produced by Crow’s Theatre and Porte Parole
Julie Fox	Within the Glass		Tarragon Theatre
Michael Gianfranscesco	Mustard		Tarragon Theatre
Teresa Przybylski	Hedda Gabler		A Necessary Angel Production in association with Canadian Stage

OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN
Astrid Janson, Melanie McNeill	The Great War	VideoCabaret
James Lavoie	Botticelli in the Fire & Sunday in Sodom	A Canadian Stage Production in collaboration with the Department of Theatre in the School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design at York University
Lorenzo Savoini	Eurydice	Soulpepper Theatre Company
Michael Gianfranscesco	Mustard	Tarragon Theatre
Ming Wong	Gertrude and Alice	Buddies in Bad Times Theatre and Independent Aunties Productions

OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN
Andrew Dollar	The Great War		VideoCabaret
Jennifer Lennon	Bombay Black		Factory Theatre
Kaileigh Krysztofiak	Salt-Water Moon		Factory Theatre
Michael Walton	Chimerica		A Canadian Stage and Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre Production
Steve Lucas	Botticelli in the Fire & Sunday in Sodom		A Canadian Stage Production in collaboration with the Department of Theatre in the School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design at York University

OUTSTANDING SOUND DESIGN/COMPOSITION
Debashis Sinha	(We Are Proud to Present…)	The Theatre Centre
Jake Blackwood	The Great War	VideoCabaret
Jamie Northan (Sound Improvisor)	Blind Date	Tarragon Theatre
Sam Sholdice	Botticelli in the Fire & Sunday in Sodom	A Canadian Stage Production in collaboration with the Department of Theatre in the School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design at York University
Tamsir Seck, Paul Beaubrun	Espoir / Espwa	Théâtre français de Toronto

INDEPENDENT THEATRE DIVISION

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION
Butcher	Why Not Theatre
CRAWLSPACE	Videofag
Huff	Native Earth Performing Arts
La Chasse Galerie	Red One Theatre Collective
The Winter’s Tale	Groundling Theatre Company

OUTSTANDING NEW PLAY
Cliff Cardinal	Huff			Native Earth Performing Arts
d’bi.young anitafrika	She Mami Wata & The Pussy Witchhunt			Watah Theatre
Karen Hines	CRAWLSPACE			Videofag
Nicholas Billon	Butcher			Why Not Theatre
Rachel Blair	A Man Walks Into a Bar			Circle Circle

OUTSTANDING DIRECTION
Graham Abbey	The Winter’s Tale	Groundling Theatre Company
Jennifer Tarver	It Comes In Waves	Produced by Necessary Angel with bluemouth inc.
Peter Pasyk	Killer Joe	Coal Mine Theatre
Sandra Balcovske, John Turner	CRAWLSPACE	Videofag
Weyni Mengesha	Butcher	Why Not Theatre

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – MALE
Cliff Cardinal	Huff		Native Earth Performing Arts
Matthew Gouveia	Killer Joe		Coal Mine Theatre
Omar Hady	Red Light Winter		Unit 102 Actors Co.
Tom McCamus	The Winter’s Tale		Groundling Theatre Company
Tony Nappo	Butcher		Why Not Theatre

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – FEMALE
Claire Armstrong	Byhalia, Mississippi		Cue6
Claire Calnan	Iceland		Why Not Theatre
d’bi.young anitafrika	She Mami Wata & The Pussy Witchhunt		Watah Theatre
Lucy Peacock	The Winter’s Tale		Groundling Theatre Company
Tara Grammy	Mahmoud		Pandemic Theatre

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – ENSEMBLE
The Ensemble of La Chasse Galerie		Red One Theatre Collective
The Ensemble of Mockingbird		timeshare
The Ensemble of The Death of the King		Co-produced by Modern Times Stage Company and The Theatre Centre
The Ensemble of The Public Servant		Common Boots Theatre
The Ensemble of Three Men in a Boat		Pea Green Theatre Group

OUTSTANDING SCENIC DESIGN
Adam Belanger	Of Mice and Men	Unit 102 Actors Co.
George Quan	The Pitchfork Disney	Precisely Peter Productions
Patrick Lavender	Killer Joe	Coal Mine Theatre
Patrick Lavender	CRAWLSPACE	Videofag
Yannick Larivée	Butcher	Why Not Theatre

OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN
Anna Treush	Tails from the City	Common Boots Theatre
Gillian Gallow	The Road to Paradise	Human Cargo
Joanna Yu	Butcher	Why Not Theatre
Michael Gianfrancesco	The Winter’s Tale	Groundling Theatre Company
Teresa Przybylski	The Death of the King	Co-produced by Modern Times Stage Company and The Theatre Centre

OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN
Kimberly Purtell	Butcher	Why Not Theatre
Michelle Ramsay	Huff	Native Earth Performing Arts
Patrick Lavender	It Comes In Waves	Produced by Necessary Angel with bluemouth inc.
Patrick Lavender	CRAWLSPACE	Videofag
Trevor Schwellnus	The Death of the King	Co-produced by Modern Times Stage Company and The Theatre Centre

OUTSTANDING SOUND DESIGN/COMPOSITION
Andy Moro / Luka Caruso-Moro	Stitch	Culture Storm/ Native Earth Performing Arts
David Mesiha and DJ L’Oqenz	Oraltorio: a Theatrical Mixtape	MotionLive Collective in association with IFT Theatre and Newface Entertainment
James Smith	La Chasse Galerie	Red One Theatre Collective
Thomas Ryder Payne	Butcher	Why Not Theatre
tuku	Esu Crossing The Middle Passage	Watah Theatre

MUSICAL THEATRE DIVISION

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION
Century Song		Volcano Theatre
Grey Gardens		Acting Up Stage Company
Kinky Boots		Mirvish Productions
One Night Only: The Greatest Musical Never Written		Golden Ages Productions
The Wizard of Oz		Young People’s Theatre

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – MALE
Alan Mingo Jr.	Kinky Boots	Mirvish Productions
Diego Matamoros	Marat/Sade	Soulpepper Theatre Company
Graham Scott Fleming	Kinky Boots	Mirvish Productions
Jeff Lillico	Grey Gardens	Acting Up Stage Company
Ron Pederson	One Night Only: The Greatest Musical Never Written	Golden Ages Productions

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – FEMALE
AJ Bridel	Kinky Boots	Mirvish Productions
Kira Guloien	Grey Gardens	Acting Up Stage Company
Lisa Horner	Grey Gardens	Acting Up Stage Company
Neema Bickersteth	Century Song	Volcano Theatre
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – ENSEMBLE
The Ensemble of Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang			Young People’s Theatre
The Ensemble of Kinky Boots			Mirvish Productions
The Ensemble of Marat/Sade			Soulpepper Theatre Company
The Ensemble of The Wizard of Oz			Young People’s Theatre
The Ensemble of Titanic: The Musical			David Mirvish in association with Michael Harrison and Paul Elliott

OPERA DIVISION

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION
La Traviata	Canadian Opera Company co-production with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Houston Grand Opera
Lucio Silla	Opera Atelier
Maometto II	Canadian Opera Company
Siegfried	Canadian Opera Company
The Marriage of Figaro	Canadian Opera Company

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – MALE
Luca Pisaroni	Maometto II	Canadian Opera Company
Quinn Kelsey	La Traviata	Canadian Opera Company
Russell Thomas	Carmen	Canadian Opera Company
Stefan Vinke	Siegfried	Canadian Opera Company
Wolfgang Ablinger-Sperrhacke	Siegfried	Canadian Opera Company

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – FEMALE
Christine Goerke	Siegfried		Canadian Opera Company
Ekaterina Siurina	La Traviata		Canadian Opera Company
Elizabeth DeShong	Maometto II		Canadian Opera Company
Inga Kalna	Lucio Silla		Opera Atelier
Leah Crocetto	Maometto II		Canadian Opera Company

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – ENSEMBLE
The Ensemble of Apocalypsis	Luminato Festival
The Ensemble of AtG’s Messiah	Against the Grain
The Ensemble of La Traviata	Canadian Opera Company

MUSICAL THEATRE / OPERA DIVISION

OUTSTANDING NEW MUSICAL/OPERA
Alan Kliffer	One Night Only: The Greatest Musical Never Written	Golden Ages Productions
Marjorie Chan (Librettist) & John Harris (Composer)	M’dea Undone	A Tapestry Opera Production in collaboration with Scottish Opera
New Lyrics/ Composition: Britta & Anika Johnson; after original playwright Mordecai Richler	Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang	Young People’s Theatre
Wesley J. Colford	Heart of Steel	Aim for the Tangent Theatre

OUTSTANDING DIRECTION
Albert Schultz	Marat/Sade	Soulpepper Theatre Company
Ann Hodges	Grey Gardens	Acting Up Stage Company
François Girard	Siegfried	Canadian Opera Company
Jerry Mitchell	Kinky Boots	Mirvish Productions*
Ross Manson	Century Song	Volcano Theatre

OUTSTANDING SCENIC DESIGN
Christian Schmidt	The Marriage of Figaro	Canadian Opera Company
David Rockwell	Kinky Boots	Mirvish Productions*
Gerard Gauci	Lucio Silla	Opera Atelier
Michael Levine	Siegfried	Canadian Opera Company
Riccardo Hernandez	La Traviata	Canadian Opera Company

OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN
Alex Amini	Grey Gardens	Acting Up Stage Company
Anahita Dehbonehie	Marat/Sade	Soulpepper Theatre Company
Cait O’Connor	La Traviata	Canadian Opera Company
David Woodhead	Titanic: The Musical	David Mirvish in association with Michael Harrison and Paul Elliott
Greg Barnes	Kinky Boots	Mirvish Productions

 

OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN
Bonnie Beecher	Grey Gardens			Acting Up Stage Company
David Finn	Siegfried			Canadian Opera Company
Helen Todd	Apocalypsis			Luminato Festival
Marcus Doshi	La Traviata			Canadian Opera Company
Olaf Winter	The Marriage of Figaro			Canadian Opera Company
OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY
Cressida Carr’e		Titanic: The Musical			David Mirvish in association with Michael Harrison and Paul Elliott
Dayna Tekatch		The Wizard of Oz			Young People’s Theatre
Jerry Mitchell		Kinky Boots			Mirvish Productions
Kate Alton		Century Song			Volcano Theatre
Monica Dottor		Marat/Sade			Soulpepper Theatre Company

OUTSTANDING MUSICAL DIRECTION
Johannes Debus	Siegfried		Canadian Opera Company
Jordan Armstrong	One Night Only: The Greatest Musical Never Written		Golden Ages Productions
Marco Guidarini	La Traviata		Canadian Opera Company
Reza Jacobs	The Wizard of Oz		Young People’s Theatre
Stephen Oremus/Elizabeth Baird	Kinky Boots		Mirvish Productions

THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES DIVISION

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION
Goodnight Moon	Young People’s Theatre presents Seattle Children’s Theatre
Les Zinspirés puissance Quatre	Théâtre français de Toronto
Mistatim	Young People’s Theatre presents Red Sky Performance
One Thing Leads to Another	Young People’s Theatre
Scarberia	Young People’s Theatre

OUTSTANDING NEW PLAY
Evan Placey	Scarberia		Young People’s Theatre
Laura Jackson, Stephanie Kroone, Jennie Morrison, Mande Tonde, Éric Vanhauwaert	Les Zinspirés puissance Quatre		Théâtre français de Toronto
Maja Ardal, Audrey Dwyer, Julia Tribe, Mary Francis Moore	One Thing Leads to Another		Young People’s Theatre
Rob Salerno	First Day Back		Ten Foot Pole Theatre

OUTSTANDING DIRECTION
Allen MacInnis	Hana’s Suitcase			Young People’s Theatre
Mary Francis Moore	One Thing Leads to Another			Young People’s Theatre
Nina Lee Aquino	Scarberia			Young People’s Theatre
Richard Greenblatt	The Incredible Speediness of Jamie Cavanaugh			Roseneath Theatre
Sébastien Bertrand	Les Zinspirés puissance Quatre			Théâtre français de Toronto

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – INDIVIDUAL
François Macdonald	Les Zinspirés puissance Quatre		Théâtre français de Toronto
Mishka Thébaud	Scarberia		Young People’s Theatre
Rob Salerno	First Day Back		Ten Foot Pole Theatre
Rose Napoli	The Incredible Speediness of Jamie Cavanaugh		Roseneath Theatre
Shelly Antony	Scarberia		Young People’s Theatre
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – ENSEMBLE
The Ensemble of Hana’s Suitcase		Young People’s Theatre
The Ensemble of Munsch Mash		Solar Stage Children’s Theatre
The Ensemble of One Thing Leads to Another		Young People’s Theatre
The Ensemble of Sleepy Hollow		Solar Stage Children’s Theatre
The Ensemble of Treasure Island		Solar Stage Children’s Theatre

DANCE DIVISION

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION
Against Nature / À Rebours	Coleman Lemieux & Compagnie
Betroffenheit	A Kidd Pivot, Electric Company Theatre Production, presented by Canadian Stage
DanceWorks DW212: Woven	DanceWorks/Tribal Crackling Wind
Phase Space	Peggy Baker Dance Projects
The Mystery of Mr. Leftovers	Jillian Peever Dance Creations & Cinetic Creations

OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL CHOREOGRAPHY
Emily Gualtieri	Re:Pairing (CW108)	DanceWorks & Emily Gualtieri (Parts+Labour_Danse)
Lina Cruz	Waiting for a Sleepless Night (dance: made in canada / fait au canada – Robinson Series)	princess productions
Peter Chin	DanceWorks DW212: Woven	DanceWorks/Tribal Crackling Wind
Sharon B. Moore	The Mystery of Mr. Leftovers	Jillian Peever Dance Creations & Cinetic Creations
Zhenya Cerneacov, Mairéad Filgate , Brodie Stevenson	Various Concert (dance: made in canada / fait au canada – Morrison Series)	princess productions

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – MALE
Brodie Stevenson	Various Concert (dance: made in canada / fait au canada – Morrison Series)	princess productions
Fabien Piché	Waiting for a Sleepless Night (dance: made in canada / fait au canada – Robinson Series)	princess productions
Jarrett Siddall	You and I by Stephen Andrews (Singular Bodies)	Toronto Dance Theatre
Luke Garwood	Les Paradis Perdus / Remix	Coleman Lemieux & Compagnie
Rafael del Pino	Mi Baile (Alegrías) (Épocas)	Esmeralda Enrique Spanish Dance Company

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – FEMALE
Emily Law	FLORENCE		The Dietrich Group
Jillian Peever	The Mystery of Mr. Leftovers		Jillian Peever Dance Creations & Cinetic Creations
Kate Holden	Phase Space		Peggy Baker Dance Projects
Linnea Swan	Re:Pairing (CW108)		DanceWorks & Emily Gualtieri (Parts+Labour_Danse)
Tori Mehaffey	B8NUAR (UNBXBL)		Gadfly

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – ENSEMBLE
The Ensemble of DanceWorks DW212: Woven	DanceWorks/Tribal Crackling Wind
The Ensemble of Echo	Toronto Dance Theatre
The Ensemble of The Thirst for Love and Water	Cinetic Creations
The Ensemble of This Shape, We Are In (New York/ Toronto Project)	Toronto Dance Theatre
The Ensemble of un petit peu plus (New York/ Toronto Project)	Toronto Dance Theatre

OUTSTANDING SOUND DESIGN/COMPOSITION
Christopher Butterfield	Les Paradis Perdus / Remix		Coleman Lemieux & Compagnie
Christopher Willes	Jackie Burroughs is dead & what are you going to do about it?		DanceWorks / DA Hoskins / Danielle Baskerville
John Kameel Farah and Fides Krucker	Phase Space		Peggy Baker Dance Projects
Joshua Van Tassel	Various Concert (dance: made in canada / fait au canada – Morrison Series)		princess productions
Peter Chin	DanceWorks DW212: Woven		DanceWorks/Tribal Crackling Wind

OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN
Arun Srinivasan	DanceWorks DW212: Woven	DanceWorks/Tribal Crackling Wind
Arun Srinivasan	Various Concert (dance: made in canada / fait au canada – Morrison Series)	princess productions
Gabriel Cropley	The Mystery of Mr. Leftovers	Jillian Peever Dance Creations & Cinetic Creations
Marc Parent	Phase Space	Peggy Baker Dance Projects
Melissa Joakim, Clea Minaker, Helen Yung, Tom Kuo, Elysha Poirier	The Whole Shebang 2015 : Taken By Night	Dreamwalker Dance Company

OUTSTANDING TOURING PRODUCTION

OUTSTANDING TOURING PRODUCTION
Cold Blood	Created by Michèle Anne De Mey and Jaco Van Dormael presented by Canadian Stage
Germinal	Harbourfront Centre’s World Stage
Looking for Paul: Inez van Dam vs. the Buttplug Gnome	Harbourfront Centre’s World Stage
Nirbhaya	Nightwood Theatre presents an Assembly, Riverside Studios and Poorna Jagannathan Production
Le long voyage de Pierre-Guy B.	Théâtre Sortie Secours, Théâtre de l’Escaouette, Théâtre français du Centre National des Arts presented by le Théâtre français de Toronto