New plays by a pair of indie playwrights, outstanding revivals of two Canadian scripts, local productions of two very different Broadway hits and a slew of nods for one of Toronto’s top dance presenters highlight the nominations for this year’s Dora Mavor Moore Awards.
The 37th annual awards, recognizing excellence in the Toronto arts community and presented by the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA), includes 236 nominations for 221 eligible productions.
In the independent theatre division, Why Not Theatre took eight nominations for its production of Nicolas Billon’s Butcher, including outstanding new play it received a ninth nomination for female performer for another Billon play, Iceland. Three other companies – Groundling Theatre, Videofag and Native Earth Performing Arts – picked up five each.
Tarragon Theatre led the general theatre division with a dozen nominations, seven for Kat Sandler’s Mustard, another outstanding new play nominee Sandler’s best known for shows in the indie stream. Factory Theatre, which had a terrific run with its naked season this year, followed with 11 nods, four each for revivals of Bombay Black and Salt-Water Moon.
Kinky Boots, presented by Mirvish Productions in association with others, picked up 10 nods in the musical theatre division, while Acting Up Stage Company got eight, seven of them for Grey Gardens.
Young People’s Theatre had 13 nominations in the theatre for young audiences division – five for Scarberia and four for One Thing Leads To Another – as well as another six in the musical theatre division, for a total of 19.
The always-busy DanceWorks grabbed eight nominations in the dance division (for Woven and Re:Pairing), followed by six nods for princess productions.
In the opera category, the Canadian Opera Company had 14 nominations and another 10 shared in the musical theatre division.
Scenic and lighting designer Patrick Lavender, the most nominated individual in this year’s Doras, ends up competing with himself with his four nods.
The city’s theatre and dance audiences usually have other outstanding shows and individuals they think deserve Dora nominations. My list includes The Death Of The King (indie outstanding production), Rosemary Dunsmore (outstanding female performer, either for general division’s Tom At The Farm or indie’s Late Company), director Alan Dilworth and scenic designer Lorenzo Savoini (general division’s Eurydice), and director Sue Miner (indie’s Three Men In A Boat).
Several ancillary awards were also announced at the press conference. The Leonard McHardy and John Harvey Award for arts administration went to Nancy J. Webster, executive director at Young People’s Theatre. Stratford costume cutter and tailor Jennifer Wonnacott received the Pauline McGibbon Award, named after the former Lieutenant Governor, a supporter and patron of the arts. The Barbara Hamilton Memorial Award, recognizing a Canadian artist dedicated to advocating and being an ambassador for the arts in this country, went to George Curtiss Randolph, head of the Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts.
The Doras will be presented June 27 at a ceremony at Harbourfront Centre’s Concert Stage, hosted by Bruce Dow, followed by a post-show party. Tickets are available at 416-973-4000 or tapa.ca a full list of nominees is on that website.
You can take part in choosing a winner on Dora night by voting for the Audience Choice Award, co-sponsored by NOW and Yonge-Dundas Square. Cast your vote online from the list of nominees for outstanding theatre or opera production (or choose your own favourite show) at nowtoronto.com/doras. Voting begins June 2 and ends June 22.