2013 Dora Mavor Moore Awards

Buddies in Bad Times leads in the General Theatre Division with four Doras. Brendan Healey accepting. Photo by John Lauener.

The 34^th Annual Dora Mavor Moore Awards for the 2012/2013 season were held at the Bluma Appel Theatre in the St. Lawrence Centre for the Performing Arts on Monday evening, hosted by The National Theatre of the World’s delightful founders Matt Baram and Naomi Snieckus. Produced and presented on behalf of the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA), the Dora Awards celebrate excellence in Toronto theatre, dance and opera. A total of 48 Dora Awards plus the Silver Ticket Award and the Audience Choice Award were given out. See below for the list of winners.

GENERAL THEATRE DIVISION

In the General Theatre Division, Buddies in Bad Times Theatre leads with four Dora Mavor Moore Awards: three for its production of Obaaberima (Outstanding Production, Outstanding Lighting Design for Michelle Ramsay and Outstanding Sound Design/Composition for Kobena Aquaa-Harrison) and one for Arigato, Tokyo (Outstanding Scenic Design for Julie Fox). Kristen Thomson wins Outstanding New Play for Someone Else produced by Crow's Theatre in association with Canadian Stage. Tom Rooney wins Outstanding Performance-Male for the same play. Tarragon Theatre's The Little Years sees Chris Abraham win Outstanding Direction and Irene Poole nab Outstanding Performance-Female. Outstanding Performance-Ensemble goes to The Ensemble of Soulpepper Theatre Company’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, which also nabs Outstanding Costume Design for Dana Osborne.

MUSICAL THEATRE DIVISION

In this Division, Young People's Theatre takes the lead with seven wins for Cinderella:  Outstanding Production, Outstanding Performance-Ensemble, Outstanding Direction to Allen MacInnis, Outstanding Scenic Design to Robin Fisher, Outstanding Costume Design to Robin Fisher, Outstanding Lighting Design to Lesley Wilkinson and Outstanding Choreography to Jo Leslie. She She Pop & Their Fathers: Testament (Harbourfront Centre's World Stage presents She She Pop) takes Outstanding Touring Production. Outstanding Performance-Female goes to Lisa Horner of The Wizard of Oz (presented by Bill Kenwright, The Really Useful Group, David Mirvish, Troika Entertainment, Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures). Bruce Dow takes Outstanding Performance-Male for Of A Monstrous Child: A Gaga Musical (presented by Ecce Homo Theatre in Association with Buddies in Bad Times Theatre).

OPERA DIVISION

The Canadian Opera Company dominates the Doras in the Opera Division. Dialogues des Carmélites (Canadian Opera Company presents the Nederlandse Opera production) earns Outstanding Production, Outstanding Performance-Ensemble, and Johannes Debus takes Outstanding Musical Direction. Il Trovatore (The Canadian Opera Company presents the Opéra de Marseille production) earns Outstanding Performance-Male for Russell Braun and Outstanding Performance-Female for Elena Manistina. The Lesson of Da Ji by Alice Ping Yee Ho (composer) / Marjorie Chan (librettist) from Toronto Masque Theatre nabs Outstanding New Musical/Opera.

INDEPENDENT THEATRE PRODUCTION DIVISION

The winners in the Independent Theatre Division each receive a $1,000 cheque from the Bluma Appel Community Trust in addition to Dora Awards.
 
In this Division, VideoCabaret leads with three Doras for The War of 1812: The History of the Village of the Small Huts, 1812-15 (Outstanding Direction to Michael Hollingsworth, Outstanding Performance-Ensemble, Outstanding Costume Design to Astrid Janson). Outside the March earns Outstanding Production for Mr. Marmalade while Adam Seybold nabs Outstanding New Play for The De Chardin Project produced by The Quickening Theatre.

Other wins in this Division include:

Outstanding Performance-Male to Gavin Crawford for A Few Brittle Leaves produced by The Cabaret Company; Outstanding Performance-Female to Michelle Monteith for Modern Times Stage Company's The Lesson; Outstanding Scenic Design goes to Andrea Mittler for Wordsmyth Theatre's The Dumb Waiter; BOBLO, co-produced by Kitchenband and The Theatre Centre, nabs Outstanding Lighting Design for Rebecca Picherack and Outstanding Sound Design/Composition for Andrew Penner.

DANCE DIVISION

In the Dance Division, DanceWorks leads with two wins: Outstanding Performance-Ensemble for Road Trip and Outstanding Performance-Female to Molly Johnson for Lab Rats. Outstanding Production goes to Political Mother (Hofesh Shechter Company's production presented by Canadian Stage); Outstanding Choreography goes to Santee Smith for Susuriwka - willow bridge (presented by Kaha:wi Dance Theatre presents Susuriwka - willow bridge - North American Premiere - Co-produced with Yokohama Noh Theatre and Harbourfront Centre's Planet IndigenUS Festival 2012). Aakash Odedra garners Outstanding Performance-Male for Alchemy (Harbourfront Centre's NextSteps in association with Sampradaya Dance Creations). Outstanding Original Sound Design/Composition goes to Rodney Sharman for From the House of Mirth (Coleman Lemieux & Compagnie) and Outstanding Lighting Design goes to Marc Parent for Stereophonic (Peggy Baker Dance Projects).

THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES DIVISION

Roseneath Theatre leads in the Theatre for Young Audiences Division with two Doras: Outstanding Direction to Richard Greenblatt for Wrecked and Outstanding Performance-Individual to Oyin Oladejo for In This World. As noted above, Young People's Theatre earns its eighth nod with Outstanding Production for La Fugue (YPT presents SMCQ Jeunesse/Qui Va Là). Soulpepper earns a third win with Outstanding Performance-Ensemble for Alligator Pie while Outstanding New Play goes to Jordan Tannahill for rihannaboi95 (presented by Suburban Beast).

OTHER AWARDS

The Silver Ticket Award is bestowed upon an individual who has excelled in their career while also nurturing the development of Canadian theatre. It was presented to the venerable actor, director, and artistic director, Malcolm Black. At 85, Mr. Black is one of the few artists still living whose roots go back to the Crest Theatre, one of Toronto's (and the country's) earliest and most important theatres.

TAPA's Audience Choice Award for Outstanding Production, co-sponsored by NOW Magazine and Yonge-Dundas Square, was also handed out. The public was invited to vote online from a list of Outstanding Production nominees in all Divisions, or choose their own favourite. Presented with a commemorative plaque, the Audience Choice Award winner is The Wizard of Oz (produced by Bill Kenwright, The Really Useful Group, David Mirvish, Troika Entertainment, Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures).

For more information on the Dora Awards visit www.tapa.ca

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