The Dora Mavor Moore Awards—named after the pioneering Canadian actor, teacher and director—celebrate outstanding work in Toronto theatre, dance and opera. This year marks 39 years of Dora Awards and the final year before the male/female performance award categories become gender neutral. The awards were hosted by Astrid Van Wieren at the Elgin Winter Garden Theatre.
UPDATE: Here are the Dora recipients for the General Theatre, Independent Theatre, Musical Theatre and Theatre for Young Audiences divisions. For a full list of nominees and recipients, visit the TAPA website.
The liveblog is below.
General Theatre
Outstanding Production:
- Jerusalem (Outside the March/Company Theatre production, with Starvox Entertainment)
- A Delicate Balance (Soulpepper)
- Kiinalik: These Sharp Tools (Buddies in Bad Times/Theatre Passe Muraille)
- LULU v.7 // aspects of a femme fatale (Buddies in Bad Times)
- Waiting for Godot (Soulpepper)
Outstanding New Play:
- Evalyn Parry and Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory, Kiinalik: These Sharp Tools (Buddies in Bad Times/Theatre Passe Muraille)
- Emil Sher, The Boy in the Moon (Crow’s Theatre), based on a book by Ian Brown
- Jivesh Parasram, Take d Milk, Nah? (b current performing arts/Pandemic Theatre, with support from Theatre Passe Muraille)
- Kat Sandler, BANG BANG (Factory Theatre)
- Rose Napoli, Lo (or Dear Mr. Wells) (Nightwood Theatre)
Outstanding Direction:
- Mitchell Cushman, Jerusalem (Outside the March/Company Theatre production, with Starvox Entertainment)
- Alan Dilworth, Idomeneus (Soulpepper)
- Djanet Sears, for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf (Soulpepper)
- Richard Rose, Hamlet (Tarragon Theatre)
- ted witzel, LULU v.7 // aspects of a femme fatale (Buddies in Bad Times)
Outstanding Male Performance:
- Kim Coates, Jerusalem (Outside the March/Company Theatre production, with Starvox Entertainment)
- David Storch, The Boy in the Moon (Crow’s Theatre)
- Oliver Dennis, A Delicate Balance (Soulpepper)
- Richard Clarkin, Confederation & Riel (VideoCabaret, with Soulpepper)
- Richard Zeppieri, BANG BANG (Factory Theatre)
Outstanding Female Performance:
- Michaela Washburn, Confederation & Riel (VideoCabaret, with Soulpepper)
- Brenda Robbins, A Delicate Balance (Soulpepper)
- Michaela Washburn, Scandal & Rebellion (VideoCabaret, with Soulpepper)
- Seana McKenna, Lear (Groundling Theatre)
- Vivien Endicott-Douglas, Lo (or Dear Mr. Wells) (Nightwood Theatre)
Outstanding Ensemble Performance:
- Ensemble of Jerusalem (Outside the March/Company Theatre production, with Starvox Entertainment)
- Ensemble of Confederation & Riel (VideoCabaret, with Soulpepper)
- Ensemble of for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf (Soulpepper)
- Ensemble of Idomeneus (Soulpepper)
- Ensemble of Kiinalik: These Sharp Tools (Buddies in Bad Times/Theatre Passe Muraille)
Outstanding Scenic Design:
- Nick Blais, Jerusalem (Outside the March/Company Theatre production, with Starvox Entertainment)
- Claude Guilmain and Duncan Appleton, AmericanDream.ca Partie 1: Malaises et Partie 2: Pax Americana (Le Théâtre la Tangente)
- Elahe Marjovi, The Monument (Factory Theatre)
- Helen Yung, LULU v.7 // aspects of a femme fatale (Buddies in Bad Times)
- Lorenzo Savoini, Idomeneus (Soulpepper)
Outstanding Costume Design:
- Ken MacKenzie, Animal Farm (Soulpepper)
- Astrid Janson & Melanie McNeill, Confederation & Riel (VideoCabaret, with Soulpepper)
- Astrid Janson & Melanie McNeill, Scandal & Rebellion (VideoCabaret, with Soulpepper)
- Gillian Gallow, Idomeneus (Soulpepper)
- Melanie McNeill, Le Menteur (The Liar) (Théâtre français de Toronto)
Outstanding Lighting Design:
- André du Toit, Jerusalem (Outside the March/Company Theatre production, with Starvox Entertainment)
- Jason Hand, Hamlet (Tarragon Theatre)
- Kimberley Purtell and André du Toit (lighting) and Remington North (projections), The Boy in the Moon (Crow’s Theatre)
- Lorenzo Savoini, Idomeneus (Soulpepper)
Outstanding Sound Design/Composition:
- Evalyn Parry, Cris Derksen, Kiinalik: These Sharp Tools (Buddies in Bad Times/Theatre Passe Muraille)
- Julian Brown, True Crime (Crow’s Theatre/The Castleton Massive Production)
- Richard Feren, Animal Farm (Soulpepper)
- Thomas Ryder Payne, Hamlet (Tarragon Theatre)
- Thomas Ryder Payne and Kevin Drew, A&R Angels (Crow’s Theatre)
Independent Theatre
Outstanding Production:
- Bears(Alberta Aboriginal Performing Arts/Punctuate! Theatre, with the Theatre Centre)
- Daughter (Theatre Centre/QuipTake, with Pandemic Theatre)
- Flashing Lights (Ahuri Theatre/Bad New Days)
- speaking of sneaking (Why Not Theatre/sos collective)
- The Aliens (Coal Mine Theatre)
Outstanding New Play:
- Matthew MacKenzie, Bears (Alberta Aboriginal Performing Arts/Punctuate! Theatre, with the Theatre Centre)
- daniel jelani ellis, speaking of sneaking (Why Not Theatre/sos collective)
- Falen Johnson, Ipperwash (Native Earth Performing Arts)
- Lauren Gillis and Alaine Hutton, Mr. Truth (Why Not Theatre/Lester Trips)
- Miranda Calderon, Adam Paolozza, Liz Peterson, Guillermo Verdecchia, Dan Watson, Flashing Lights (Ahuri Theatre/Bad New Days)
Outstanding Direction:
- Jill Harper and Patricia Allison, pool (no water) (Cue6 Theatre)
- Adam Paolozza, Flashing Lights (Ahuri Theatre/Bad New Days)
- Ann-Marie Kerr, Daughter (Theatre Centre/QuipTake, with Pandemic Theatre)
- d’bi.young anitafrika, speaking of sneaking (Why Not Theatre/sos collective)
- Matthew MacKenzie, Bears (Alberta Aboriginal Performing Arts/Punctuate! Theatre, with the Theatre Centre)
Outstanding Male Performance:
- Max Haynes, The Aliens (Coal Mine Theatre)
- Adam Lazarus, Daughter (Theatre Centre/QuipTake, with Pandemic Theatre)
- Christopher Stanton, Title and Deed (Nightfall Theatrics)
- daniel jelani ellis, speaking of sneaking (Why Not Theatre/sos collective)
- Sheldon Elter, Bears (Alberta Aboriginal Performing Arts/Punctuate! Theatre, with the Theatre Centre)
Outstanding Female Performance:
- Raven Dauda, Addicted (Adedo Collective and the Watah Theatre)
- Amaka Umeh, Pets (Shadowland Theatre)
- Breanna Dillon, What Happened Was… (Leroy Street Theatre)
- Jenna Harris, Lela & Co. (Discord and Din Theatre)
- Kaitlyn Riordan, Maggie and Pierre (timeshare)
Outstanding Ensemble Performance:
- Ensemble of pool (no water) (Cue6 Theatre)
- Ensemble of Asking For It (In Association/Crow’s Theatre/Nightwood Theatre/Necessary Angel)
- Ensemble of Flashing Lights (Ahuri Theatre/Bad New Days)
- Ensemble of Mr. Truth (Why Not Theatre/Lester Trips)
- Ensemble of Punk Rock (The Howland Company)
Outstanding Scenic Design:
- Michael Gianfrancesco, strangers, babies (Theatre PANIK)
- Anahita Dehbonehie, The Aliens (Coal Mine Theatre
- Anna Treusch, Category E (Coal Mine Theatre)
- Ken MacKenzie, Flashing Lights (Ahuri Theatre/Bad New Days)
- T. Erin Gruber, Bears (Alberta Aboriginal Performing Arts/Punctuate! Theatre, with the Theatre Centre)
Outstanding Costume Design:
- Lauren Gillis and Alaine Hutton, Mr. Truth (Why Not Theatre/Lester Trips)
- Brianna Kolybaba and Monica Dottor, Bears (Alberta Aboriginal Performing Arts/Punctuate! Theatre, with the Theatre Centre)
- Jackie Chau, Mixie and the Halfbreeds (fu-GEN Asian Canadian Theatre Company)
- Ken MacKenzie, Flashing Lights (Ahuri Theatre/Bad New Days)
- Nancy Anne Perrin, Punk Rock (The Howland Company)
Outstanding Lighting Design:
- Ken MacKenzie, Flashing Lights (Ahuri Theatre/Bad New Days)
- André du Toit, speaking of sneaking (Why Not Theatre/sos collective)
- Michelle Ramsay, Ipperwash (Native Earth Performing Arts)
- Simon Rossiter, pool (no water) (Cue6 Theatre)
- T. Erin Gruber, Bears (Alberta Aboriginal Performing Arts/Punctuate! Theatre, with the Theatre Centre)
Outstanding Sound Design/Composition:
- Ron Kelly, Situational Anarchy (Presgang/Pandemic Theatre)
- Lyon Smith, I Cook, He Does the Dishes (Cage on the Run)
- Matt Smith, Flashing Lights (Ahuri Theatre/Bad New Days)
- Noor Dean Musani, Bears (Alberta Aboriginal Performing Arts/Punctuate! Theatre, with the Theatre Centre)
- Richard Feren, Daughter (Theatre Centre/QuipTake, with Pandemic Theatre)
Musical Theatre
Outstanding Production
Life After (Co-produced by The Musical Stage Company, Canadian Stage and Yonge Street Theatricals)
Outstanding Performance – Male
Evan Buliung, Fun Home (The Musical Stage Company presented by David Mirvish)
Outstanding Performance – Female
Tracy Michailidis, Life After (Co-produced by The Musical Stage Company, Canadian Stage and Yonge Street Theatricals)
Outstanding Performance – Ensemble
The Ensemble: Neema Bickersteth, Barb Fulton, Anika Johnson, Life After (Co-produced by The Musical Stage Company, Canadian Stage and Yonge Street Theatricals)
Outstanding New Musical/Opera
Britta Johnson, Life After (Co-produced by The Musical Stage Company, Canadian Stage and Yonge Street Theatricals)
Outstanding Direction (Musical/Opera)
Robert McQueen, Life After (Co-produced by The Musical Stage Company, Canadian Stage and Yonge Street Theatricals)
Outstanding Scenic Design (Musical/Opera)
Ken MacDonald, The Overcoat – a musical tailoring (Canadian Stage co-production with Tapestry Opera and Vancouver Opera)
Outstanding Costume Design (Musical/Opera)
Zane Pihlström, Orphée (Against the Grain Theatre in association with the Banff Centre for the Arts and Creativity and Opera Columbus)
Outstanding Lighting Design (Musical/Opera)
Alan Brodie, The Overcoat – a musical tailoring (Canadian Stage co-production with Tapestry Opera and Vancouver Opera)
Outstanding Choreography (Musical/Opera)
Austin McCormick, Orphée (Against the Grain Theatre in association with the Banff Centre for the Arts and Creativity and Opera Columbus)
Outstanding Musical Direction (Musical/Opera)
Lynne Shankel and Reza Jacobs, Life After (Co-produced by The Musical Stage Company, Canadian Stage and Yonge Street Theatricals)
Theatre for Young Audiences
Outstanding Production
Instant (Young People’s Theatre presents Geordie Productions)
Outstanding New Play
Christine Quintana, Selfie (Young People’s Theatre)
Outstanding Direction
Chanda Gibson, Les Zinspirés: six dégres de séparation (Théâtre français de Toronto)
Outstanding Performance – Individual
Jamie Robinson, Risky Phil (Young People’s Theatre)
Outstanding Performance – Ensemble
The Ensemble: Christopher Allen, Rachel Mutombo, Caroline Toal, Selfie (Young People‘s Theatre)
Ancillary Award Winners
Leonard McHardy & John Harvey Award for Leadership in Administration:
- Sue Balint, Aluna Theatre
Pauline McGibbon Award for Unique Talents and Potential for Excellence:
- Sarah Conn
Liveblog
We covered the Dora Awards live on Monday May 25th from the Elgin’s Winter Garden Theatre. The awards were hosted by award-winning actor Astrid Van Wieren.
7:38 – The crowd fills the theatre while ushers encourage people to take their seats so the show can begin.
7:43 – The lights are out and the crowd is rowdy, here we go!
7:47 – Host Astrid Van Wieren connects with a room of storytellers, “I’m on Broadway and trust me no one is more surprised than I am. Some days you’re catered to, some days you’re catering.”
7:50 – “I am 53 and I have never worked more than I have in the last five years,” Astrid Van Wieren says to a round of applause.
7:51 – “The revolution has come and we’re not going back and it couldn’t come soon enough,” says Astrid Van Wieren #TimesUp
7:58 – Astrid Van Wieren returns to the stage—after a musical interlude from a chorus of Sheridan College Music Theatre performers—in a gown she describes as “sparkly eggplant chic.”
8:03 – Outstanding Male Peformance – Independent Theatre
- Winner: Max Haynes, The Aliens (Coal Mine Theatre)
8:05 – Outstanding Female Performance – Independent Theatre
- Winner: Raven Dauda, Addicted (Adedo Collective and the Watah Theatre)
- “Watah Theatre, you have profoundly changed and blessed my life. […] Love is truly all there is. Many of us worldwide suffer from addictions, so if you come across one of us, just give us a hug, say a prayer.”
8:07 – Outstanding Ensemble Performance – Independent Theatre
- Winner: Ensemble of pool (no water) (Cue6 Theatre)
8:10 – Outstanding Direction – Independent Theatre
- Jill Harper and Patricia Allison, pool (no water) (Cue6 Theatre)
- “I just quickly want to commend Cue6 and Shakespeare in the Ruff for hiring me shortly after I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, I just want to preach accessibility and inclusion and diversity.” – Patricia Allison
8:16 – Outstanding Performance by an Individual in the Theatre for Young Audience Division
- Jamie Robinson wins for Risky Phil at Young People’s Theatre
8:21 – The Ensemble of Selfie (Young People’s Theatre) wins for Outstanding Performance in the Theatre for Young Audiences Division.
8:25 – Maureen Adamson (Deputy Minister of Tourism Culture and Sport) presents the Pauline McGibbon Award for Unique Talents and Potential for Excellence to Ottawa-based director and theatre creator Sarah Conn.
8:28 – It’s time to celebrate some milestones! 15 years for fu-gen Theatre Company, 30 years for Toronto Fringe, 35 years for Native Earth Performing Arts, 50 years for Theatre Passe Muraille, 100 years for Alumnae Theatre and many, many more.
8:36 – Britta Johnson wins Outstanding New Musical/Opera for Life After: “I started writing this show when I was 18 at the Paprika Festival. […] Putting this show together with all of you was the best part of my time on earth.”
8:39 – Outstanding New Play in the Theatre for Young Audiences Division goes to Christine Quintana for Selfie.
8:42 – Chanda Gibson wins for Outstanding Direction (Theatre for Young Audiences Division) for Les Zinspirés: six dégres de séparation.
8:45 – Oustanding Scenic Design (Independent Theatre)
- Winner: Michael Gianfrancesco, strangers, babies (Theatre PANIK)
8:46 – Outstanding Costume Design (Independent Theatre)
Winner: Lauren Gillis and Alaine Hutton, Mr. Truth (Why Not Theatre/Lester Trips)
8:48 – Outstanding Sound Design (Independent Theatre)
- Winner: Ron Kelly, Situational Anarchy (Presgang/Pandemic Theatre)
- Playwright/performer of Situational Anarchy Graham Isador is trapped in an airport and Ron Kelly has just had a baby named Arthur, so Jivesh Parasram prompted the audience to shout “we love you Garm*, we love you Ron and we love you Arthur,” as he filmed the house.
- *Graham hates being called ‘Garm’
8:50 – Outstanding Lighting Design (Independent Theatre)
- Ken MacKenzie, Flashing Lights (Ahuri Theatre/Bad New Days)
8:52 – Outstanding New Play (Independent Theatre)
- Winner: Matthew MacKenzie, Bears (Alberta Aboriginal Performing Arts/Punctuate! Theatre, with the Theatre Centre)
8:55 – Lisa Horner, Astrid Van Wieren’s favourite brunch partner and former Ryerson classmate, takes the stage. They share a role in Come From Away Lisa plays Beulah in Toronto while Astrid plays Beulah on Broadway. They sing “This is Me” from The Greatest Showman with the Sheridan College chorus.
9:07 – A haunting and somber memorial moment is performed by award-winning Canadian dancer and choreographer Peggy Baker.
9:10 – The Jon Kaplan Audience Choice Award for Outstanding Production of 2018 goes to Jerusalem.
9:15 – Alana Bridgewater and Morris Panych present for Oustanding Musical Direction. Lynne Shankel and Reza Jacobs win for Life After.
9:18 – Double nominee Michaela Washburn wins for Outstanding Female Performance (General Theatre) for Confederation & Riel (VideoCabaret, with Soulpepper).
- “I want to close with this, Louis Riel said, ‘My people will sleep for 100 years and when they awake it will be the artists who give them their spirit back.’ We are those artists. I am humbled and grateful to be among you. If you’re an ally, do your research, check in with the people you are trying to support and make sure they need what you are trying to offer.”
9:22 – The Ensemble of Jerusalem wins for Outstanding Ensemble Performance in the General Theatre category.
9:25 – Jerusalem (Outside the March/Company Theatre production, with Starvox Entertainment) wins its third Dora of the evening with Kim Coates accepting the award for Outstanding Male Performance (General Theatre).
9:28 – Make that 4 Doras for Jerusalem. Outstanding Direction in the General Theatre Division goes to Mitchell Cushman.
9:42 – “This art form is my way into myself, and into the world,” Peggy Baker wins for Outstanding Performance Female, Dance.
9:47 – Outstanding Performance Male (Musical Theatre)
- Evan Buliung wins for Fun Home
- “Every day in the newspaper I see them talk about repealing the sex ed [curriculum] and they can fuck off. You can’t regress, you can go forward.”
9:52 – Outstanding Performance Female (Musical Theatre)
- Tracy Michailidis wins for Life After – “Doing a show about grief makes you want to celebrate every single moment.”
9:55 – Outstanding Performance, Ensemble (Musical Theatre)
- The Ensemble of Life After
9:57 – Outstanding Direction, Musical Theatre/Opera Division
- Robert McQueen wins for Life After, the fourth Dora Award for this production.
10:00– Outstanding Costume Design, General Theatre
- Ken MacKenzie wins his second Dora of the night for Animal Farm (Soulpepper)
- “If there is a place this award belongs, it is in the production department at Soulpepper. I owe an enormous debt of gratitude to them.”
10:03 – The fifth Dora for Jerusalem goes to André du Toit for Outstanding Lighting Design (General Theatre).
10:06 – Outstanding Sound Design/Composition (General Theatre)
- Evalyn Parry, Cris Derksen, Kiinalik: These Sharp Tools (Buddies in Bad Times/Theatre Passe Muraille)
- “I want to thank the North for teaching me who I am,” says Cris Derksen.
10:08 – Outstanding Scenic Design (General Theatre)
- Nick Blais for Jerusalem
10:10 – Outstanding New Play (General Theatre)
- Evalyn Parry and Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory win for Kiinalik: These Sharp Tools (Buddies in Bad Times/Theatre Passe Muraille)
- “My great-grandmother said thinking of herself and thinking of her now great-great-grandchildren, we all came from one egg. We have so much to love and so much to mourn.” – Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory
- “It is beautiful to be acknowledged for a play that was created in such an unconventional way […] Nunavut is the only territory that doesn’t have a performing arts centre, you can donate online and support Qaggiavuut.” – Evalyn Parry.
10:17 – Outstanding Production, Theatre for Young Audiences
- Instant, Young People’s Theatre presents Geordie Productions
10:22 – Jane Marsland presents the Silver Ticket Award to David Fox.
10:27 – Outstanding Production, Independent Theatre
- Bears (Alberta Aboriginal Performing Arts/Punctuate! Theatre, with the Theatre Centre)
- “Fighting big oil in Alberta can be kind of hopeless, and this response is very heartening,” Matthew MacKenzie
10:32 – Outstanding Production, Musical Theatre
- Life After wins their sixth Dora Award of the night
10:40 – Outstanding Production, General Theatre
- Jerusalem closes the night with 7 Awards.
10:40 – “Get out!” – Astrid Van Wieren. That’s a wrap, folks! Until next year.
Leave a Reply