Nomination Announcements: 40th Annual Dora Mavor Moore Awards
The nominations for the 40th annual Dora Mavor Moore Awards have been announced! Named after the pioneering Canadian actress, director, and teacher— these awards highlight and celebrate the best of professional theatre, dance, and opera in Toronto. As TAPA announced in April of 2018, all previous “Outstanding performance by a male or female” titles have been replaced with gender-inclusive titles. The awards show is the first in Canada to lead with a fully gender-inclusive policy. This year the awards will be hosted by multi-award winner Rick Miller and will take place on Tuesday, June 25 at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts. (You can read about last year’s nominees and winners here.)
Presenting the highlights:
- Soulpepper Theatre leads with 25 nominations, 14 nominations spanning 5 productions in the General Theatre Division and 11 nominations in the Musical Theatre Division
- The Musical Stage Company and Young People’s Theatre are tied in the Musical Theatre Division with 14 nominations each
- Coal Mine Theatre is the front runner in the Independent Theatre Division with 10 nominations
- The Canadian Opera Company leads in the Opera Division with 33 nominations
- Danceworks soars in the Dance Division with 13 nominations
- Solar Stage leads the Theatre for Young Audiences Division with 10 nominations
Full breakdown for the GENERAL THEATRE and INDEPENDENT THEATRE divisions below.
For details on the MUSICAL THEATRE, OPERA, DANCE, THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES, and TOURING divisions please visit the TAPA website.
General Theatre
Outstanding Production:
- Middletown (Crow’s Theatre production, with Shaw Festival)
- Secret Life of a Mother (The SLOM Collective/The Theatre Centre)
- bug (Luminato)
- School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play (Obsidian Theatre/Nightwood Theatre)
- The Royale (Soulpepper)
Outstanding New Play:
- Charlotte Corbeil-Coleman, Guarded Girls (Tarragon Theatre)
- Hannah Moscovitch, Secret Life of a Mother (The SLOM Collective/The Theatre Centre)
- Kate Hennig, The Virgin Trial (Soulpepper), originally produced by The Stratford Festival
- Lisa Karen Cox, Maggie Huculak, Raha Javanfar, Amy Nostbakken, Norah Sadava, Cheyenne Scott, Now You See Her (Quote Unquote Collective/Nightwood Theatre/Why Not Theatre)
- Yolanda Bonnell, bug (Luminato)
Outstanding Direction:
- Brendan Healy, Every Brilliant Thing (Canadian Stage)
- Guillermo Verdecchia, The Royale (Soulpepper)
- Meg Roe, Middletown (Crow’s Theatre production, with Shaw Festival)
- Mumbi Tindyebwa, Oraltorio: A Theatrical Mixtape (Obsidian Theatre, presented by Soulpepper)
- Nina Lee Aquino, School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play (Obsidian Theatre/Nightwood Theatre)
Outstanding Performance in a Leading Role:
- Gray Powell, Middletown (Crow’s Theatre)
- Lovell Adams-Gray, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Soulpepper)
- Maev Beaty, Secret Life of a Mother (The SLOM Collective/The Theatre Centre)
- Natasha Mumba, School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play (Obsidian Theatre/Nightwood Theatre)
- Sarah Afful, Orlando (Soulpepper)
- Virgilia Griffith, Harlem Duet (Tarragon Theatre)
- Vivien Endicott-Douglas, Guarded Girls (Tarragon Theatre)
- Yolanda Bonnell, bug (Luminato)
Outstanding Performance in a Featured Role:
- Alex McCooeye, Orlando (Soulpepper)
- Amaka Umeh, The Wolves (The Howland Company/Crow’s Theatre)
- Bria McLaughlin, School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play (Obsidian Theatre/Nightwood Theatre)
- Christef Desir, The Royale (Soulpepper)
- Jeff Meadows, Middletown (Crow’s Theatre production, with Shaw Festival)
- Jenny Young, Romeo and Juliet (Canadian Stage, with Department of Theatre, School of the Arts, Media, Performance and Design, at York University)
- Sabryn Rock, The Royale (Soulpepper)
- Stephanie MacDonald, New Magic Valley Fun Town (Tarragon Theatre)
Outstanding Scenic/Projection Design:
- Camellia Koo, Middletown (Crow’s Theatre)
- Camellia Koo (Scenic Design); Cameron Davis (Projection Design), Secret Life of a Mother (The SLOM Collective/The Theatre Centre)
- Julie Fox, Tartuffe (Stratford Festival, presented by Canadian Stage/Crow’s Theatre/Groundling Theatre Company/David Versus Goliath Productions)
- Ken MacKenzie, The Royale (Soulpepper)
- Rachel Forbes, School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play (Obsidian Theatre/Nightwood Theatre)
Outstanding Costume Design:
- Gillian Gallow, Orlando (Soulpepper)
- Joanna Yu, School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play (Obsidian Theatre/Nightwood Theatre)
- Jung-Hye Kim, Now You See Her (Quote Unquote Collective/Nightwood Theatre/Why Not Theatre)
- Michelle Tracey, Wedding at Aulis (Soulpepper)
- Sarah Doucet, The Wolves (The Howland Company/Crow’s Theatre)
Outstanding Lighting Design:
- Kevin Lamotte, Middletown (Crow’s Theatre)
- Kimberly Purtell, We Are Not Alone (Crow’s Theatre and Segel Centre for Performing Arts in partnership with 2b Theatre Company)
- Lorenzo Savoini, Orlando (Soulpepper)
- Michel Charbonneau, bug (Luminato)
- Michelle Ramsay, The Royale (Soulpepper)
Outstanding Sound Design/Composition:
- Allen Booth, Harlem Duet (Tarragon Theatre)
- Amy Nostbakken and James Bunton, Now You See Her (Quote Unquote Collective/Nightwood Theatre/Why Not Theatre)
- Reza Jacobs, School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play (Obsidian Theatre/Nightwood Theatre)
- Thomas Ryder Payne, The Royale (Soulpepper)
- Thomas Ryder Payne and DJ L’Oqenz, Oraltorio: A Theatrical Mixtape (Obsidian Theatre, presented by Soulpepper)
Independent Theatre
Outstanding Production:
- The Nether (Coal Mine Theatre/Studio 180 Theatre)
- The Runner (Human Cargo)
- Isitwendam (Native Earth presents a Bound to Create Theatre Production)
- Iphigenia and the Furies (On Taurian Land) (Saga Collectif)
Outstanding New Play:
- Augusto Bitter, CHICHO (Pencil Kit Productions/Theatre Passe Muraille/Aluna Theatre)
- Christopher Morris, The Runner (Human Cargo)
- Ho Ka Kei (Jeff Ho), Iphigenia and the Furies (On Taurian Land) (Saga Collectif)
- Matthew MacKenzie, After the Fire (Punctuate! Theatre/Alberta Aboriginal Performing Arts/Native Earth Performing Arts/The Theatre Centre)
- Meegwun Fairbrother, Isitwendam (Native Earth presents a Bound to Create Theatre Production)
Outstanding Direction:
- Daniel Brooks, The Runner (Human Cargo)
- Erin Brubacher, NOOR (Generous Friend)
- Jonathan Seinen, Iphigenia and the Furies (On Taurian Land) (Saga Collectif)
- Leora Morris, The Philosopher’s Wife (PARADIGM productions)
- Mithell Cushman and Marcus Jamin, Hand to God (Coal Mine Theatre)
Outstanding Performance of an Individual:
- Augusto Bitter, CHICHO (Presented by Pencil Kit Productions/Theatre Passe Muraille/Aluna Theatre)
- Catherine Fitch, Her Inside Life (Leroy Street Theatre)
- Eric Peterson, The Father (Coal Mine Theatre)
- Frank Cox-O’Connell, Hand to God (Coal Mine Theatre)
- Gord Rand, The Runner (Human Cargo)
- Mattie Driscoll, Dry Land (Cue6 Theatre)
- Meegwun Fairbrother, Isitwendam (Native Earth presents a Bound to Create Theatre Production)
- Virgilia Griffith, Iphigenia and the Furies (On Taurian Land) (Saga Collectif)
Outstanding Ensemble Performance:
- Ensemble of After the Fire (Punctuate! Theatre/Alberta Aboriginal Performing Arts in association with Native Earth Performing Arts and The Theatre Centre)
- Ensemble of Human Animals (ARC)
- Ensemble of If On A Christmas Night (DopoLavoro Teatrale/Villa Charities)
- Ensemble of Judas Noir (Obsidian Theatre presents BDB Productions Inc.)
- Ensemble of Stones (The Stones Project/Aluna Theatre)
- Ensemble of The Nether (Coal Mine Theatre/Studio 180 Theatre)
- Ensemble of The Wonder Pageant (Coal Mine Theatre)
- Ensemble of Wring the Roses (madonnanera, presented as part of Why Not Theatre‘s RISER Project 2019)
Outstanding Scenic/Projection Design:
- Anahita Dehbonehie, Hand to God (Coal Mine Theatre)
- Gillian Gallow, The Runner (Human Cargo)
- Hans Saefkow (Scenic Design), Andy Moro with Melissa Joakim (Projection Design), Isitwendam (Native Earth presents a Bound to Create Theatre Production)
- Michelle Tracey and Triga Creative (Scenic Design), Wesley McKenzie (Projection Design), The Scavenger’s Daughter (PARADIGM productions)
- Patrick Lavendar (Scenic Design), Nick Bottomley (Projection Design), The Nether (Coal Mine Theatre/ Studio 180 Theatre)
Outstanding Costume Design:
- Christine Urquhart, Iphigenia and the Furies (On Taurian Land) (Saga Collectif)
- Jennifer Lee Arsenault, 1979 (Michael Healey/Marcie Januska/Miles Potter)
- Justin Miller, Pearle Harbour’s Chautauqua (Pearle Harbour/Theatre Passe Muraille)
- Melanie McNeill, Space Opera Zero! (Eldritch Theatre)
- Ming Wong, The Cherry Orchard, (Modern Times Stage Company)
Outstanding Lighting Design:
- Bonnie Beecher, The Runner (Human Cargo)
- Jareth Li, Iphigenia and the Furies (On Taurian Land) (Saga Collectif)
- Patrick Lavender, The Nether (Coal Mine Theatre/Studio 180 Theatre)
- Rebecca Picherak, NOOR (Generous Friend)
- Trevor Schwellnus, The Cherry Orchard (Modern Times Stage Company)
Outstanding Sound Design/Composition:
- Alexander MacSween, The Runner (Human Cargo)
- Ben McCarthy, The Scavenger’s Daughter (PARADIGM productions)
- Heidi Chan, Iphigenia and the Furies (On Taurian Land) (Saga Collectif)
- Richard Feren, The Nether (Coal Mine Theatre/Studio 180 Theatre)
- Rosina Kazi, Anwar Khurshid, Nicholas Murray, NOOR (Generous Friend)
Ancillary Award Winners
Leonard McHardy & John Harvey Award for Leadership in Administration:
- Sherrie Johnson, Crow’s Theatre
George Luscombe Mentorship Award:
- Jacquie P. A. Thomas, Theatre Gargantua
Pauline McGibbon Award for Unique Talents and Potential for Excellence:
- Ksenia Ivanova, Toronto-based scenic artist
The Silver Ticket Award and the Jon Kaplan Audience Choice Award:
- These awards will be given out during the Dora Awards Show on June 25th, 2019.
Mariam Ahmed
Mariam is Associate Editor at Intermission. Mariam earned her Honours BA in English literature from York University and recently completed a Graduate Certificate program from Centennial College in Book and Magazine Publishing. When she's not busy reading books and plays, she takes pictures of books for her "Bookstagram", watches as many movies and shows as she can, and is a self-proclaimed Chocoholic.
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