Announcement: 2015 Dora Mavor Moore Award Winners (With Links to MoT Reviews)

Doras_2015Aluna’s Blood Wedding & Canadian Opera Company’s Falstaff win big at 36th Dora Awards

The Dora Mavor Moore Awards ceremony is the Toronto theatre community’s big night out to celebrate its own. This year the ceremony was hosted by comedian Gavin Crawford, who kept the pace swift and generally killed it with his material, injecting his wry observations throughout the proceedings. His opening musical song and dance number as Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne was a riot.

The big winners of the night included Modern Times Stage Company and Aluna Theatre’s Blood Wedding (Bodas de Sangre) which took home six Doras in the Independent Theatre category, the Canadian Opera Company’s productions of Falstaff, which walked away with five trophies, and  Die Walküre which won three in the Opera division as well as Mirvish’s production of Once which also picked up three awards in the Musical Theatre division.

In a surprise win, Sheridan College’s ambitious immersive musical theatre production Brantwood took home the Audience Choice Award, an award that usually goes to popular, big-budget commercial theatre shows, thanks in no small part to a social media campaign spearheaded by the Torontoist’s Steve Fisher.

The best acceptance speech and the emotional highlight of the evening was given by Kawa Ada after winning the Dora for Outstanding Performance – Male in the General Theatre division for his performance in Soulpepper’s Accidental Death of an Anarchist. An overjoyed Ada closed his speech by saying “It’s possible for a little gay boy from Afghanistan who began with Bollywood to become a leading man… Don’t let them tell you that you are too gay or too brown, it is possible.” To the growing ovation of the audience Ada concluded, “Thank you to this community for fighting for diversity on these stages because it is the right thing to do.”

It’s a beautiful sentiment that captures the spirit of the Toronto theatre community that the Doras set out to honour.

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

GENERAL THEATRE DIVISION

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION

Accidental Death of an Anarchist;  Soulpepper Theatre Company

OUTSTANDING NEW PLAY

Hannah Moscovitch Infinity;  Tarragon Theatre, a co-production with Volcano Theatre

OUTSTANDING DIRECTION

Eda Holmes;  Tom at the Farm;  Buddies In Bad Times Theatre

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – MALE

Kawa Ada;  Accidental Death of an Anarchist;  Soulpepper Theatre Company

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – FEMALE

Nicky Guadagni;  Hooked;  Theatre Passe Muraille

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – ENSEMBLE

The Ensemble of Twelve Angry Men;  Soulpepper Theatre Company

OUTSTANDING SCENIC DESIGN

Börkur Jónsson;  The Heart of Robin Hood;  David Mirvish, Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, Barry and Fran Weissler

OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN

Astrid Jansen;  Trudeau and Lévesque;  VideoCabaret in association with Soulpepper Theatre Company

OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN

André Du Toit;  Take Me Back To Jefferson;  Theatre Smith-Gilmour in association with Factory Theatre

OUTSTANDING SOUND DESIGN/COMPOSITION

Original sound poetry/compositionRafael Barreto-Rivera, Paul Dutton, Steve McCaffery & bpNichol. Additional sound design/ creation: Bill Brennan, Graham Hargrove, John Millard and the cast; The Four Horsemen Project;  Volcano, Crooked Figure Dances, and Global Mechanic in partnership with Soulpepper Theatre Co.

INDEPENDENT THEATRE DIVISION

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION

Blood Wedding (Bodas de Sangre) a Modern Times Stage Company/Aluna Theatre co-production

OUTSTANDING NEW PLAY

Jordan Tannahill;  Concord Floral;  Suburban Beast in association with Why Not Theatre

OUTSTANDING DIRECTION

Soheil Parsa;  Blood Wedding (Bodas de Sangre);  a Modern Times Stage Company/Aluna Theatre co-production

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – MALE

Sergio DiZio;  The Motherfucker With the Hat;  Bob Kills Theatre

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – FEMALE

Beatriz Pizano;  Blood Wedding (Bodas de Sangre);  a Modern Times Stage Company/Aluna Theatre co-production

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – ENSEMBLE

The Ensemble of Mouthpiece;  Quote Unquote Collective in association with Why Not Theatre

OUTSTANDING SCENIC DESIGN

Trevor Schwellnus;  Blood Wedding (Bodas de Sangre);  a Modern Times Stage Company/Aluna Theatre co-production

OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN

Angela Thomas;  Blood Wedding (Bodas de Sangre);  a Modern Times Stage Company/Aluna Theatre co-production

OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN

Trevor Schwellnus;  Blood Wedding (Bodas de Sangre);  a Modern Times Stage Company/Aluna Theatre co-production

OUTSTANDING SOUND DESIGN/COMPOSITION

Composer: Amy Nostbakken; Sound Designer: James Bunton;  Mouthpiece;  Quote Unquote Collective in association with Why Not Theatre

MUSICAL THEATRE DIVISION

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION

Once;   David Mirvish in association with Barbara Broccoli, John N. Hart Jr, Patrick Milling Smith, Frederick Zollo

OUTSTANDING TOURING PRODUCTION (open to General Theatre & Musical Theatre/ Opera)

Kiss & Cry;  Charleroi Danses presented by Canadian Stage

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – MALE

Daren A. Herbert;  The Wild Party;  Acting Up Stage Company in association with Obsidian Theatre Company

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – FEMALE

Trish Lindström;  Once;  David Mirvish in association with Barbara Broccoli, John N. Hart Jr, Patrick Milling Smith, Frederick Zollo

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – ENSEMBLE

The Ensemble of Once;  David Mirvish in association with Barbara Broccoli, John N. Hart Jr, Patrick Milling Smith, Frederick Zollo

MUSICAL THEATRE / OPERA DIVISION

OUTSTANDING NEW MUSICAL/OPERA

Mike Ross/ Albert Schultz;  Spoon River;  Soulpepper Theatre Company

OUTSTANDING  DIRECTION

Atom Egoyan;  Die Walküre;  A Canadian Opera Company Production

OUTSTANDING SCENIC DESIGN

Paul Steinberg;  Falstaff;  COC co-production with Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; Teatro alla Scala; Metropolitan Opera and Dutch National Opera, Amsterdam

OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN

Brigitte Reiffenstuel;  Falstaff;  COC co-production with Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; Teatro alla Scala; Metropolitan Opera and Dutch National Opera, Amsterdam

OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN

David Finn;  Die Walküre;  A Canadian Opera Company Production

OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY

Stephanie Graham;  The Wild Party;  Acting Up Stage Company in association with Obsidian Theatre Company

OUTSTANDING MUSICAL DIRECTION

Mike Ross;  Spoon River;  Soulpepper Theatre Company

OPERA DIVISION

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION

Falstaff;  COC co-production with Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; Teatro alla Scala; Metropolitan Opera and Dutch National Opera, Amsterdam

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – MALE

Gerald Finley;  Falstaff;  COC co-production with Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; Teatro alla Scala; Metropolitan Opera and Dutch National Opera, Amsterdam

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – FEMALE

Christine Goerke;  Die Walküre;  A Canadian Opera Company Production

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – ENSEMBLE

The Ensemble of Falstaff;  COC co-production with Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; Teatro alla Scala; Metropolitan Opera and Dutch National Opera, Amsterdam

THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES DIVISION

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION

Beneath the Banyan Tree; Theatre Direct

OUTSTANDING NEW PLAY

Created by Beau Dixon, Lyrics and Music by Susan Newman and Rob Fortin;  Beneath Springhill: The Maurice Ruddick Story;   Firebrand Theatre

OUTSTANDING  DIRECTION

Lynda Hill;  Beneath the Banyan Tree;  Theatre Direct

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – INDIVIDUAL

Beau Dixon;  Beneath Springhill: The Maurice Ruddick Story;   Firebrand Theatre

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – ENSEMBLE

The Ensemble of Beneath the Banyan Tree; Theatre Direct

DANCE DIVISION

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION

So Blue;  Luminato presents So Blue Produced by Fou Glorieux. Co-Produced by the Festival TransAmeriques, Tanzhaus nrw, Theatre de la Ville, Hellerau and National Arts Centre

OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY

James Kudelka;  #lovesexbrahms (Intermezzi);  Art of Time Ensemble in association with Coleman Lemieux & Compagnie

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – MALE

Vincent Mansoe;  NTU (DW208);  DanceWorks

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – FEMALE

Caroline Fraser;  Skills & Soul Battles (TUDS);  Gadfly

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – ENSEMBLE

The Ensemble of This Is a Costume Drama;  Harbourfront Centre’s World Stage presents The Deitrich Group

OUTSTANDING SOUND DESIGN/COMPOSITION

new arrangement Nicolás Hernádez after Nicolás Hernández and Jose Luis Valle “Chuscales”; Pueblo (Letters to Spain);             Esmeralda Enrique Spanish Dance Company

OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN

Simon Rossiter;  #lovesexbrahms (Intermezzi);  Art of Time Ensemble in association with Coleman Lemieux & Compagnie

The 2015 Pauline McGibbon Award for excellence in an early arts career was given to Mumbi TindyebwaThe George Luscombe Award for Mentorship went to Peggy Baker, and Sue Edworthy recieved the Leonard McHardy and John Harvey Award for administrative excellence.

Photo of Gavin Crawford by Wayne Leung