Soulpepper, Tapestry Opera and The Theatre Centre, the big winners at the 38th Dora Awards
The Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA) presented the 38th Annual Dora Mavor Moore Awards at a ceremony hosted by prolific Toronto actor and musician Raoul Bhaneja at the Elgin Theatre last night.
Some highlights: Soulpepper won big in the General Theatre Division winning five awards including Outstanding Production for Father Comes Home From the Wars (Parts I, II, III). The Theatre Centre also won five awards across two divisions, Independent Theatre and Dance. In the opera division, Tapestry Opera was the big winner of the night with five awards including Outstanding Production for Rocking Horse Winner. In the Musical Theatre division, Mirvish secured three awards for Come From Away including Outstanding Production and, the Jon Kaplan Audience Choice Award, newly re-named in memory of the beloved Now Magazine theatre reviewer.
The 2017 Pauline McGibbon Award for excellence in an early arts career was given to Toronto-based set and costume designer Joanna Yu. The winner of this year’s George Luscombe Mentorship Award is Marjorie Chan, Artistic Director for Cahoots Theatre, and The recipient of the 2017 Leonard McHardy and John Harvey Award (LMJH Award) is Mitchell Marcus, Managing Director of The Musical Stage Company (formerly Acting Up Stage Company).
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
Father Comes Home From the Wars (Parts I, II, III) – Soulpepper Theatre Company
OUTSTANDING NEW PLAY
Nick Green – Body Politic – Buddies in Bad Times Theatre
OUTSTANDING DIRECTION
Philip Akin – “Master Harold”…and the Boys – Obsidian Theatre Company in association with Shaw Festival
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – MALE
André Sills – “Master Harold”…and the Boys – Obsidian Theatre Company in association with Shaw Festival
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – FEMALE
Maev Beaty – The Last Wife – Soulpepper Theatre Company
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – ENSEMBLE
The Ensemble of Incident at Vichy – Soulpepper Theatre Company
OUTSTANDING SCENIC DESIGN
Yannik Larivée – The Last Wife – Soulpepper Theatre Company
OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN
Victoria Wallace – A Doll’s House – Soulpepper Theatre Company
OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN
Trevor Schwellnus – Alien Creature – Theatre Passe Muraille
OUTSTANDING SOUND DESIGN/COMPOSITION
Sound Design: James Bunton/ Music composed by: Amy Nostbakken – Mouthpiece – Quote Unquote Collective, presented by Nightwood Theatre
INDEPENDENT THEATRE DIVISION
OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION
This is the Point – Co-produced by Ahuri Theatre and The Theatre Centre
OUTSTANDING NEW PLAY
Ngozi Paul – The Emancipation of Ms. Lovely – Emancipation Arts in association with Crow’s Theatre
OUTSTANDING DIRECTION
Christopher Stanton – Pomona – Presented by ARC
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – MALE
Robert Persichini – Superior Donuts – Coal Mine Theatre
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – FEMALE
Nora McLellan – John – The Company Theatre
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – ENSEMBLE
The Ensemble of This is the Point – Co-produced by Ahuri Theatre and The Theatre Centre
OUTSTANDING SCENIC DESIGN
Shannon Lea Doyle – John – The Company Theatre
OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN
Lindsay Dagger Junkin – Tough Jews – The Spadina Avenue Gang
OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN
Michelle Ramsay and Jennifer Tipton – The Magic Hour – Co-produced by The Theatre Centre and Jess Dobkin
OUTSTANDING SOUND DESIGN/COMPOSITION
Waleed Abdulhamid and DJ L’Oqenz – The Emancipation of Ms. Lovely – Emancipation Arts in association with Crow’s Theatre
MUSICAL THEATRE DIVISION
OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION
Come From Away – Junkyard Dog Productions, Jerry Frankel, Latitude Link, Smith & Brant Theatricals, Steve & Paula Reynolds, David Mirvish, Michael Rubinoff, Yonge Street Theatricals, Sheridan College, Allan Detsky & Rena Mendelson and Just for Laughs Theatricals.
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – MALE
Jahlen Barnes – Passing Strange – Acting Up Stage Company & Obsidian Theatre Company
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – FEMALE
Jenn Colella – Come From Away – Junkyard Dog Productions, Jerry Frankel, Latitude Link, Smith & Brant Theatricals, Steve & Paula Reynolds, David Mirvish, Michael Rubinoff, Yonge Street Theatricals, Sheridan College, Allan Detsky & Rena Mendelson and Just for Laughs Theatricals.
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – ENSEMBLE
The Ensemble of Counting Sheep – The Lemon Bucket Orkestra
OPERA DIVISION
OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION
Rocking Horse Winner – A Tapestry Opera Production, Co-commissioned by Scottish Opera and Tapestry Opera
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – MALE
Asitha Tennekoon – Rocking Horse Winner – A Tapestry Opera Production, Co-commissioned by Scottish Opera and Tapestry Opera
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – FEMALE
Sondra Radvanovsky – Norma – Canadian Opera co-production
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – ENSEMBLE
The Ensemble of Rocking Horse Winner – A Tapestry Opera Production, Co-commissioned by Scottish Opera and Tapestry Opera
MUSICAL THEATRE / OPERA DIVISION
OUTSTANDING NEW MUSICAL/OPERA
Book, Music and Lyrics by Irene Sankoff and David Hein – Come From Away – Junkyard Dog Productions, Jerry Frankel, Latitude Link, Smith & Brant Theatricals, Steve & Paula Reynolds, David Mirvish, Michael Rubinoff, Yonge Street Theatricals, Sheridan College, Allan Detsky & Rena Mendelson and Just for Laughs Theatricals.
OUTSTANDING DIRECTION
Michael Hidetoshi Mori – Rocking Horse Winner – A Tapestry Opera Production, Co-commissioned by Scottish Opera and Tapestry Opera
OUTSTANDING SCENIC DESIGN
David Korins – Norma – Canadian Opera co-production
OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN
Jessica Jahn – Norma – Canadian Opera co-production
OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN
Michelle Ramsay – Rocking Horse Winner – A Tapestry Opera Production, Co-commissioned by Scottish Opera and Tapestry Opera
OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY
Mark Marczyk – Counting Sheep – The Lemon Bucket Orkestra
OUTSTANDING MUSICAL DIRECTION
Johannes Debus – Götterdämmerung – Canadian Opera Company
THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES DIVISION
OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION
Peter Pan – Bad Hats Theatre
OUTSTANDING NEW PLAY
Anita Majumdar – Boys With Cars – Nightswimming in association with Young People’s Theatre
OUTSTANDING DIRECTION
Severn Thompson – Peter Pan – Bad Hats Theatre
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – INDIVIDUAL
Anita Majumdar – Boys With Cars – Nightswimming in association with Young People’s Theatre
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – ENSEMBLE
The Ensemble of Peter Pan – Bad Hats Theatre
DANCE DIVISION
OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION
what it’s like – Co-produced by adelheid and The Theatre Centre
OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL CHOREOGRAPHY
Lina Cruz – Ylem (3 Eggs Ago) – DanceWorks / Fila 13
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – MALE
Michael Caldwell – Crave (CRAVE/ DEFIANT) – Kaeja d’Dance
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – FEMALE
Jennifer Dallas – Kittly-Bender – DanceWorks / CoWorks Kemi
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – ENSEMBLE
The Ensemble of what it’s like – Co-produced by adelheid and The Theatre Centre
OUTSTANDING SOUND DESIGN/COMPOSITION
Benjamin Barrile – JACINTO – Compania Carmen Romero
OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN
Simon Rossiter – what it’s like – Co-produced by adelheid and The Theatre Centre
TOURING
OUTSTANDING TOURING PRODUCTION
887 – Canadian Stage
THE SILVER TICKET AWARD
Jane Marsland, arts manager, involved in Toronto’s theatre community for close to five decades.
JON KAPLAN AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD
Come From Away – Junkyard Dog Productions, Jerry Frankel, Latitude Link, Smith & Brant Theatricals, Steve & Paula Reynolds, David Mirvish, Michael Rubinoff, Yonge Street Theatricals, Sheridan College, Allan Detsky & Rena Mendelson and Just for Laughs Theatricals.
Photos by Samantha Wu
Header photo by Wayne Leung