By Matt McGeachy
On Wednesday, June 3rd at the Four Seasons Centre in downtown Toronto, the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA) announced the nominees for the 30th annual, 2009 Dora Mavor Moore Awards, honouring excellence in Toronto theatre. Hosted by TAPA executive director Jacoba Knaapen, and presented by the Toronto cast of the celebrated musical Jersey Boys, there were 176 nominations from 218 eligible Toronto theatre productions in General Theatre, Opera, Dance, Independent Theatre, and Theatre for Young Audiences divisions. This year’s Doras will be hosted by CBC Radio personality Jian Ghomeshi on June 29th at the Winter Garden Theatre.
Leaders of the pack include Agokwe from Buddies in Bad Times, Jersey Boys from DanCap Productions, and Crow’s Theatre with nominations for Eternal Hydra and I, Claudia.
In addition to the presentation of nominees, a number of special awards were presented. Noted comedian and actor of Whose Line Is It Anyway? fame, Colin Mochrie, received the Barbara Hamilton Memorial Award for lifetime achievement in theatre and advocating on behalf of the performing arts in Canada.
Co-artistic directors of Theatre Columbus, Leah Cherniak and Martha Ross, received the George Luscombe Award for mentorship. Both Cherniak and Ross studied mime and clown at the famous Jacques Lecoq school in Paris, and Theatre Columbus is renowned for producing innovating, physically challenging work.
Naomi Campbell, an independent producer and currently of the Magnetic North Festival in Ottawa, received the Leonard McHardy and John Harvey Award for arts administration. Named after the celebrated owners of Theatrebooks, this award recognizes achievement and leadership among the talented arts administrators that bring the art form to the stage for the public eye.
Without further ado, select nominees for the 30th annual Dora Mavor Moore Awards are:
General Theatre Division
Outstanding New Play
Kevin Loring, Where the Blood Mixes
Andrew Moodie, Toronto the Good
Charlotte Corbeil-Coleman, Scratch
Joan MacLeod, Another Home Invasion
Waawaate Fobister, Agokwe
Outstanding New Musical/Opera
Sanctuary Song
Opera To Go: The Perfect Screw
Opera To Go: The Virgin Charlie
Opera To Go: My Mother’s Ring
Ines
Outstanding Production of a Play
Radio Play, Young Centre presents Peggy Baker Dance Projects
I, Claudia, Young Centre presents a Crow’s Theatre Production
Festen, The Company Theatre
A Raisin in the Sun, Soulpepper Theatre Company
Agokwe, Buddies in Bad Times
Outstanding Production of a Musical
The Sound of Music, Mirvish
The Forbidden Phoenix, Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People and the Citadel Theatre
Jersey Boys, DanCap Productions, Inc.
CINDERELLA, Ross Petty Productions
A New Brain, Acting Up Stage Theatre Company
Opera Division
Outstanding Production
War and Peace, Canadian Opera Company
Simon Boccanegra, Canadian Opera Company
Sanctuary Song, Tapestry and Theatre Direct in partnership with Luminato
Rusalka, Canadian Opera Company
Fidelio, Canadian Opera Company/L’Opera national du rhin/Staatstheatre Nuremberg
Dance Division
Outstanding Production
Radiant (evanescence:made in Canada), princess productions
Innovation: Emergence, The National Ballet of Canada
La Pornograpie des ames, Harbourfront Centre’s World Stage
Lost Action, Harbourfront Centre’s World Stage
Rankefold, Harbourfront Centre’s World Stage
Independent Theatre Divison
Outstanding New Play/Musical
Tijuana Cure, Layne Coleman
The Gladstone Variations, Brendan Gall, Mike McPhaden, Rick Roberts, Julie Tepperman
Miss Julie: Sheh’mah, Tara Beagan
lady in the red dress, David Yee
Eternal Hydra, Anton Piatigorsky
Outstanding Production
You Fancy Yourself, Contrary Company in association with Theatre Passe Muraille
The Gladstone Variations, Convergence Theatre
lady in the red dress, fu-GEN Asian-Canadian Theatre Company in association with the Young Centre
Eternal Hydra, Crow’s Theatre
Appetite, Volcano in association with Exchange Rate Collective
Theatre for Young Audiences
Outstanding Production
Walking the Tightrope, Theatre Direct
The Incredible Speediness of Jamie Cavanaugh, Roseneath Thaetre in association with Carousel Players
The Emperor’s New Threads, Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People
Ghosts and Ladders, LKTYP
Bird Brain, LKTYP
For a complete list of Dora nominees, please visit the website.
