Dora Awards Announce VIP Presenters, Audience Choice Award Voting

The Toronto Alliance or the Performing Arts (TAPA) has announced the VIP presenters for the 36th Annual Dora Mavor Moore Awards, to be held on Monday, June 22 at Harbourfront Centre on the WestJet Stage, a 1,300-seat outdoor concert venue covered by a transparent roof with open sides. TAPA also announced that voting is now open for the Audience Choice Award up to midnight June 17 at http://www.nowtoronto.com/doras .

Hosted by the hilarious Gavin Crawford, a Dora and Gemini award-winning actor whose 8 seasons on CBC-TV's This Hour Has 22 Minutes earned him numerous accolades and who recently won an ACTRA Award for his leading role in the film Two 4 One, the Dora Mavor Moore Awards celebrate Toronto's vibrant performing arts scene. 48 Dora Awards as well as the Silver Ticket Award and the Audience Choice Award will be handed out in a glittering ceremony honouring theatre, dance and opera artists and productions. An After-Party under the stars featuring the musical stylings of DJ Rainer winds up Toronto's biggest opening night of the year.

Among the VIP presenters at this year's awards ceremony are Dora-winning composer and vocalist John Alcorn, legendary dance artist Peggy Baker (2015 George Luscombe Award recipient); Harbourfront Centre CEO Marah Braye, Théâtre français de Toronto Managing Director Ghislain Caron, (2011 Leonard McHardy and John Harvey Award recipient), veteran actor and director Diana Leblanc (2014 Silver Ticket Award recipient), acclaimed actor Cara Ricketts, director Mumbi Tindyebwa (2015 Pauline McGibbon Award recipient), and multi-award-winning Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts graduate and Broadway and West End choreographer Sergio Trujillo (2015 Olivier Award, whose current project is Gloria Estefan's Broadway-bound On Your Feet!), among others.

AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD: TAPA's Audience Choice Award is co-sponsored by NOW Magazine and Yonge-Dundas Square. The public is invited to choose a winner and vote for their favourite show from the list of nominees for Outstanding Production or they can choose their own. The winner will be announced at the Dora Awards show ceremony and will receive a special plaque from NOW Magazine. Voting is now open and theatre, dance and opera fans can cast their votes online at www.nowtoronto.com/doras up to midnight June 17.

The Doras are named for Dora Mavor Moore (1888-1979), a well-loved teacher and director who helped establish Canadian professional theatre in the 1930s and 1940s. Recognizing the outstanding achievements in Toronto's performing arts industry, the Doras honour the creators of over 200 theatre, dance and opera productions annually in the following Divisions: General Theatre, Independent Theatre, Musical Theatre, Dance, Opera and Theatre for Young Audiences.

36th Annual Dora Mavor Moore Awards Toronto's Theatre, Dance and Opera Awards - Monday June 22, 2015 Hosted by Gavin Crawford 5:00pm-7:00pm Pre-Show Red Carpet & VIP Reception at Harbourfront Centre's Lakeside Terrace 7:30pm Dora Mavor Moore Awards Show at Harbourfront Centre's WestJet Stage, 235 Queens Quay West 10:30pm After-Party Under the Stars beside the lake at Harbourfront Centre Written by Chris Earle, Directed by Edward Roy, Musical Direction by Waylen Miki, Lighting and Production Design by Andrea Lundy, Produced by Jacoba Knaapen. $87.00 for Awards Show & After-Party Tickets (General Admission), available by calling the Harbourfront Centre Box Office at 416-973-4000 or online at http://harbourfrontcentre.com.