Winners Announced for the 43rd Annual DORA AWARDS From Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts

Tonight, the 43rd Annual Dora Mavor Moore Awards ceremony and award presentation hosted by Craig Lauzon occurred at the TELUS Centre for Performance and Learning, Koerner Hall.

The celebration happened at 7:30 PM EST where the recipients of the 46 award categories across 7 Dora Divisions were lauded by their peers. Attendees were entertained by musical guest the Jason Wilson Quartet. The Jon Kaplan Audience Choice Award and the Silver Ticket Award recipients were also recognized. The Dora Awards After-Party celebration commenced immediately after the awards ceremony in the Leslie and Anna Dan Galleria of the Koerner Hall lobby.

The Dora Mavor Moore Awards, produced and presented by the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA), had 228 total nominations and 149 eligible productions registered. This year represents the first full year of fall-to-spring performances since the 2018-2019 season. 

And the recipients of the 2023 Dora Mavor Moore Awards are: 

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION RECIPIENTS

The recipients of Outstanding Production in each of the divisions are as follows: 

General Theatre: Red Velvet, Crow’s Theatre

Independent Theatre: First Métis Man of Odesa, A Punctuate! Theatre Production, In Association with The Theatre Centre

Musical Theatre: Alice In Wonderland, Bad Hats Theatre, presented by Soulpepper Theatre

Opera: Bluebeard's Castle, Against the Grain Theatre

Dance: Sex Dalmatian, Citadel + Compagnie Theatre for Young Audiences: The Darkest Dark,

Young People's Theatre Touring Production: Kid Koala: The Storyville Mosquito, TO Live presents Kid Koala

GENERAL THEATRE DIVISION 

Nominated for 6 Doras, Red Velvet produced by Crow’s Theatre comes out on top of the Division with 2 Awards. 

Outstanding Production: Red Velvet, Crow’s Theatre

Outstanding New Play: Kanika Ambrose, our place, A Cahoots Theatre and Theatre Passe Muraille Co-production

Outstanding Direction: Cherissa Richards, Red Velvet, Crow’s Theatre

Outstanding Performance in a Featured Role: Vanessa Sears, Queen Goneril, Soulpepper Theatre

Outstanding Performance in a Leading Role: Dan Mousseau, PRODIGAL, Produced by  The Howland Company, in association with Crow's Theatre

Outstanding Scenic/Projection Design: Julie Fox and Joshua Quinlan (scenic), UNCLE VANYA, Crow's Theatre

Outstanding Costume Design: Ronnie Burkett, Little Dickens, Canadian Stage presents a production of Ronnie Burkett Theatre of Marionettes

Outstanding Lighting Design: Lorenzo Savoini, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, Crow's Theatre and Modern Times Stage Company

Outstanding Sound Design/Composition: Kate DeLorme (sound design); Floydd Ricketts (Composer):, Choir Boy, Canadian Stage and Arts Club Theatre Company (Vancouver)

INDEPENDENT THEATRE DIVISION 

First Métis Man of Odesa, A Punctuate! Theatre Production, in association with The Theatre Centre, leads the Independent Theatre Division with 3 Dora Awards from 5 nominations. Love You Wrong Time from Nightwood Theatre, receives 2 Doras from 5 nominations. 

Outstanding Production: First Métis Man of Odesa, A Punctuate! Theatre Production, in association with The Theatre Centre

Outstanding New Play: Matthew MacKenzie and Mariya Khomutova, First Métis Man of Odesa, A Punctuate! Theatre Production, in association with The Theatre Centre

Outstanding Direction: Lianna Makuch, First Métis Man of Odesa, A Punctuate! Theatre Production, in association with The Theatre Centre

Outstanding Performance by an Individual: Haley McGee, The Ex-Boyfriend Yard Sale,  Never Mind the Noise, Presented by Soulpepper in association with Outside the March and red light district

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble: The Ensemble of Maddie Bautista, Deanna H. Choi, Love You Wrong Time, Bad Muse Collective presented by Nightwood Theatre

Outstanding Scenic/Projection Design: Echo Zhou (scenic); and Emily Jung (projection), Between a Wok and a Hot Pot, Cahoots Theatre

Outstanding Costume Design: Jung-Hye Kim, The Chinese Lady, Studio 180 Theatre and fu-GEN Asian Canadian Theatre Company in association with Crow’s Theatre

Outstanding Lighting Design: André du Toit, Broken Shapes, The Theatre Centre and Broken Shapes Collective

Outstanding Sound Design/Composition: Deanna H. Choi and Maddie Bautista, Love You Wrong Time,  Bad Muse Collective presented by Nightwood Theatre

MUSICAL THEATRE DIVISION 

Alice In Wonderland, Bad Hats Theatre, presented by Soulpepper Theatre, leads the Musical Theatre Division with 6 Doras from 13 nominations. The Shape of Home, Crow’s Theatre presents County Stage Company, earns 2 Doras in the Division.   

Outstanding Production: Alice In Wonderland, Bad Hats Theatre, presented by Soulpepper Theatre

Outstanding Performance in a Featured Role: Hailey Gillis, The Shape of Home, Crow’s Theatre presents County Stage Company

Outstanding Performance in a Leading Role: Tess Benger, Alice In Wonderland, Bad Hats Theatre, presented by Soulpepper Theatre

Outstanding New Musical: Fiona Sauder (book); Landon Doak and Victor Pokinko (music), Matt Pilipiak (dramaturg), Alice In Wonderland, Bad Hats Theatre, presented by Soulpepper Theatre

Outstanding Musical Direction: Frank Cox-O’Connell, Beau Dixon, Hailey Gillis, Marni Jackson, Raha Javanfar and Andrew Penner, The Shape of Home, Crow’s Theatre presents County Stage Company

Outstanding Direction: Sue Miner, with associate directors Matt Pilipiak and Fiona Sauder, Alice In Wonderland, Bad Hats Theatre, presented by Soulpepper Theatre

Outstanding Achievement in Design: Ming Wong (costume), Alice In Wonderland, Bad Hats Theatre, presented by Soulpepper Theatre

Outstanding Original Choreography: Cameron Carver,  Alice In Wonderland, Bad Hats Theatre, presented by Soulpepper Theatre

 

OPERA DIVISION 

Bluebeard's Castle, Against the Grain Theatre  and Macbeth, Canadian Opera Company and Lyric Opera of Chicago, both received 3 Doras. 

Outstanding Production: Bluebeard's Castle, Against the Grain Theatre

Outstanding Performance by an Individual: Gerald Finley, Bluebeard's Castle, Against the Grain Theatre

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble: The Ensemble of Canadian Opera Company Chorus, Macbeth, Canadian Opera Company and Lyric Opera of Chicago

Outstanding Musical Direction: Speranza Scappucci, Macbeth, Canadian Opera Company and Lyric Opera of Chicago

Outstanding Direction: Daisy Evans, Bluebeard's Castle, Against the Grain Theatre

Outstanding Achievement in Design: David Finn (lighting), Macbeth, Canadian Opera Company and Lyric Opera of Chicago

DANCE DIVISION 

Heading home with the perfect track record, Sex Dalmatian, Citadel + Compagnie, takes home 3 Dora Awards from their 3 nominations to lead the Division. 

Outstanding Production: Sex Dalmatian, Citadel + Compagnie

Outstanding Original Choreography: Alyssa Martin,Sex Dalmatian, Citadel + Compagnie

Outstanding Performance by an Individual: Morgyn Aronyk-Schell, Julie et l'univers, Citadel + Compagnie

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble: The Ensemble of Drew Berry, Brayden Jamil Cairns, Sam Grist, Pony Nicole Herauf, Natasha Poon Woo, Morgyn Aronyk-Schell Steph Harkness, and Eliajah Stefura,Sex Dalmatian, Citadel + Compagnie

Outstanding Original Sound Composition: Rick Sacks with Julian Cote, Pura Fé, Marie Gaudet, Marc Merilianen, and Pierre Mongeon, Miigis: Underwater Panther, Red Sky Performance in association with Canadian Stage

Outstanding Achievement in Design: Louise Potiki Bryant, Shane Powless, and Emma Lopez (projection), Homelands, Kaha:wi Dance Theatre

THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES DIVISION 

The Darkest Dark, Young People's Theatre received 2 Dora Awards out of 6 nominations. 

Outstanding Production: The Darkest Dark, Young People's Theatre

Outstanding New Play: Morgan Brie Johnson and Alexandra Simpson, Finding Home: A Salmon Journey up the Humber River, Animacy Theatre Collective and Theatre Direct, presented by Theatre Direct Outstanding Direction: Eric Coates, Bentboy, Young People's  Theatre

Outstanding Performance by an Individual: Amanda Cordner, Snow White, Young People's Theatre

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble: The Ensemble of Gugun Deep Singh, Suzanne Roberts Smith, Andrea Massoud, Jamar Adams-Thompson, Deivan Steele, and Arielle Zamora, Romeo and Juliet. And Action, Shakespeare In Action

Outstanding Achievement in Design: Daniele Guevara (projection), The Darkest Dark, Young People's Theatre

TOURING DIVISION 

The Outstanding Touring Production award was presented at the Dora VIP Reception on June 9th  2023. The recipient was Kid Koala: The Storyville Mosquito, TO Live presents Kid Koala. 

The Silver Ticket Award is bestowed upon an individual who has excelled in their career while also nurturing the development of Canadian theatre. It entitles the recipient to a lifetime of theatre tickets to any TAPA member company production. This year’s Silver Ticket recipient is Allen MacInnis. MacInnis has had remarkable impact as a visionary artist, compelling educator and inspiring leader most notably in the theatre for young audiences community. For over 40 years MacInnis’s passion and commitment to the community has inspired generations. 

TAPA’s Jon Kaplan Audience Choice Award for Outstanding Production, in honour of the beloved, long-time theatre critic Jon Kaplan and supported by Now PlayingToronto, was given out at the ceremony and selected by the general public via online vote. Presented with a commemorative plaque, the Jon Kaplan Audience Choice Award winner by an overwhelming majority is da Kink In My Hair, TO Live and Soulpepper Theatre Company.

The Ray Ferris Innovation and Sustainability Grant is an annual grant awarded to a Toronto-based producing company selected by the committee based on a detailed production/project proposal, recognizing advances in theatrical design and the promotion of sustainability in live theatre. The inaugural recipient, Native Earth Performing Arts, received a cash grant of $25,000 towards innovative sustainability elements for their in-person live theatre production of Women of the Fur Trade. The Ontario Arts Foundation manages the endowment that funds the grant and TAPA acts as the administrator.

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 numerous theatre, dance and opera productions annually in the following divisions: General  Theatre, Independent Theatre, Musical Theatre, Dance, Opera, Theatre for Young Audiences  and Touring.  

The Dora Mavor Moore Awards were founded on December 13, 1978, by a committee  convened by Millie Drain. On that date, Drain and the other founders (Ann Antkiw, Ronald  Bryden, Bill Glassco, Graham Harley, Leon Major, Sean Mulcahy, Peter Peroff, Heinar Piller,  Susan Rubes, Pat Stewart and Sylvia Tucker), decided to institute an award to recognize  outstanding achievements in Toronto theatre. Today, the Doras honour the creators and artists  of theatre, dance and opera productions annually in 46 categories over 7 divisions. 

The Dora Mavor Moore Awards are administered by the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts  (TAPA). In addition to the Doras, other programs and services provided by TAPA include:  Annual Arts Day at the City, hipTIX (offering $5 tickets to students between the ages of 14 and  29), citySPECIAL, the Commercial Theatre Development Fund, the Travel Retreat Initiatives  Program – TRIP, the Ray Ferris Innovation and Sustainability Grant, and the professional development TAPA Trade Series.

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