TAPA announces 2024 Dora Award nominees
iPhoto caption: Dora Awards graphic courtesy of TAPA.
It’s Dora Mavor Moore Award season!
This morning, the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA) announced the nominees for the 44th annual Dora Awards, taking place at the historic Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre Centre on Monday, June 24. Ryan G. Hinds will host the ceremony, which will feature musical guests and surprise presenters.
According to TAPA, there are 228 nominations in this year’s awards, as well as special citations including the Jon Kaplan Audience Choice Award, the Silver Ticket Award, the Pauline McGibbon Award, the George Luscombe Mentorship Award, and the Ray Ferris Innovation and Sustainability Grant.
Sizwe Banzi is Dead leads the general division with seven nominations. The Master Plan follows with six.
Bremen Town and Tyson’s Song co-lead the indie theatre division with six nods each.
Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 is this year’s most nominated show, leading the musical theatre division with 10 nominations, followed by De Profundis: Oscar Wilde in Jail and Kelly v. Kelly with six each in that category.
A complete list of nominees in the opera, dance, theatre for young audiences, and touring divisions can be found on the TAPA website.
Here are the nominees for this year’s awards in the general, independent, and musical theatre divisions.
General Theatre Division
Outstanding Production
The Inheritance Part 1, Canadian Stage
Bad Roads, Crow’s Theatre
The Master Plan, Crow’s Theatre
Sizwe Banzi is Dead, Soulpepper Theatre Company
Three Sisters, Soulpepper Theatre Company and Obsidian Theatre Company
Outstanding New Play
Perceptual Archaeology (or How to Travel Blind) by Alex Bulmer, Crow’s Theatre and Fire and Rescue Team
Women of the Fur Trade by Frances Koncan, Native Earth Performing Arts in association with National Arts Centre Indigenous Theatre and Great Canadian Theatre
The Master Plan by Michael Healey, Crow’s Theatre
Casey and Diana by Nick Green, Soulpepper Theatre Company and the Stratford Festival
King Gilgamesh & the Man of the Wild by Seth Bockley, Jesse LaVercombe, and Ahmed Moneka, Soulpepper Theatre Company and TRIA Theatre
Outstanding Direction
Bad Roads directed by Andrew Kushnir, Crow’s Theatre
The Inheritance Part 1 directed by Brendan Healy, Canadian Stage
The Master Plan directed by Chris Abraham, Crow’s Theatre
Sizwe Banzi is Dead directed by Mumbi Tindyebwa Otu, Soulpepper Theatre Company
King Gilgamesh & the Man of the Wild directed by Seth Bockley, Soulpepper Theatre Company and TRIA Theatre
Outstanding Performance by an Individual
Ahmed Moneka in King Gilgamesh & the Man of the Wild, Soulpepper Theatre Company and TRIA Theatre
Amaka Umeh in Sizwe Banzi is Dead, Soulpepper Theatre Company
bahia watson in shaniqua in abstraction, Crow’s Theatre in association with paul watson productions and Obsidian Theatre Company
Damien Atkins in Here Lies Henry, Factory Theatre
Daniel MacIvor in The Inheritance Part 1, Canadian Stage
Mike Shara in The Master Plan, Crow’s Theatre
Sean Arbuckle in Casey and Diana, Soulpepper Theatre Company and the Stratford Festival
Walter Borden, The Last Epistle of Tightrope Time, a Tarragon Theatre/NAC production of the NAC/Neptune Theatre production
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble
Bad Roads, Crow’s Theatre
The Inheritance Part 1, Canadian Stage
The Inheritance Part 2, Canadian Stage
Three Sisters, Soulpepper Theatre Company and Obsidian Theatre Company
Wildwoman, Soulpepper Theatre Company
Outstanding Scenic/Projection Design
A Public Reading of an Unproduced Screenplay About the Death of Walt Disney designed by Anahita Dehbonehie, Outside the March and Soulpepper Theatre Company
Three Sisters with set design by Joanna Yu, Soulpepper Theatre Company and Obsidian Theatre Company
The Master Plan with scenic design by Joshua Quinlan and projection design by Amelia Scott, Crow’s Theatre
Sizwe Banzi is Dead with scenic design by Ken MacKenzie, Soulpepper Theatre Company
Women of the Fur Trade with scenic design by Lauchlin Johnston and projection design by Candelario Andrade, Native Earth Performing Arts in association with National Arts Centre Indigenous Theatre and Great Canadian Theatre
Outstanding Costume Design
Mad Madge with costumes by Astrid Janson, Abby Esteireiro, and Merle Harley, Nightwood Theatre in association with VideoCabaret
Wildwoman with costumes by Michelle Tracey, Soulpepper Theatre Company
Sizwe Banzi is Dead with costumes by Ming Wong, Soulpepper Theatre Company
Three Sisters with costumes by Ming Wong, Soulpepper Theatre Company and Obsidian Theatre Company
Women of the Fur Trade with costumes by Vanessa Imeson, Native Earth Performing Arts in association with National Arts Centre Indigenous Theatre and Great Canadian Theatre
Outstanding Lighting Design
Bad Roads with lighting by Christian Horoszczak, Crow’s Theatre
The Master Plan with lighting by Kimberly Purtell, Crow’s Theatre
King Gilgamesh & the Man of the Wild with lighting by Lorenzo Savoini, Soulpepper Theatre Company and TRIA Theatre
A Public Reading of an Unproduced Screenplay About the Death of Walt Disney with lighting by Nick Blais, Outside the March and Soulpepper Theatre Company
Sizwe Banzi is Dead with lighting by Raha Javanfar, Soulpepper Theatre Company
Outstanding Sound Design/Composition
King Gilgamesh & the Man of the Wild with sound design by Adrian Shepherd-Gawinski and composition by Moneka Arabic Jazz Band, Soulpepper Theatre Company and TRIA Theatre
Three Sisters with sound design and composition by John Gzowski and Adekunle, Soulpepper Theatre Company and Obsidian Theatre Company
Sizwe Banzi is Dead designed by Richard Feren, Soulpepper Theatre Company
Bad Roads designed by Thomas Ryder Payne, Crow’s Theatre
Monster designed by Thomas Ryder Payne, Factory Theatre
Independent Theatre Division
Outstanding Production
Bremen Town, Bremen Town Collective in association with Next Stage Festival
Appropriate, Coal Mine Theatre
Prophecy Fog, Coal Mine Theatre in association with Paper Canoe Projects
Tyson’s Song, Pleiades Theatre
(Everyone I Love Has) A Terrible Fate (Befall Them), VideoCabaret
Outstanding New Play
Access Me by Andrew Gurza, Ken Harrower, Frank Hull, Debbie Patterson, Brian Postalian, and Jonathan Seinen, Boys in Chairs Collective
(Everyone I Love Has) A Terrible Fate (Befall Them) by Cliff Cardinal, VideoCabaret
Bremen Town by Gregory Prest, Bremen Town Collective in association with Next Stage Festival
Voiceless by Payam Saeedi, Veylān Film and Theatre Productions
Tyson’s Song by Peter N. Bailey, Pleiades Theatre
Outstanding Direction
Tyson’s Song directed by Ash Knight, Pleiades Theatre
Prophecy Fog directed by Franco Boni, Coal Mine Theatre in association with Paper Canoe Projects
Bremen Town directed by Gregory Prest, Bremen Town Collective in association with Next Stage Festival
Access Me directed by Jonathan Seinen, Boys in Chairs Collective
Heroes of the Fourth Turning directed by Philip Akin, Howland Company and Crow’s Theatre
Outstanding Performance by an Individual
Aida Keykhaii in Earworm, Nowadays Theatre in association with Crow’s Theatre
Beatriz Pizano in On the Other Side of the Sea, Aluna Theatre
Cliff Cardinal in (Everyone I Love Has) A Terrible Fate (Befall Them), VideoCabaret
Eric Woolfe in MacBeth: “A Tale Told by an Idiot,” Eldritch Theatre
Jani Lauzon in Prophecy Fog, Coal Mine Theatre in association with Paper Canoe Projects
Kyle Brown in Tyson’s Song, Pleiades Theatre
Lindsey Middleton in Suddenly Last Summer, Riot King
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble
Access Me, Boys in Chairs Collective
Bremen Town, Bremen Town Collective in association with Next Stage Festival
Heroes of the Fourth Turning, Howland Company and Crow’s Theatre
SwordPlay, Sex T-Rex and Bad Dog Comedy Theatre
The Two Noble Kinsmen, Shakespeare BASH’d
Outstanding Scenic/Projection Design
Tyson’s Song with design by Anahita Dehbonehie, Pleiades Theatre
Quartet with scenic design by Eija Loponen-Stephenson, Sebastian Marziali, Silvae Mercedes, and Harri Thomas and projection design by Sebastian Marziali, Silvae Mercedes, and Harri Thomas, Other Hearts in association with VideoCabaret
MacBeth: “A Tale Told by an Idiot” with scenic design by Melanie McNeill, Eldritch Theatre
The Effect with scenic design by Nick Blais and projection design by Jack Considine, Coal Mine Theatre
Appropriate with scenic design by Steve Lucas and Rebecca Morris, Coal Mine Theatre
Outstanding Costume Design
Appropriate with costume design by Des’ree Gray, Coal Mine Theatre
Tyson’s Song with costume design by Des’ree Gray, Coal Mine Theatre
Heartless with costume design by Kalina Popova, Favour the Brave Collective
MacBeth: “A Tale Told by an Idiot” with costume design by Melanie McNeill, Eldritch Theatre
Bremen Town with costume design by Nancy Anne Perrin, Bremen Town Collective in association with Next Stage Festival
Outstanding Lighting Design
Angels in America Part 1: Millennium Approaches with lighting by Bonnie Beecher, That Theatre Company
The Tempest with lighting by Michelle Ramsay, Theatre Rusticle
(Everyone I Love Has) A Terrible Fate (Befall Them) with lighting by Raha Javanfar, VideoCabaret
Appropriate with lighting by Steve Lucas, Coal Mine Theatre
On the Other Side of the Sea with lighting by Trevor Schwellnus, Aluna Theatre
Outstanding Sound Design/Composition
(Everyone I Love Has) A Terrible Fate (Befall Them) designed by Alex Williams, VideoCabaret
Appropriate designed by Deanna Choi and Michael Wanless, Coal Mine Theatre
The Effect designed by James Smith, Coal Mine Theatre
Voiceless designed by Nariman Eskandari and Goli Zarei, Veylān Film and Theatre Productions
Bremen Town designed by Tatjana Cornij, Bremen Town Collective in association with Next Stage Festival
Musical Theatre Division
Outstanding Production
Holiday! An Improvised Musical, Bad Dog Theatre Company
Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, Crow’s Theatre and Musical Stage Company
Universal Child Care, Quote Unquote Collective commissioned by BroadStage, in association with Nightwood Theatre, Why Not Theatre, and the NAC Creation Fund, presented by Canadian Stage
De Profundis: Oscar Wilde in Jail, Soulpepper Theatre Company
Kelly v. Kelly, Musical Stage Company in association with Canadian Stage
Outstanding Performance by an Individual
Camille Eanga-Selenge in Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, Crow’s Theatre and Musical Stage Company
Damien Atkins in De Profundis: Oscar Wilde in Jail, Soulpepper Theatre Company
Danielle Wade in Chris, Mrs., Boldly Productions
Divine Brown in Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, Crow’s Theatre and Musical Stage Company
Eva Foote in Kelly v. Kelly, Musical Stage Company in association with Canadian Stage
Evan Buliung in Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, Crow’s Theatre and Musical Stage Company
Hailey Gillis in Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, Crow’s Theatre and Musical Stage Company
Jessica Sherman in Kelly v. Kelly, Musical Stage Company in association with Canadian Stage
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble
Holiday! An Improvised Musical, Bad Dog Theatre Company
Kelly v. Kelly, Musical Stage Company in association with Canadian Stage
Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, Crow’s Theatre and Musical Stage Company
The Guide to Being Fabulous, Soulpepper Theatre Company
Universal Child Care, Quote Unquote Collective commissioned by BroadStage, in association with Nightwood Theatre, Why Not Theatre, and the NAC Creation Fund, presented by Canadian Stage
Outstanding Creative Direction
Universal Child Care with direction by Amy Nostbakken (director), Orian Michaeli (choreographer), and Alex Samaras (musical director), Universal Child Care, Quote Unquote Collective commissioned by BroadStage, in association with Nightwood Theatre, Why Not Theatre, and the NAC Creation Fund, presented by Canadian Stage
Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 with direction by Chris Abraham (director), Ray Hogg (choreographer), and Ryan deSouza (musical director), Crow’s Theatre and Musical Stage Company
De Profundis: Oscar Wilde in Jail with direction by Gregory Prest (director), Indrit Kasapi (movement director), and Mike Ross (musical director), Soulpepper Theatre Company
Holiday! An Improvised Musical with direction by Jan Caruana (director) and Scott Christian (musical director), Bad Dog Theatre Company
Kelly v. Kelly with direction by Tracey Fiye (director and choreographer), Lynne Shankel (music supervisor), and Jonathan Corkal-Astorga (musical director), Musical Stage Company in association with Canadian Stage
Outstanding Achievement in Design
Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 with scenic design by Julie Fox and Joshua Quinlan, Crow’s Theatre and Musical Stage Company
Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 with lighting design by Kimberly Purtell, Crow’s Theatre and Musical Stage Company
De Profundis: Oscar Wilde in Jail with lighting design by Lorenzo Savoini, Soulpepper Theatre Company
De Profundis: Oscar Wilde in Jail with scenic design by Lorenzo Savoini, Soulpepper Theatre Company
Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 with sound design by Ryan Borshuk, Crow’s Theatre and Musical Stage Company
Outstanding New Musical/New Opera
Universal Child Care, Quote Unquote Collective commissioned by BroadStage, in association with Nightwood Theatre, Why Not Theatre, and the NAC Creation Fund, presented by Canadian Stage
Kelly v. Kelly, Musical Stage Company in association with Canadian Stage
De Profundis: Oscar Wilde in Jail, Soulpepper Theatre Company
Pomegranate, Canadian Opera Company and Vancouver Opera
Scott Joplin’s Treemonisha, Volcano in association with the Canadian Opera Company, Moveable Beast, and Soulpepper Theatre Company, co-presented by Luminato and TO Live
A full list of nominees for the 2024 Dora Mavor Moore Awards is available on the TAPA website.
Aisling Murphy
Aisling is Intermission's senior editor and an award-winning arts journalist with bylines including the Toronto Star, Globe & Mail, CBC Arts, CTV News Toronto, and Maclean's. She likes British playwright Sarah Kane, most songs by Taylor Swift, and her cats, Fig and June. She was a 2024 fellow at the National Critics Institute in Waterford, CT.
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