2011 Dora Mavor Moore Award Winners Announced

The 32nd Annual Dora Mavor Moore Awards for the 2010/2011 season were handed out in a star-studded ceremony in Toronto on the evening of Monday, June 27 at the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts' Bluma Appel Theatre, co-hosted by Gemini-nominated comedian/writer/actor Craig Lauzon of CBC-TV's Royal Canadian Air Farce and actress Michaela Washburn, Dora-nominated for her principal role in Theatre Passe Muraille's Such Creatures.

The Dora Mavor Moore Awards are produced and presented on behalf of the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA) and celebrate excellence in Toronto theatre, dance and opera. The 197 Dora-eligible shows opened between June 1, 2010 and May 31, 2011. A total of 35 Dora Awards plus the Silver Ticket Award, the Pauline McGibbon Award and the Audience Choice Award were given out.

Overall, Buddies in Bad Times Theatre leads the pack with five Dora Mavor Moore Awards for its production of Blasted in the General Theatre Production Division.

David Mirvish shows earn four wins over two divisions (General Theatre and Musical Theatre) for two shows: PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT The Musical and BILLY ELLIOT The Musical.

The Canadian Opera Company scores three wins over two divisions (General Theatre and Opera) for two shows.

GENERAL THEATRE PRODUCTION DIVISION:

In the General Theatre Production Division, Buddies in Bad Times Theatre leads the field with five Dora Mavor Moore Awards, all for its production of Blasted: Outstanding Production, Outstanding Direction of a Play or Musical to BrenDan Healy, Outstanding Set Design to Julie Fox, Outstanding Lighting Design to Kimberly Purtell and Outstanding Sound Design/Composition to Richard Feren.

Soulpepper Theatre Company wins two Dora Awards overall: one for Death of a Salesman - Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Principal Role to Joseph Ziegler; and one for Doc ¬- Outstanding Performance by a Female in a Featured Role/Ensemble to Jane Spidell.

Yanna McIntosh wins Outstanding Performance by a Female in a Principal Role for Ruined, produced by Obsidian Theatre Company in association with Nightwood Theatre.

Factory Theatre's Brothel #9 scores Outstanding New Play for Anusree Roy. Roy also received a gift of $5,000 from the Bluma Appel Community Trust, the sixth year in a row this prize has been donated in Appel's name to the winner of Outstanding New Play in this division.

Outstanding Touring Production goes to The Andersen Project (Canadian Stage presents Ex Machina).

MUSICAL THEATRE DIVISION:

In this division, David Mirvish's PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT The Musical and BILLY ELLIOT The Musical take Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Principal Role for Tony Sheldon and Outstanding Performance by a Female in a Principal Role for Kate Hennig respectively. (In the General Theatre Production Division, the former also wins Outstanding Costume Design for Tim Chappel & Lizzy Gardiner while the latter also wins Outstanding Choreography for Peter Darling, bringing David Mirvish's total to four awards.)
Luminato's Prima Donna by Rufus Wainwright nabs Outstanding New Musical/Opera while Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People scores Outstanding Production for A Year With Frog and Toad.

INDEPENDENT THEATRE PRODUCTION DIVISION:

Continuing the tradition of Bluma's Indies, the winners in the Independent Theatre Production Division each received a $1,000 cheque from the Bluma Appel Community Trust in addition to Dora Awards.

In this division, Cabaret Company, Cahoots Theatre Company and The Company Theatre tie with two Dora Awards each. Cabaret Company's The Situationists nabs Outstanding New Play or New Musical for Sky Gilbert and Outstanding Performance by a Male for Gavin Crawford. Cahoots Theatre's paper SERIES sees Nina Lee Aquino win Outstanding Direction while Richard Lee takes home Outstanding Sound Design/Composition. The Company Theatre's Through the Leaves scores Outstanding Production and Outstanding Set Design for John Thompson.

Sandy Duarte wins Outstanding Performance by a Female for Blood (Doghouse Riley Productions). Outstanding Performance in a Featured Role/Ensemble goes to Christopher Stanton for The New Electric Ballroom (MacKenzieRo: The Irish Repertory Theatre Company of Canada).

Melanie McNeill nabs Outstanding Costume Design for Eldritch Theatre's Madhouse Variations and Trevor Schwellnus snares Outstanding Lighting Design for Aluna Theatre's Nohayquiensepa (No one knows).

DANCE DIVISION:
The Dance Division's four awards go to: Outstanding Production - Out of Context - for Pina (Harbourfront Centre's World Stage presents Alain Platel /Les Ballets C. de la B.); Outstanding Choreography - Roberto Campanella & Robert Glumbek (ProArteDanza's . . .inbetween. . .); Outstanding Performance - Juan Ogalla (Esmeralda Enrique Spanish Dance Company's Espejo de Oro / Mirror of Gold); Outstanding Sound Design/Composition - Joby Talbot (The National Ballet of Canada's Chroma).

THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES DIVISION:

The two awards in the Theatre for Young Audiences Division: Outstanding Production goes to Routes (Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People presents Concrete Theatre, bringing the LKTYP total to two with its Musical Theatre Outstanding Production win for A Year With Frog and Toad) while John Cleland earns Outstanding Performance for Edward the "Crazy Man" (Workman Arts Project of Ontario).

OPERA DIVISION:

In the Opera Division, both Dora Awards go to the Canadian Opera Company: Outstanding Production for Orfeo ed Euridice (Canadian Opera Company presents Lyric Opera of Chicago) and Outstanding Performance to Alan Oke for Death in Venice (Canadian Opera Company presents The Aldeburgh Festival, Opéra national de Lyon, Bregenz Opera and Prague State Opera). (With a win in the General Theatre Production Division for Outstanding Musical Direction to Harry Bicket for Orfeo ed Euridice, the COC tallies in with 3 awards.)

OTHER AWARDS:
The Pauline McGibbon, Silver Ticket and Audience Choice Awards were also handed out. Sound and projection designer Ben Chaisson was presented with the 2011 Pauline McGibbon Award. The $7,000 cash prize and medal designed by Dora de Pédery-Hunt is awarded on behalf of the Ministry of Culture and the Ontario Arts Council in a three-year cycle to a designer, director and theatre craftsperson.

The Silver Ticket Award is bestowed upon an individual who has excelled in their career while also nurturing the development of Canadian theatre. It was presented to one of the country's major contributors to Canada's theatrical landscape: VideoCabaret Artistic Co-Director Michael Hollingsworth whose artistic influence, for more than three decades, has been immeasurable; his epic The History of the Village of the Small Huts play cycle (20 plays and counting) stands as one of the country's greatest theatrical canons.

TAPA's Audience Choice Award for Outstanding Production, co-sponsored by NOW Magazine and Yonge-Dundas Square, was also handed out. The public was invited to vote online from a list of Outstanding Production nominees in all divisions; or choose their own favourite. Presented with a commemorative plaque, the Audience Choice Award winner is The Railway Children, produced by Matthew Gale and Jenny King for the Touring Consortium (RC) International and Robert Richardson for Marquis Entertainment.

For more information on the Dora Awards visit www.tapa.ca

Full list: GENERAL THEATRE PRODUCTION DIVISION

Outstanding New Play
Anusree Roy Brothel #9

Outstanding Production
Blasted Buddies In Bad Times Theatre

Outstanding Direction of a Play / Musical
Brendan Healy Blasted

Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Principal Role
Joseph Ziegler Death of a Salesman

Outstanding Performance by a Female in a Principal Role
Yanna McIntosh Ruined

Outstanding Performance in a Featured Role / Ensemble
Jane Spidell Doc

Outstanding Set Design
Julie Fox Blasted

Outstanding Costume Design
Tim Chappel & Lizzy Gardiner PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT The Musical

Outstanding Lighting Design
Kimberly Purtell Blasted

Outstanding Sound Design/Composition
Richard Feren Blasted

Outstanding Musical Direction
Harry Bicket Orfeo ed Euridice

Outstanding Choreography
Peter Darling BILLY ELLIOT The Musical

Outstanding Touring Production
The Andersen Project Canadian Stage presents Ex Machina

INDEPENDENT THEATRE PRODUCTION DIVISION

Outstanding New Play or New Musical
Sky Gilbert The Situationists

Outstanding Production
Through the Leaves The Company Theatre

Outstanding Direction
Nina Lee Aquino paper SERIES

Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Principal Role
Gavin Crawford The Situationists

Outstanding Performance by a Female in a Principal Role
Sandy Duarte Blood

Outstanding Performance in a Featured Role / Ensemble
Christopher Stanton The New Electric Ballroom

Outstanding Set Design
John Thompson Through the Leaves

Outstanding Costume Design
Melanie McNeill Madhouse Variations

Outstanding Lighting Design
Trevor Schwellnus Nohayquiensepa (No one knows)

Outstanding Sound Design/Composition
Richard Lee paper SERIES
DANCE DIVISION

Outstanding Original Choreography
Roberto Campanella & Robert Glumbek . . .in between. . .

Outstanding Production
Out of Context - for Pina
Harbourfront Centre's World Stage presents Alain Platel/Les Ballets C. de la B.

Outstanding Performance
Juan Ogalla Espejo de Oro / Mirror of Gold

Outstanding Original Sound Design/Composition
Joby Talbot Chroma
THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES DIVISION

Outstanding Production
Routes Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People presents Concrete Theatre

Outstanding Performance
John Cleland Edward The "Crazy Man"
MUSICAL THEATRE DIVISION

Outstanding New Musical / Opera
Rufus Wainwright Prima Donna

Outstanding Production
A Year With Frog and Toad Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People

Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Principal Role
Tony Sheldon PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT The Musical

Outstanding Performance by a Female in a Principal Role
Kate Hennig BILLY ELLIOT The Musical
OPERA DIVISION

Outstanding Performance
Alan Oke Death in Venice

Outstanding Production
Orfeo ed Euridice Canadian Opera Company presents Lyric Opera of Chicago