2013 Dora Award Nominations Announced

At a press conference held June 3 at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA) announced 234 nominations for 235 eligible productionsfor the 34th annual Dora Mavor Moore Awards, which honour excellence in the performing arts in Toronto.

For the 2012-2013 season, 102 producing companies registered eligible productions. A total of 48 Dora Awards, plus the Silver Ticket Award and the Audience Choice Award, will be given out in a glittering ceremony hosted by Matt Baram and Naomi Snieckus, founding Co-Artistic Directors of the three-time Canadian Comedy Award-winning The National Theatre of the World, on Monday, June 24 at the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts in the Bluma Appel Theatre.

In the General Theatre Division, Buddies in Bad Times Theatre leads with 15 nominations (8 for Arigato, Tokyo and 7 for Obaaberima), followed closely by Tarragon Theatre which nets 13 taps, 7 of which are for The Little Years.

In the Independent Theatre Division, Modern Times Stage Company takes the lead with 8 nominations for The Lesson, followed closely by 6 nods each for Outside the March's Mr. Marmalade and VideoCabaret's THE WAR OF 1812 The History of the Village of the Small Huts, 1812-15.

In the Musical Theatre Division, three productions and their producers tie for the lead with 9 nods each: The Wizard of Oz (Ben Kenwright, The Really Useful Group, David Mirvish, Troika Entertainment, Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures); Bloodless: The Trial of Burke and Hare(Theatre 20) and Cinderella (Young People's Theatre).

In the Opera Division, Canadian Opera Company (COC) productions lead overall with a total of 16 nominations as well as another 9 in categories shared with the Musical Theatre Division, making for a total of 25 nods. COC's Il Trovatore (the Opéra de Marseille production) and Dialogues des Carmélites (the Nederlandse Opera production) each earn 5 nods as does Good Hair Day Production's Julie Sits Waiting.

In the Dance Division, DanceWorks earns top spot with 8 nods in total for its presentations of Akshongay, Lab Rats and Road Trip. Kaha:wi Dance Theatre in association with Harbourfront Centre's Planet IndigenUS Festival and Peggy Baker Dance Projects follow with 5 taps each for Susuriwka - willow bridge and Stereophonic respectively.

The Theatre for Young Audiences Division sees Roseneath Theatre take the lead with 8 nods: 5 for Wrecked and 3 for In This World.

As well, in a special gift from the Bluma Appel Community Trust, a $5,000 prize will be awarded to the winning playwright of Outstanding New Play in the General Theatre Division for the seventh year in a row, in addition to the continuation of Bluma's Indies comprised of a cash prize of$1,000 per winning category in the Independent Theatre Division.

AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD:

TAPA's Audience Choice Award is co-sponsored once again this year 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! Theatre, dance and opera fans can cast their votes online at www.nowtoronto.com/doras from Thursday, June 6, 2013 until 12:00 midnight Wednesday, June 19, 2013. The winner will be announced at the Dora Awards show ceremony and will receive a special plaque from NOW Magazine.

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: T.O. TIX - Toronto's Official One Stop Ticket Shop at Yonge-Dundas Square and online at www.totix.ca; Toronto's Official Theatre Guide; hipTIX, offering $5 tickets to students between the ages of 15 and 29; citySPECIAL; the Commercial Theatre Development Fund; and the Travel Retreat Initiatives Program - TRIP. For more information visit www.tapa.ca and www.totix.ca.

The full list of nominees is available online www.tapa.ca/doras/nominees

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