Gavin Crawford to Host 36th Annual Dora Mavor Moore Awards at Harbourfront Centre

The Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA) today announced the date, creative team, host and venue for the 36th Annual Dora Mavor Moore Awards, the awards show and party that celebrates extraordinary Toronto talent in the performing arts. Dora Awards Producer Jacoba Knaapen announced that the much-anticipated event will take place on Monday, June 22 and that, based on the huge success of last year, it will again be held at Harbourfront Centre. Tickets go on sale June 1.

Knaapen also announced multi-award-winning comedian and actor Gavin Crawford as host of the awards ceremony which takes place on Harbourfront Centre's open-air WestJet Stage. Crawford is an award-winning actor and among Canada's most sought-after comedic and dramatic performers. He appeared in 8 seasons of CBC-TV's This Hour Has 22 Minutes to much critical acclaim both for his performance and writing and won several Gemini Awards over the years for his work on the show. Crawford recently starred in the film Two 4 One which has screened at numerous film festivals in North America,

The nominees for the 2015 Dora Mavor Moore Awards will be announced at a press conference the morning of Monday, June 1 at 10:00am at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts in the Main Lobby.

Last season's award ceremony was deemed one of the very best in Dora history and TAPA is pleased to announce that the same creative team who helped make last year so memorable return for 2015: acclaimed theatre director, actor and writer Ed Roy takes the helm as director for the third time, while playwright Chris Earle returns for the fifth time as writer for the show. Lighting and scenic design is by Andrea Lundy, who returns for her fourteenth consecutive year, while the Musical Director is composer Waylen Miki, on the roster for his third time.

TAPA also announced a new sponsorship from the Pat and Tony Adams Freedom Fund for the Arts that will provide a cash prize of $1,000 each to the recipients of the Outstanding Performance by a Female and Outstanding Performance by a Male in the General Theatre Division.

As always, there will be a fabulous pre-show VIP Reception, held at Harbourfront Centre's Lakeside Terrace, just a few steps away from the WestJet Stage, from 5:00pm- 7:00pm. Guests for this glamorous cocktail party will be greeted once again on the red carpet by Dora Award-winning actor Colin Doyle and the gifted Elley-Ray Hennessy, a veteran of stage, screen and radio. This year attendees will be additionally entertained as they walk the red carpet by Canadian Comedy Award winners and modern clown favourites Morro and Jasp as well as the outrageous (in a good way) activists and event performers the Toronto Sisters of JOY (the Jubilant Order of York).

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.

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 14 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.

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