Dora nominations for the 2005-2006 theatre, dance and opera season in Toronto were announced June 6, and The Lord of the Rings snagged a whopping 15 nominations.

The Doras are split into several divisions to accommodate different sized productions and troupe's with distinct goals — General Theatre Division, Independent Theatre Division, Opera Division, Dance Division and Theatre for Young Audiences Division.

Recipients will be announced at the Winter Garden Theatre. David Gale will serve as host.

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In the General Theatre Division, The Lord of the Rings, the new music-infused spectacle, earned the most nominations for any individual show of the season: Outstanding New Musical for Shaun McKenna and Matthew Warchus; Outstanding Production of a Musical for producers Kevin Wallace and Saul Zaentz in association with David & Ed Mirvish and Michael Cohl; Outstanding Direction of a Musical for Matthew Warchus; three nominations for Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Principal Role-Musical for Peter Howe, Michael Therriault and Brent Carver; two nominations for Outstanding Performance by a Female in a Principal Role-Musical for Rebecca Jackson Mendoza and Carly Street; Outstanding Performance in a Featured Role for Evan Buliung; Outstanding Set Design and Outstanding Costume Design for Rob Howell; Outstanding Lighting Design for Paul Pyant; Outstanding Sound Design/Composition for Simon Baker for Autograph, Outstanding Musical Direction for Christopher Nightingale, A.R. Rahmen and Värttinä; and Outstanding Choreography in a Play or Musical for Peter Darling. The 2006 awards include a new Audience Choice Award for Outstanding Production. NOW Magazine is the official Audience Choice Award sponsor and will be facilitating the voting. The public was invited to choose a winner from the list of nominees for Outstanding Production in the General Theatre (Play and Musical), Independent Theatre, Opera and Theatre for Young Audiences Divisions; and Outstanding New Choreography in the Dance Division. Fans cast their votes online at www.nowtoronto.com June 8-18. The winner will be announced at the Dora Awards show and will receive a plaque.

DORA MAVOR MOORE AWARDS 2006 NOMINEES GENERAL THEATRE DIVISION

Outstanding New Play
d'bi.young, blood.claat - one womban story
Rosa Laborde, Léo
Short stories by John Steinbeck adapted for the stage by 'This is a Bird' The Long Valley
Ronnie Burkett, 10 Days on Earth
Niki Landau, Territories

Outstanding New Musical
Shaun McKenna and Matthew Warchus, The Lord of the Rings
David Finley, Snow White and the Group of Seven Chris Craddock (book) & Aaron Macri (music & lyrics), BoyGroove

Outstanding Production of a Play
blood.claat - one womban story, Theatre Passe Muraille
Our Town, Soulpepper Theatre Company
The Monument, Obsidian Theatre Company
A Beautiful View, Buddies in Bad Times Theatre in association with da da kamera
Léo, Tarragon Theatre

Outstanding Production of a Musical
The Lord of the Rings, Kevin Wallace and Saul Zaentz in association with David & Ed Mirvish and Michael Cohl
Snow White and the Group of Seven, Ross Petty Productions
Bunnicula, Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People
Boygroove, Michael Rubinoff & Derrick Chua in assocition with BoyGroove Entertainment Inc.
Song & Dance, Song & Dance Limited Partnership in association with Diversified Productions Inc.

Outstanding Direction of a Play
Weyni Mengesha, blood.claat - one womban story
Joseph Ziegler, Our Town
Daniel McIvor, A Beautiful View
Nigel Shawn Williams, The Monument
Richard Rose, Léo

Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Principal Role – Play
Tom McCamus, Mathilde Shawn Doyle, A Number
Sergio Di Zio, Léo
Ronnie Burkett, 10 Days on Earth
Jeff Lillico, Our Town
Albert Schultz, Our Town

Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Principal Role Musical
Seán Cullen, Snow White and the Group of Seven
Richard Binsley, Bunnicula
Peter Howe, The Lord of the Rings
Michael Therriault, The Lord of the Rings
Brent Carver, The Lord of the Rings

Outstanding Performance in a Featured Role in a Play or Musical
Gord Rand, The Innocent Eye Test
Evan Buliung, The Lord of the Rings
Ensemble, The Long Valley
Ensemble, Banana Boys
David Storch, Habeas Corpus

Outstanding Lighting Design
Michael Whitfield, Wozzeck
Bonnie Beecher, The Monument
Paul Pyant, The Lord of the Rings
Jan Komarek, The Long Valley
David Finn, Götterdämmerung

Outstanding Sound Design/Composition
John Gzowski, The Monument
Simon Baker (for Autograph), The Lord of the Rings
Jan Komarek, The Long Valley
Thomas Ryder Payne (Designer) & Marcelo Puente (Composer), Léo
Michael Laird, A Beautiful View

Outstanding Musical Direction
Richard Bradshaw, Wozzeck
Christopher Nightingale, A.R. Rahman and Värttinä, The Lord of the Rings
Bob Foster, Snow White and the Group of Seven
David Fallis, Orfeo
Richard Bradshaw, Götterdämmerung

Outstanding Choreography in a Play or Musical
Peter Darling, The Lord of the Rings
Wayne Sleep, Song & Dance
Yu Su Li, Heartbeat
Anita Majumdar, Fish Eyes
Kay Grigar, BoyGroove

Outstanding Touring Production
Exit(s), Théâtre Français de Toronto in association with Théâtre la Catapulte and Théâtre du Nouvel-Ontario
There's a Rabbit in the Moon, Harbourfront Centre
Henry the Fifth, Harbourfront Centre
Jimmy, Buddies in Bad Times Theatre

Outstanding Direction of a Musical
Matthew Warchus, The Lord of the Rings
Ted Dykstra, Snow White and the Group of Seven
Allen MacInnis, Bunnicula
Kenneth Brown, BoyGroove
Dennis K. Law, Heartbeat

Outstanding Performance by a Female in a Principal Role - Play
Yanna McIntosh, The Monument
Martha MacIsaac, The Wild Duck
Karen Robinson, Two Can Play
d'bi.young, blood.claat - one womban story
Christine Brubaker, The Amorous Servant

Outstanding Performance by a Female in a Principal Role - Musical
Rebecca Jackson Mendoza, The Lord of the Rings
Louise Pitre, Song & Dance
Elena Juatco,Snow White and the Group of Seven
Corinne Koslo, Bunnicula
Carly Street, The Lord of the Rings

Outstanding Set Design
Michael Levine, Wozzeck
Shawn Kerwin, The Monument
Rob Howell, The Lord of the Rings
Dany Lyne, Rodelinda
Glen Charles Landry, L'Avare
Steve Lucas, blood.claat - one womban story

Outstanding Costume Design
Rob Howell, The Lord of the Rings
Judith Bowen, The Government Inspector
Nina Okens, L'Avare
Mo Xiao Min, Heartbeat
Astrid Janson, Julie Renton and Sarah Armstrong, Canadian Pacific Scandal

INDEPENDENT THEATRE DIVISION

Outstanding New Play or New Musical
Sue Balint & Ensemble, Return: The Sarajevo Project
Mark Brownell, Medici Slot Machine
Judith Thompson, Enoch Arden by Alfred, Lord Jabber and his Catatonic Songstress
Anosh Irani, Bombay Black
Alex Poch-Goldin, Cringeworthy

Outstanding Direction
Chris Abraham, Cringeworthy
Daryl Cloran, Return: The Sarajevo Project
Melissa Haller, The Adventures of Joseph Andrews
Sue Miner, Medici Slot Machine
David Ferry, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot

Outstanding Production
Trilogie, Emergency.Exit in association with the Free Fall Festival and The Theatre Centre
The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, Birdland Theatre
Return: The Sarajevo Project, Theatrefront
Medici Slot Machine, Pea Green
Theatre Group in association with Theatre Voce
Hank Williams: The Show He Never Gave, Lovesick Productions
e-DENTITY, Theatre Gargantua
Bombay Black, Cahoots Theatre Projects in association with Nightswimming Theatre

Outstanding Performance by a Male
Zachary Bennett, Hank Williams: The Show He Never Gave
Philip Akin, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot
Paul Fauteux, Cringeworthy
John Blackwood, Fallen Angel and the Devil Concubine
Gavin Crawford, Bad Acting Teachers
Diego Matamoros, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot

Outstanding Performance by a Female
Tara Nicodemo, Cringeworthy
Jani Lauzon, The Merchant of Venice
Irene Poole, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot
Holly Lewis, Return: The Sarajevo Project
Brooke Johnson, Wish

Outstanding Set Design
Camellia Koo, Bombay Black
Glenn Davidson, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot
Marysia Bucholc & Camellia Koo, Kafka and Son
David Skelton, Enoch Arden by Alfred, Lord Jabber and his Catatonic Songstress
Julia Tribe, Fallen Angel and the Devil Concubine
Lorenzo Savoini, Return: The Sarajevo Project

Outstanding Costume Design
April Viczko, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot
Camellia Koo, Bombay Black
Erika Connor & Victoria Wallace, The Affairs of Anatol
Joanne Dente, Cringeworthy
Julia Tribe, The Merry Wives of Windsor
Julia Tribe, Fallen Angel and the Devil Concubine

Outstanding Lighting Design
Glenn Davidson and David Ferry, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot
Stephan Droege, e-DENTITY
David Skelton, Enoch Arden by Alfred, Lord Jabber and his Catatonic Songstress
Andrea Lundy, bloom
Andrea Lundy, Kafka and Son
Rebecca Picherack, Bombay Black

Outstanding Sound Design/Composition
Suba Sankaran, Bombay Black
Nicholas Murray, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot
Emergency.Exit, Trilogie
Jacquie Thomas with The Company, e-DENTITY
Thomas Ryder Payne, bloom
Richard Feren, Round Rotund Rumps

DANCE DIVISION

Outstanding New Choreography
Crystal Pite, The Stolen Show
Grupo Corpo, Lecuona and Onqotô
Hiroshi Koike, Ship in a View
Tero Saarinen Company, Westward Ho!/Wavelengths/HUNT
Peter Chin, STUPA
Stan Won't Dance, Sinner

Outstanding Performance
Susan Elliott, Falls The Shadow
Brian Solomon, Here on Earth
Susanna Hood, She's Gone Away
Michael Trent, Ce Qu'il en Reste/What Remains
Ensemble, The Stolen Show
ensemble, Unfinished 32

OPERA DIVISION

Outstanding Production
Götterdämmerung, Canadian Opera Company
Macbeth, Canadian Opera Company
Norma, Canadian Opera Company
Orfeo, Opera Atelier
Rodelinda, Canadian Opera Company
Wozzeck, Canadian Opera Company

Outstanding Performance
Colin Ainsworth, Orfeo
Danielle de Niese, Rodelinda
Georgina Lukács, Macbeth
June Anderson, Norma
Mats Almgren, Götterdämmerung
Pavlo Hunka, Wozzeck

THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES DIVISION

Outstanding Production
The Other Side of the Closet, Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People/Youtheatre
Beneath the Banyan Tree, Theatre Direct Canada
The Man Whose Mother Was a Pirate, Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People
Wrecked, Roseneath Theatre
Russell's World, Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People/Manitoba Theatre for Young People

Outstanding Performance
Aaron Forward, The Other Side of the Closet
Aaron Willis, Wrecked
Ensemble, The Man Whose Mother Was a Pirate
Helen Taylor, Wrecked
John Cleland, Wrecked