Canadian Theatre's highest prizes, the 21st Annual Dora Mavor Moore Awards, were presented at the Pantages Theatre in Toronto June 26, and tiny Cabaret beat The Lion King as Best Production in the area of "general theatre."
Nominations in four areas -- general theatre, independent theatre, theatre for young audiences and dance -- led to some 30 award recipients. Tours (Cabaret), sitdown mega smashes (The Lion King) and independent Off Broadway-style stagings (The Dogpatch, presented by Jack in the Black Productions) were all considered for awards, as well as dance and children's theatre.
A unique tie occurred in the Outstanding New Play category: Michel Tremblay's For the Pleasure of Seeing Her Again and Linda Griffiths' Alien Creature shared the award.
In the "independent theatre" area, another tie was enjoyed in the Outstanding Production category: Building Jerusalem and Chekhov's Shorts both took home the Dora (with Building Jerusalem also named Outstanding New Play).
Cabaret also won for Best Direction (Sam Mendes), Musical Direction (Keith Thompson), Actor (Norbert Leo Butz) and Choreography (Rob Marshall). The Lion King won for Best Costume Design (Julie Taymor and Michael Currie), Best Supporting Actor (Jonathan Wilson). Laszlo Marton won Best Director for Soulpepper's Platonov, which is expected to be remounted this summer.
The nominees and winners (highlighted in bold) in major "general theatre" categories include:
Outstanding New Play
Alien Creature by Linda Griffiths
Belle by Florence Gibson
For the Pleasure of Seeing Her Again by Michel Tremblay, translated by Linda Gaboriau
Music for Contortionist by Morwyn Brebner
The Yoko Ono Project by Jean Yoon
Outstanding New Musical
A Meeting of Minds by Leslie Arden
Anything That Moves by Ann-Marie MacDonald, Allen Cole
Forever Swing by Dean Reagan, Sam Lutfiyya
Nude Beach Wear 100% Off by Gavin Crawford, Tracy Dawson, Mary Pat Farrell, Melody Johnson, Doug Morency, Lee Smart
Swingstep by Ted Swindley, Ted Dykstra, Charles T. Cozens, Stephen Mayoff
Outstanding Production of a Play
Endgame Soulpepper Theatre Co. in association with Harbourfront Centre
Faust Tarragon Theatre
Platonov Soulpepper Theatre with Harbourfront
Street of Blood Canadian Stage Company
The Overcoat Canadian Stage Company
Outstanding Production of a Musical
Cabaret Mirvish Prod. and PACE Theatrical Group/SFX
Notre Dame de Paris Mirvish Prod., SFX Entertainment
Pelleas et Melisande Canadian Opera Company
Shaking the Foundations Buddies in Bad Times
The Lion King Mirvish Prod. in association with Disney Theatricals
The nominees and winners (highlighted in bold) in major "independent theatre" categories include:
Outstanding New Play or Musical
Building Jerusalem by Michael Redhill
Chekhov's Shorts adapted by Dean Gilmour, Michelle Smith and Company
The Dogpatch by Chaz Thorne
The Emotionalists by Sky Gilbert
The Offering by Anton Piatigorsky
Outstanding Production
Building Jerusalem Volcano
Chekhov's' Shorts Theatre Smith Gilmour
Forward Theatrefront
The Awakening Theatre Voce
The Dogpatch Jack in the Black Productions
The nominees and winner (highlighted in bold) in the "theatre for young audience" are:
Outstanding Production
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Brookstone Performing Arts
The Ice Cream Store and More Carousel Players
Munsh Delight Solar Stage
Not Quite the Same Theatre Direct Canada
The General Theatre Direct Canada
The Prince and the Pauper Young People's Theatre
The nominees and winners (highlighted in bold) in the "dance" category are:
Outstanding Choreography
24 Preludes by Chopin by Marie Chouinard
A World to Shout by Marie Chouinard
Bite by Peter Chin
Dracula by Mark Godden
Nest by Christopher House
One Hundred Words for Snow by Dominique Dumais
Three Women by Claudia Moore
Outstanding Performance
Carolyn Woods, Aria
Carolyn Woods, Bite
Ensemble, Bite
Ensemble, One Hundred Words for Snow
Ensemble, Three Women
