The Doras are the most high-profile theatre prize in Canadian theatre, except awards given out by the government. The Producers, slated to close July 4, two months earlier than announced, took Doras for Outstanding Production of a Musical, Outstanding Sound Design (Steve C. Kennedy), Outstanding Musical Direction (Rick Fox), Outstanding Performance in a Feature Role in a Play or Musical (Juan Chioran as Roger DeBris), Outstanding Direction of a Musical (Susan Stroman) and Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Principal Role in a Musical (Michael Therriault (as Leo Bloom).

The Broadway staging of The Producers won a record number of Tony Awards and spawned two national tours, the Toronto staging and a London staging (to bow in late 2004).

There was on tie in the 2004 Doras: CanStage's The Syringa Tree and Tarragon Theatre's Remnants both won Doras in the General Theatre category of Outstanding Production of a Play.

William Hutt, theatrical royalty in Canada, won a Dora for his work in Soulpepper's staging of No Man's Land.

* The 25th annual Dora Mavor Moore Awards, celebrating the best of Toronto theatre, dance and opera, were handed out June 28, with Louise Pitré (Mamma Mia!) and Seán Cullen (The Producers) hosting.

The ceremony was at the Princess of Wales Theatre. For more information, visit www.thedoras.com.

Unlike many other awards for theatre in other cities, the Doras recognize a range of performing arts, artists and production budgets in the categories of Independent Theatre, General Theatre, Dance, Opera and Theatre for Young Audiences.

Nominees and winner of The Doras in the 2003-04 season are listed below with winners marked with an asterisk and in boldface.

INDEPENDENT THEATRE

Outstanding Set Design
Michael Spence (nod)
Ashwatthama JD Ek Qatra Khoon - A Drop of Blood
*Trevor Schwellnus For Sale
Steve Marsh, Cathy Gordon, Michelle Ramsay fusion
David Skelton Stories from the Rains of Love and Death
Michael Gianfrancesco The Laramie Project

Outstanding Costume Design
*Rhamer Spencer, Albert Otoo Anowa
Joanne Dente Dear Boss
Jennie Green Miss Orient(ed)
Angela Thomas Stories from the Rains of Love and Death
The Company The Gorgonetrevich Corps de Ballet Nationale in "Bethany's Gate"
Veronica Verkley Variété

  Outstanding Lighting Design
Ashwatthama JD Ek Qatra Khoon - A Drop of Blood
Steve Lucas fusion
David Duclos something about a river
*Andrea Lundy Stories from the Rains of Love and Death
Michael Kruse The Laramie Project

Outstanding Sound Design/Composition
Richard Feren & Steve Marsh fusion
Jerome Saibil and Eli Batalion Job: The Hip-Hop Saga
Richard Windeyer something about a river
James Fisher The Gorgonetrevich Corps de Ballet Nationale in "Bethany's Gate"
Christine Brubaker and Allen Cole The Trials of John Demjanuk: A Holocaust Cabaret
*Mauricio Kagel Variété

Outstanding Performance by a Male
*Ashwatthama JD Ek Qatra Khoon - A Drop of Blood
Eli Batalion Job: The Hip-Hop Saga
Chad Dembski something about a river
Darrell Dennis Tales of an Urban Indian
Clinton Walker The Trials of John Demjanuk: A Holocaust Cabaret
Nigel Shawn Williams Variété

Outstanding Performance by a Female
Rebecca Northan Dear Boss
*Michelle Polak For Sale
Ensemble Joan
Tracey Ferencz Much Ado About Nothing
Araxi Arslanian Rogues of Urfa
Kate Meehan Tape

Outstanding New Play or New Musical
Dear Boss Eric Woolfe
For Sale Beatriz Pizano
something about a river bluemouth Inc.
*Stories from the Rains of Love and Death Abas Na'Ibandian Translated & Adapted by Soheil Parsa & Peter Farbridge
Tales of an Urban Indian Darrell Dennis

Outstanding Direction
Jacquie P.A. Thomas (nod)
Michael Waller Dear Boss
Guillermo Verdecchia Miss Orient(ed)
bluemouth inc. something about a river
*Soheil Parsa Stories from the Rains of Love and Death
Ross Manson Variété

Outstanding Production
(nod) Theatre Gargantua
fusion DNA Theatre
*something about a river bluemouth inc.
Stories from the Rains of Love and Death Modern Times Stage Company
Variété Volcano in Co-Production with BMH Shift and in Association with Art of Time Ensemble

DANCE

Outstanding New Choreography
*"Amour, acide et noix" Daniel Léveillé
Les Moutons CORPUS Sylvie Bouchard and David Danzon
Grand Junction Charles Linehan
Sly Verb Christopher House
Thok Roger Sinha
Tziganes Serge Bennathan

Outstanding Performance
Carmen Romero Carmen Complex
Greig Cooke Grand Junction
Johanna Bergfeldt Sly Verb
*Tom Casey Thok
Ensemble Tziganes

THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES

Outstanding Production
Baking Time Carousel Players and Oily Cart
*Bluffer's Moon Cliffhanger Productions
Health Class Roseneath Theatre
Petra Theatre Direct Canada
Two Weeks, Twice a Year Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People

Outstanding Performance
Dylan Taylor Bluffer's Moon
*Andrew Moodie Health Class
David S. Craig Health Class
Pasha McKenley Petra
Clarence Sponagle Two Weeks, Twice a Year
Kristopher Turner Two Weeks, Twice a Year

OPERA

Outstanding Production
*Die Walküre Canadian Opera Company
Persée Opera Atelier
Peter Grimes Canadian Opera Company
Rigoletto Canadian Opera Company Turandot Canadian Opera Company

Outstanding Performance
*Adrianne Pieczonka Die Walküre
Clifton Forbis Die Walküre
Laura Claycomb Rigoletto
Monica Whicher The Marriage of Figaro
Serena Farnocchia Turandot

GENERAL THEATRE

Outstanding Sound Design/Composition
John Gzowski Capture Me
Weyni Mengesha da kink in my hair
Matt Swan Helen's Necklace
Steve Marsh Hockey Mom, Hockey Dad
John Millard Simpl
*Steve C. Kennedy The Producers, The New Mel Brooks Musical
Marc Desormeaux Written on Water

Outstanding Musical Direction
David W. Thompson Cookin' At The Cookery
Andrew Petrasiunas Jacoba Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang
Jeffrey Huard Pélagie
Marek Norman The Last Five Years
*Rick Fox The Producers, The New Mel Brooks Musical

Outstanding Performance in a Feature Role in a Play or Musical
Ensemble Confederation
Martin Randez Le Visiteur
William Webster Phèdre
C. David Johnson The Play's The Thing
Brandon McGibbon The Producers, The New Mel Brooks Musical
*Juan Chioran The Producers, The New Mel Brooks Musical

Outstanding Set Design
Glen Charles Landry Le Visiteur
Glen Charles Landry Portrait Chinois D'une Imposteure
Graeme Thomson Remnants
*Charlotte Dean Rune Arlidge
Yannik Larivée Simpl
Robin Wagner The Producers, The New Mel Brooks Musical
Judith Bowden Written on Water

Outstanding Costume Design
Joanne Dentel China Doll
*Astrid Janson & Julie Renton Confederation
Charlotte Dean Remnants
Erika Connor Tequila Vampire Matinee
William Ivey Long The Producers, The New Mel Brooks Musical

Outstanding Lighting Design
Andrea Lundy Capture Me
John Munro Pélagie
Andrea Lundy Phèdre
*Graeme Thomson Remnants
Andrea Lundy Rune Arlidge
Peter Kaczorowski The Producers, The New Mel Brooks Musical

Outstanding Choreography in a Play or Musical
Roger C. Jeffrey and Ma'at Zachary da kink in my hair
*Nicola Pantin Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang
Tracey Flye Pélagie
Alejandro Ronceria The Artshow
Susan Stroman The Producers, The New Mel Brooks Musical

Outstanding Touring Production
Breathing Space Harbourfront Centre and M6 Theatre Co
*Living Memory Harbourfront Centre and Les Deux Mondes
Pour Une Fois Le Théâtre français de Toronto and a co-production of Le Théâtre L'escaouette and Le Théâtre populaire d'Acadie in collaboration with Le Théâtre sortie de secours and a la société du Monument Lefèbvre
Robinson Crusoe Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People and Axis Theatre Company
Scaramouche Jones David and Ed Mirvish and Gabriella Martinelli for Capri Entertainment

Outstanding Performance by a Female in a Principal Role - Musical
*Jackie Richardson Cookin' At The Cookery
Montego Glover Cookin' At The Cookery
Susan Gilmour Pélagie
Amy Rutherford Tequila Vampire Matinee
Sarah Cornell The Producers, The New Mel Brooks Musical

Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Principal Role - Musical
Réjean J. Cournoyer Pélagie
Stephen Sparks Tequila Vampire Matinee
Tyley Ross The Last Five Years
*Michael Therriault The Producers, The New Mel Brooks Musical
Seán Cullen The Producers, The New Mel Brooks Musical
Dmitry Chepovetsky Top Gun! The Musical

Outstanding Performance by a Female in a Principal Role - Play
Jane Spidell Blood
d'bi.young da kink in my hair
Martha Burns Happy Days
Nicola Lipman Simpl
*Caroline Cave The Syringa Tree
Yanna McIntosh The Syringa Tree

Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Principal Role - Play
Jim Mezon Copenhagen
David Ferry Hockey Mom, Hockey Dad
Rick Roberts Hotel Loopy
Dennis O'Connor Le Visiteur
*William Hutt No Man's Land

Outstanding New Musical
Hello...Hello Karen Hines
Pélagie Allen Cole and Vincent de Tourdonnet, based upon the book by Antonine Maillet
*Tequila Vampire Matinee Kevin Quain
Top Gun! The Musical Denis McGrath and Scott White

Outstanding New Play
China Doll Marjorie Chang
*Confederation Michael Hollingsworth
da kink in my hair Trey Anthony
Restitution - An Irish-Canadian Rhapsody Michael O'Brien
Simpl Peter Froehlich

Outstanding Direction of a Musical
Marion Caffey Cookin' At The Cookery
Allen MacInnis Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang
Ted Dykstra Tequila Vampire Matinee
Daryl Cloran The Last Five Years
Susan Stroman The Producers, The New Mel Brooks Musical

Outstanding Direction of a Play
Guy Mignault Le Visiteur
*Richard Rose Remnants
Sarah Stanley Restitution - An Irish-Canadian Rhapsody
Richard Rose Simpl
Larry Moss The Syringa Tree

Outstanding Production of a Musical
Cookin' At The Cookery CanStage in Co Production with the Manitoba Theatre Centre
Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People
Tequila Vampire Matinee Theatre Passe Muraille and Rat-A-Tat-Tat
The Last Five Years CanStage
*The Producers, The New Mel Brooks Musical Mirvish Productions

Outstanding Production of a Play
China Doll Nightwood Theatre
Confederation Videocabaret
*TIE! Remnants Tarragon Theatre
Simpl Tarragon Theatre in Co-Production with the National Arts Centre
*TIE! The Syringa Tree CanStage

PaulineMcGibbon Award
Alexandra Gilbert

Silver Ticket Award
Mallory Gilbert

*

The Toronto staging of The Producers — which recently announced it would end its run Sept. 5 — will now close even earlier than planned, shuttering at the Canon Theatre July 4.

It will have played 258 performances, a 33-week stretch far shorter than other New York-bred hits such as The Lion King and The Phantom of the Opera in the Canadian city where theatre is a major tourism attraction.