You are now in the main content area

Performance Alumni Nominated for Dora Mavor Moore Awards

June 05, 2023

The annual Dora Mavor Moore Awards celebrate excellence on Toronto stages and are the oldest and largest professional theatre, dance and opera awards program in Canada. Founded in 1979, with the first ceremony occurring in 1981, the Dora’s recently marked a 40 year anniversary. The Dora Awards evolve constantly, adjusting and adapting to changes in the broader performing arts industry and the needs of the TAPA membership. There are currently 46 award categories across 7 distinct “divisions."

https://tapa.ca/doras/

Performance at The Creative School is proud to have such a vibrant community of alumni who are well distinguished in their achievements across the Toronto performing arts scene. Just last week, Toronto Aliance for the Performing Arts (external link)  (TAPA) announced the nominees for the upcoming awards ceremony where many Performance graduates across Acting, Dance, and Production + Design, are represented. 

Performance Alumni Nominees

 GENERAL THEATRE

Outstanding New Play

Kanika Ambrose (acting) — our place, Cahoots Theatre and Theatre Passe Muraille 

Outstanding Direction 

Philip Akin (acting) - Maanomaa, My Brother 

Outstanding Performance in a Leading Role

Dan Mousseau (acting) — PRODIGAL, The Howland Company in association with Crow’s Theatre

Sophia Walker (acting) — our place, Cahoots Theatre and Theatre Passe Muraille

Virgilia Griffith (acting)— our place, Cahoots Theatre and Theatre Passe Muraille

Outstanding Performance in a Featured Role

Amelia Sargisson (acting) — Red Velvet, Crow’s Theatre

Sophia Walker (acting) — Fairview (external link) , Canadian Stage and Obsidian Theatre

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble

Kaitlin Race, Jessi Elgood, Daniel Reale, Cooper Bilton, Karen Scora, Atlin Hofer (acting), and Jimi Shlag — Bone Cage (external link) , One Four One Collective in association with The Assembly Theatre

Outstanding Costume Design 

Rachel Forbes (production) -  da Kink In My Hair

Rachel Forbes (production) - Fairview

Outstanding Lighting Design

Arun Srinivasan (guest artist) - Red Velvet

Nick Blias (production) - Things I Know to be True

 INDEPENDENT THEATRE

Outstanding New Play

Haley McGee (acting) — The Ex-Boyfriend Yard Sale, Soulpepper Theatre in association with Outside the March and Red Light District

Outstanding Performance by an Individual

Haley McGee (acting) — The Ex-Boyfriend Yard Sale, Soulpepper Theatre in association with Outside the March and Red Light District

Outstanding Direction

Adam Paolozza (based on the original direction of Rebecca Northan) (acting) — Finding Home: A Salmon Journey up the Humber River, Animacy Theatre Collective and Theatre Direct

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble

PJ Prudat, Kole Durnford (acting), Aren Okemaysim, Theresa Cutknife, and Jason McDonald — Niizh, Native Earth Performing Arts

Outstanding Scenic / Projection Design 

Echo Zhou (production) - Scenic Design: Between a Wok and a Hot Pot

Echo Zhou (production) -  Scenic Design: I love the smell of gasoline 

Sim Suzer (production) - Scenic Design: Anahita's Republic

Outstanding Lighting Design

Echo Zhou (production) - Between a Wok and a Hot Pot

 MUSICAL THEATRE

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble

Frank Cox-O’Connell, Beau Dixon, Hailey Gillis, Marni Jackson, Raha Javanfar (production), and Andrew Penner (acting) — The Shape of Home, County Stage Company (billed as Festival Players; presented by Crow’s Theatre)

Outstanding Achievement in Design

Logan Raju Cracknell (CUPE instructor) - Lighting Design: Alice in Wonderland 

Noah Feaver (production) - Lighting Design: The Shape of Home 

 THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble

Morgan Brie Johnson and Alexandra Simpson (acting) — Finding Home: A Salmon Journey up the Humber River, Animacy Theatre Collective and Theatre Direct (presented by Theatre Direct)

Gugun Deep Singh, Suzanne Roberts Smith, Andrea Massoud (acting), Jamar Adams-Thompson, Deivan Steele (acting), and Arielle Zamora — Romeo and Juliet. And Action, Shakespeare in Action

Outstanding Achievement in Design 

Anna Treusch (production) - Scenic Design: The Darkest Dark

 DANCE

Outstanding Original Choreography 

Alyssa Martin (dance) - Sex Dalmation

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble 

Drew Berry (dance), Brayden Jamil Cairns (dance), Sam Grist (dance), Pony Nicole Herauf (acting), Natasha Poon Woo, Morgyn Aronyk-Schell , Steph Harkness, Eliajah Stefura (production) - Sex Dalmation

Outstanding Performance by an Individual 

Miyeko Ferguson (dance) - Likeness (Citadel Dance Mix)

Sierra Chin Sawdy (dance) - Julie et l'univers

Outstanding Achievement in Design

Simon Rossiter (production) - Scenic Design: Julie et l'univers

Angela Cabrera (production) - Costume Design: The Magic of Assembly