In the General Theatre Division, Soulpepper Theatre Company heads the nominations list with 13 taps over 5 productions with its Idomeneus garnering the most at 5 including Outstanding Direction for Alan Dilworth, Outstanding Performance – Ensemble, Outstanding Costume Design for Gillian Gallow and both Outstanding Scenic Design and Outstanding Lighting Design for Lorenzo Savoini. Soulpepper’s A Delicate Balance and Waiting For Godot are also up for Outstanding Production with the former earning Oliver Dennis a tap for Outstanding Performance – Male and Brenda Robins, Outstanding Performance – Female. for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf gets on board with nods for Outstanding Performance – Ensemble and to Djanet Sears for Outstanding Direction. Animal Farm sees Richard Feren tapped for Outstanding Sound Design/Composition and Ken MacKenzie for Outstanding Costume Design (who tops the individual haul in nominations this season with 4 knocks).

Buddies in Bad Times Theatre earns second spot overall in the Division with 7 nominations, 4 of them for Kiinalik: These Sharp Tools (which also earned co-producer Theatre Passe Muraille 4 taps in total). Nods include Outstanding Production, Outstanding New Play for Evalyn Parry and Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory, Outstanding Performance – Ensemble and Outstanding Sound Design/Composition for Evalyn Parry and Cris Derksen. Buddies’ LULU v.7 / / aspects of a femme fatale is also up for Outstanding Production as well as Outstanding Direction (ted witzel) and Outstanding Scenic Design (Helen Yung).

Outside the March and Company Theatre (in association with Starvox Entertainment) follow with 6 nods, all of them for Jerusalem, which garners top spot for a production in this Division: Outstanding Production, Outstanding Direction (Mitchell Cushman), Outstanding Performance – Male (Kim Coates), Outstanding Performance – Ensemble, Outstanding Scenic Design (Nick Blais), Outstanding Lighting Design (André du Toit).

VideoCabaret also scores 6 nods this season: 4 for Confederation & Riel and 2 for Scandal & Rebellion (both productions are in association with Soulpepper). They are Outstanding Performance – Male for Richard Clarkin and Outstanding Performance – Ensemble for the former; and Outstanding Performance – Female for Michaela Washburn and Outstanding Costume Design for Astrid Janson and Melanie McNeill for both shows.

Other Outstanding New Play taps in the General Theatre Division go to Emil Sher (based on a book by Ian Brown) for The Boy in the Moon (produced by Crow’s Theatre which also earns David Storch an Outstanding Performance – Male tap; Crow’s total haul is 5 nods in the General Division and 1 in Touring for What a Young Wife Ought to Know for a grand total of 6), Jivesh Parasram for Take d Milk, Nah? (co-produced by b current performing arts and Pandemic Theatre with the support of Theatre Passe Muraille), Kat Sandler for BANG BANG (produced by Factory Theatre which totaled 3 taps including Outstanding Performance – Male for Richard Zeppieri in same) and Rose Napoli for Lo (or Dear Mr. Wells) (produced by Nightwood Theatre which totaled 2 with Vivien Endicott Douglas earning a nod for Outstanding Performance – Female in same).

Other notable nods include Outstanding Performance – Female to Seana McKenna for Groundling Theatre Company‘s Lear and Outstanding Direction to Richard Rose for Tarragon Theatre‘s Hamlet (which earned 3 taps in total with Outstanding Lighting Design for Jason Hand and Outstanding Sound Design/Composition for Thomas Ryder Payne).

In Musical Theatre, The Musical Stage Company leads the pack with 21 nods: 12 for Life After (co-produced with Canadian Stage and Yonge Street Theatricals who each earn 12 nods for the show as well), 6 for Fun Home (presented by David Mirvish who also earns 6 for this show) and 3 for Onegin.

Life After‘s 12 nominations are Outstanding Production, Outstanding New Musical/Opera for Britta Johnson, Outstanding Direction for Robert McQueen, Outstanding Performance – Male for Dan Chameroy, Outstanding Performance – Female for both Ellen Denny and Tracy Michailidis, Outstanding Performance – Ensemble, Outstanding Scenic Design for Brandon Kleinman, Outstanding Costume Design for Ming Wong, Outstanding Lighting Design for Kimberly Purtell, Outstanding Choreography for Linda Garneau and Outstanding Musical Direction for the team Lynne Shankel and Reza Jacobs.

Fun Home‘s 6 nominations are Outstanding Production, Outstanding Performance – Male for Evan Buliung, Outstanding Performance – Female for both Sara Farb and Hannah Levinson, Outstanding Performance – Ensemble and Outstanding Direction for Robert McQueen. Onegin scores its 3 taps for Outstanding Production, Outstanding Performance – Male for Josh Epstein and Outstanding Performance – Ensemble.

The final two Outstanding Production nods in Musical Theatre are Beauty and the Beast (Young People’s Theatre) and Mr. Shi and His Lover (Music Picnic/Point View Art Association/Macau Experimental Theatre and presented as part of Tarragon Theatre‘s season), which tallies in as well with Outstanding New Musical/Opera for writer Wong Teng Chi and composer Njo Kong Kie, Outstanding Musical Direction for Njo Kong Kie and both Derek Kwan and Jordan Cheng for Outstanding Performance – Male for a total of 5.

In the Independent Theatre Division, The Theatre Centre takes the lead with 12 nominations, 8 of them in co-production with Native Earth Performing Arts for Bears, whose nods include Outstanding Production, Outstanding New Play and Outstanding Direction for Matthew Mackenzie, Outstanding Performance – Male for Sheldon Elter, Outstanding Scenic Design and Outstanding Lighting Design for T. Erin Gruber, Outstanding Costume Design for Brianna Kolybaba and Monica Dottor, and Outstanding Sound Design/Composition for Noor Dean Musani. The other 4 scores are for Daughter, co-produced by The Theatre Centre and Quip Take with Pandemic Theatre and include Outstanding Production, Outstanding Direction for Ann-Marie Kerr, Outstanding Performance – Male for Adam Lazarus and Outstanding Sound Design/Composition for Richard Feren.

Native Earth Performing Arts takes second spot in the Independent Theatre Division with 10 hits. In addition to the 8 above for Bears, it earns 2 more for Ipperwash including Outstanding New Play for Falen Johnson and Outstanding Lighting Design for Michelle Ramsay.

And both Ahuri Theatre and Why Not Theatre follow with 8 taps each. Ahuri‘s are all for Flashing Lights (tying Bear for most nominated production in this Division) including Outstanding Production, Outstanding New Play (Miranda Calderon, Adam Paolozza, Liz Peterson, Guillermo Verdecchia, Dan Watson), Outstanding Direction (Adam Paolozza), Outstanding Performance – Ensemble, Outstanding Sound Design/Composition (Matt Smith) and Outstanding Scenic Design, Costume Design and Lighting Design for Ken MacKenzie.

Why Not’s 8 nods are spread between two shows from its 2018 RISER Project: 5 for speaking of sneaking (Outstanding Production, Outstanding New Play and Outstanding Performance – Male for daniel jelani ellis, Outstanding Direction – d’bi.young anitafrika, Outstanding Lighting Design – André du Toit), and 3 for Mr. Truth (Outstanding New Play and Outstanding Costume Design – Lauren Gillis and Alaine Hutton, Outstanding Performance – The Ensemble).

The final Outstanding Production tap in the Independent Division goes to the Coal Mine Theatre’s The Aliens, which also earns nods for Outstanding Performance – Male (Max Haynes) and Outstanding Scenic Design (Anahita Dehbonehie) as well as 1 for Category E for Outstanding Scenic Design for Anna Treusch for a total of 4 for the company.

In the Opera Division, Tapestry Opera’s productions lead overall with a total of 18 nominations, 10 of which are for The Overcoat – a musical tailoring, the most for a production in that Division. This Canadian Stage co-production with Tapestry Opera and Vancouver Opera also earns 10 hits for Canadian Stage whose total haul is 24 over 3 Divisions – Opera, Dance and Touring – making Canadian Stage the leader in overall nominations.

The Overcoat vies for Outstanding Production as well as for Outstanding New Musical/Opera for writer Morris Panych and composer James Rolfe, Outstanding Direction for Morris Panych, Outstanding Performance – Male for both Geoffrey Sirett and Peter McGillivray, Outstanding Scenic Design for Ken MacDonald, Outstanding Costume Design for Nancy Bryant, Outstanding Lighting Design for Alan Brodie, Outstanding Choreography for Wendy Gorling and Outstanding Musical Direction for Leslie Dala.

The Tapestry Opera production of Oksana G garners 7 knocks which include Outstanding New Musical/Opera for writer Colleen Murphy and composer Aaron Gervais, Outstanding Production, Outstanding Performance Female – Natalya Gennadi, Outstanding Performance – Ensemble, Outstanding Costume Design for Teresa Przybylski, Outstanding Lighting Design for Jason Hand and Outstanding Musical Direction for Jordan de Souza. Bandits in the Valley garners 1 (Outstanding Performance – Ensemble) to round out Tapestry’s total of 18.

Against the Grain Theatre follows with 12 nods. Joining the race for Outstanding Production in Opera are Against the Grain Theatre‘s La Bohème (which is also up for Outstanding New Musical/Opera for the new English libretto by Joel Ivany based on Giacomo Puccini, and Outstanding Direction for Joel Ivany) as well as its Orphée⁺ which follows The Overcoat closely with a total of 9 noms including Outstanding Direction (Joel Ivany), Outstanding Performance – Female (Marcy Richardson), Outstanding Performance – Ensemble, Outstanding Scenic Design (S. Katy Tucker), Outstanding Costume Design (Zane Pihlström), Outstanding Lighting Design (JAX Messenger), Outstanding Choreography (Austin McCormick) and Outstanding Musical Direction (Topher Mokrzewski).

The Canadian Opera Company receives 10 taps that include 5 for The Elixir of Love (Outstanding Production, Outstanding Performance – Male for Andrew Haji, Outstanding Performance – Female for Simone Osborne, Outstanding Scenic Design for Allen Moyer and Outstanding Costume Design for Martin Pakledinaz), 2 for Rigoletto (Outstanding Scenic Design for Michael Levine and Outstanding Lighting Design for Duane Schuler) and 1 each for Anna Bolena (Outstanding Performance Female for Sondra Radvanovsky) and Arabella (Outstanding Performance Male for Tomasz Konieczny).

In the Dance Division, DanceWorks hits top spot with 8 nominations including 6 for Chasing the Path (DanceWorks/Human Body Expression: Outstanding Production, Hanna Kiel for Outstanding Original Choreography, Outstanding Performance – Ensemble, Greg Harrison for Outstanding Sound Design/Composition and Oz Weaver for Outstanding Lighting Design. Two pieces in DanceWorks 40th Anniversary program nab nods: Dancing with the Ghost – Outstanding Performance – Male for Robert Glumbek and Amalgam – Outstanding Sound Design/Composition to Ian de Souza and Caroline Planté with Maryem Hassan Toller and Santosh Naidu. And string quartet no. 14 in g major (DanceWorks/Rock Bottom Movement) earns 1 for Outstanding Original Choreography for Alyssa Martin.

The runner-up spot is tied by Esmeralda Enrique Spanish Dance Company and Peggy Baker Dance Projects with 6 nods each.

Esmeralda Enrique Spanish Dance Company‘s De La Raíz (From the Root) earns all 6 taps including Outstanding Sound Design/Composition to Caroline Planté and Benjamin Barrile and Outstanding Lighting Design to Sharon DiGenova while 4 individual pieces from the evening earn 4 nods: Outstanding Original Choreography for Salero y Gracia to Esmeralda Enrique and Juan Ogalla who is also honoured with 2 Outstanding Performance – Male nods (1 for Mi Sentir and 1 for Bravio Y Valiente) and Outstanding Performance – Ensemble for Pera Fina,

Peggy Baker Dance Projects receives 6 hits that are all related to pieces in Map by Years: Sarah Chase for Outstanding Original Choreography for unmoored, while Andrea Nann (Krishna’s Mouth), Jessica Runge (Her Heart), Kate Holden (Portal) and Peggy Baker (unmoored) all vie for Outstanding Performance – Female.

Additional Outstanding Production nods go to FLOOR’D (Holla Jazz, which comes in third at 4 taps in total: Outstanding Performance – Ensemble, Outstanding Original Choreography for Natasha Powell and Outstanding Lighting Design for Noah Feaver), He Who Falls (Celui Qui Tombe) (presented by Canadian Stage), Triptyque (presented by Canadian Stage) and Until the Lions (presented by Luminato).

The Theatre for Young Audiences Division sees Young People’s Theatre (YPT) lead the pack with 15 nods (plus 1 in the Musical Division for a total of 16), followed by Théâtre français de Toronto with 5 and Roseneath Theatre with 3.

YPT’s Risky Phil sits on top of the Division with 5 taps: Outstanding New Play for Paula Wing, Outstanding Direction for Stewart Arnott, and 3 Outstanding Performance – Individual nods: Jamie Robinson, Ordena Stephens-Thompson and Tal Shulman.

YPT shows also front the Outstanding Production category with Instant, Selfie and Unapologetically Me: Sharron’s Cabaret for Kids with the latter two also up for Outstanding New Play (Christine Quintana and Sharron Matthews respectively). Selfie is also up for Outstanding Direction for Stephen Colella and Outstanding Performance – Ensemble while Unapologetically Me is up for Outstanding Performance – Individual for Sharon Matthews. And 2 nods for YPT’s The Secret Garden – Outstanding Direction for Allen MacInnis and Outstanding Performance – Individual for Natalia Gracious top up YPT’s haul.

Théâtre français de Toronto rounds out the other two Outstanding Production slots with Avant L’archipel (Countries shaped like stars) and Les Zinspirés: six degrés de séparation which also gets on board for Outstanding New Play, Outstanding Direction for Chanda Gibson and Outstanding Performance – Ensemble.

Roseneath Theatre jumps in the Outstanding New Play ring with Dave Deaveau’s Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls which gets knocks for Outstanding Direction for Andrew Lamb and Outstanding Performance – Ensemble as well.

Luminato leads in the Outstanding Touring Production award race with 2 nominations: Bearing and En Avant Marche! (bringing its tap total to 3 with 1 in the Dance Division as outlined above). Also in the ring are 食盡天下 (A Taste of Empire) from Cahoots Theatre and rice & beans theatre) and What a Young Wife Ought to Know (Crow’s Theatre Presents a 2b theatre company Production).

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SPECIAL PRIZES:

The Bluma Appel Community Trust continues its special gift: a $5,000 prize will be awarded at the Dora Awards ceremony on June 25 to the winning playwright of Outstanding New Play in the General Theatre Division for the twelfth year in a row, in addition to the continuation of Bluma’s Indies comprised of a cash prize of $1,000 per winning category in the Independent Theatre Division.

For the fourth year in a row, the Pat and Tony Adams Freedom Fund for the Arts will provide a cash prize of $1,000 each to the recipients of Outstanding Performance – Female and Outstanding Performance – Male in the General Theatre Division.

In addition, the recipient of the Leonard McHardy and John Harvey Award for Leadership in Administration (LMJH Award) was announced. The recipient of the 2018 Leonard McHardy and John Harvey Award is the exceptionally talented freelance arts producer Sue Balint whose range of skills spans producing, development, marketing, graphic design and dramaturgy. The award recognizes the important work of theatre, dance and opera administrators and is named after the founders of Toronto’s Theatrebooks (1975 to its closure in 2014). The winner receives a plaque and a cheque for $1,000 through the generous sponsorship of the late Elizabeth Comper. Recipients of the LMJH Award have at least 10 years of demonstrated commitment to the performing arts, in addition to having made an impact on the industry in Toronto. Sue has established herself as a bridge between various communities with a focus on culturally diverse artists and companies. Her work in the Toronto theatre community has been and continues to be transformative. Sue Balint’s most recent and current projects include four years as festival producer for Aluna Theatre’s CAMINOS and RUTAS panamericanas festivals, three years as festival producer for Progress (SummerWorks/The Theatre Centre), and two years as festival producer of Weesageechak Begins to Dance (Native Earth Performing Arts).

Last year, TAPA renamed the Audience Choice Award to the Jon Kaplan Audience Choice Award in honour of the beloved, long-time NOW Magazine theatre critic. TAPA’s Jon Kaplan Audience Choice Award is co-sponsored once again this year by NOW Magazine and Yonge-Dundas Square. The public is invited to choose a winner and vote for their favourite show from the list of nominees for Outstanding Production – or they can choose their own! The winner is announced at the Dora Awards show ceremony and receives a special plaque from NOW Magazine.