‘The Brothers Size’ takes five Doras for general theatre
Soulpepper’s play on U.S. South is by Oscar-winner McCraney of ‘Moonlight’
A play about the Black experience in the American South and a dance-theatre hybrid about the legacy of a residential school in Brantford were the big winners at Monday night’s Dora Mavor Moore Awards, which honour the performing arts in Toronto.
Soulpepper Theatre’s “The Brothers Size” took five awards in the general theatre division while “The Mush Hole,” from Kaha:wi Dance Theatre and Young People’s Theatre, took an equal number in the young audiences division.
The next biggest winner was the Canadian Opera Company’s “Rusalka,” which took four prizes in the opera division.
The awards were handed out by the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts in an online ceremony.
“The Brothers Size,” a play about two Black brothers in the Louisiana bayou by Oscar-winning screenwriter Tarell Alvin McCraney (“Moonlight”), won Outstanding Production, Outstanding Direction for Mumbi Tindyebwa Otu and Outstanding Feature Performance for Daren A. Herbert. It also won for costume design and lighting.
The other winners in the general theatre division included Tarragon Theatre’s “Buffoon” by Anosh Irani, which took
Outstanding New Play and Outstanding Lead Performance for Anand Rajaram.
“The Mush Hole,” based on interviews and writings by survivors of the Mohawk Institute Residential School, won both Outstanding Production and Outstanding New Play as well as Outstanding Direction for Santee Smith, who also created it. It also took Outstanding Ensemble and projection design.
In the musical theatre division, the prizes were shared among six productions, with “Caroline, or Change,” from Musical Stage Company and Obsidian Theatre, and “Ghost Quartet,” from Crow’s Theatre and Eclipse Theatre Company, taking two each.
“Caroline” claimed both the performance awards, with Jully Black winning Outstanding Lead in her musical theatre debut and Vanessa Sears taking Outstanding Feature Performance.
“Ghost Quartet” won direction for Marie Farsi and lighting design for Patrick Lavender.
Named Outstanding Production was David Mirvish’s “Piaf/ Dietrich,” while Bad Hats Theatre’s “Life in a Box,” by Landon Doak and Matthew Finlan, took Outstanding New Musical.
Coal Mine Theatre’s “Marjorie Prime” won the most awards in the independent theatre division, including Outstanding Production, Outstanding Direction for Stewart Arnott and Outstanding Lighting Design for Nick Blais.
Native Earth Performing Arts’ “This Is How We Got Here,” by
Keith Barker, took Outstanding New Play.
Outstanding Performance by an Individual went to Alexander Thomas for another Coal Mine production, “Between Riverside and Crazy.” The ensemble award went to “Casimir and Caroline” from the Howland Company. The Canadian Opera Company was the main winner in the opera division with “Rusalka” taking Outstanding Production, direction for David McVicar, musical direction for Johannes Debus and lighting design for David Finn.
Outstanding New Opera went to “Shanawdithit,” by Yvette Nolan and Dean Burry, co-produced by Tapestry Opera and Opera on the Avalon.
In the dance division, “hollow mountain” by Rock Bottom Movement was named Outstanding Production. Outstanding Choreography went to Crystal Pite for the National Ballet of Canada’s “Angels’ Atlas.”
The Mirvish Productions presentation of “Us/Them” won Outstanding Touring Production.