Jersey Boys, Sound of Music, Eternal Hydra, Agokwe, Kushnier Among Dora Award Nominees | Playbill

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News Jersey Boys, Sound of Music, Eternal Hydra, Agokwe, Kushnier Among Dora Award Nominees Nominations for the 2009 Dora Mavor Moore Awards, celebrating excellence in Toronto's performing arts communuity, were announced June 3. This is the 30th anniversary of the awards.

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Jersey Boys' Quinn VanAntwerp, Jeff Madden, Jeremy Kushnier and Michael Lomenda Photo by Joan Marcus

The Toronto run of Jersey Boys took seven nominations, and the resident Buddies in Bad Times production of Agokwe snagged eight. Crow's Theatre's Eternal Hydra earned the most nominations — ten.

All four Toronto "Jersey Boys" — Jeremy Kushnier, Michael Lomenda, Jeff Madden and Quinn VanAntwerp — were nominated in one cluster in the category of Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Principal Role (Musical).

The Doras honor the creators of over 200 theatre, dance and opera productions annually in five major categories: General Theatre, Independent Theatre, Dance, Opera and Theatre for Young Audiences.

The 2009 awards, representing work that opened between June 1, 2008, and May 31, 2009, will be handed out June 29. A total of 35 Dora Awards plus the Silver Ticket Award, the Pauline McGibbon Award and the Audience Choice Award will be given in a ceremony hosted by Jian Ghomeshi at the Winter Garden Theatre.

The awards are administered by Toronto Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts. NOMINEES IN GENERAL THEATRE PRODUCTION DIVISION

Young Centre for the Performing Arts' nine nominations were for Crow's Theatre's I, Claudia (five, including Outstanding Production of a Play and Outstanding Direction of a Play for Chris Abraham, who is also up for Outstanding Direction in the Independent Theatre Division for Eternal Hydra) and Peggy Baker Dance Projects' Radio Play (four, including Outstanding Production of a Play, Outstanding Direction of a Play for Denise Clarke and Outstanding Choreography for Denise Clarke/Peggy Baker).

Agokwe's eight nominations included Outstanding Production, Outstanding Direction of a Play for Ed Roy and Outstanding New Play and Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Principal Role – Play for Waawaate Fobister.

Soulpepper's A Raisin in the Sun earned noms for Outstanding Production of a Play, Outstanding Direction of a Play for Weyni Mengesha and Outstanding Performance by a Female in a Principal Role – Play for both Abena Malika and Alison Sealy-Smith. Its Travesties earned Diego Matamoros a nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Principal Role – Play. Brenda Robins was nommed for Outstanding Performance in a Featured Role in a Play or Musical for Ring Round the Moon.

Tarragon's eight nominations were spread over three shows: three for The Patient Hour (including Outstanding Performance by a Female in a Principal Role – Play for Waneta Storms), two for Another Home Invasion (including Outstanding New Play for Joan MacLeod and Outstanding Performance by a Female in a Principal Role – Play for Nicola Lipman), and one each for House of Many Tongues (Hrant Alianak for Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Principal Role – Play), The Black Rider, The Casting of the Magic Bullets (Outstanding Touring Production for November Theatre's production) and Molière (Outstanding Costume Design for Charlotte Dean).

DanCap Productions' Jersey Boys earned Dora nominations for Outstanding Production of a Musical, Outstanding Direction of a Musical for Des McAnuff, Outstanding Choreography for Sergio Trujillo and (as mentioned) Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Principal Role – Musical for all four of the "Jersey Boys" — Jeremy Kushnier, Michael Lomenda, Jeff Madden and Quinn VanAntwerp.

Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People garnered seven Dora noms: five for The Forbidden Phoenix (presented in partnership with The Citadel Theatre) including Outstanding Production of a Musical, Outstanding Direction of a Musical for Ron Jenkins, Outstanding Choreography for Laura Krewski, Outstanding Performance by a Female in a Principal Role – Musical for Nadine Villasin, Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Principal Role – Musical for Richard Lee; while You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown earned Allen MacInnis a nod for Outstanding Direction of a Musical and Jane Miller a nod for Outstanding Performance by a Female in a Principal Role – Musical. With an added six nominations in the Theatre for Young Audiences Division, LKTYP took a grand total of 13 Dora nominations.

Mirvish shows received a total of six nominations: five for The Sound of Music (produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber, David Ian, David Mirvish) including Outstanding Production of a Musical, Outstanding Performance by a Female in a Principal Role – Musical for Elicia MacKenzie, Outstanding Direction of a Musical for Jeremy Sams, Outstanding Musical Direction for Jeffrey Huard and Outstanding Set Design for Robert Jones; Twelve Angry Men (produced by David Mirvish and Roundabout Theatre Company) is nominated for Outstanding Touring Production.

The Canadian Stage Company's four nominations include two for Raven Dauda who competes against herself for Outstanding Performance by a Female in a Featured Role in a Play or Musical for both Doubt, a parable and Miss Julie: Freedom Summer, which also sees Kevin Hanchard up for Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Principal Role – Play.

Luminato shows also have four nominations in this division, including two for Outstanding Touring Production: A Midsummer Night's Dream (Luminato presents A Dash Arts Production) and Black Watch (Luminato presents The National Theatre of Scotland). Kevin Loring's Where The Blood Mixes (Luminato produced in association with The Playhouse Theatre Company) is up for Outstanding New Play.

Acting Up Stage Theatre Company's A New Brain earned three nods: Outstanding Production of a Musical, Outstanding Direction of a Musical for Daryl Cloran and Outstanding Performance by a Female in a Principal Role – Musical for Barbara Barsky.

The Company Theatre's Festen received three nominations: Outstanding Production of a Play, Outstanding Direction of a Play for Jason Byrne and Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Principal Role – Play for Philip Riccio.

Factory Theatre nominations were for Scratch (Outstanding New Play for Charlotte Corbeil-Coleman, Outstanding Performance by a Female in a Principal Role – Play for Monica Dottor) and Outstanding New Play for Toronto the Good by Andrew Moodie.

Ross Petty Productions' Cinderella The Sillylicious Family Musical was nommed twice: Outstanding Production of a Musical and Outstanding Performance by a Female in a Principal Role – Musical for Paula Brancati. Brancati is also up for Outstanding Performance in a Featured Role in a Play or Musical for Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead, presented by Michael Rubinoff and Lindsey Steinberg.

Theatre Passe Muraille's The Misfit was twice nommed: Outstanding Choreography for Joanna De Souza and Anita Majumdar and Outstanding Sound Design/Composition for Ian De Souza.

For more information and a complete list of nominees, including those in the Independent Theatre Division, visit tapa.ca.

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David Ferry and Liisa Repo-Martell in Eternal Hydra Photo by Colin O'Connor
 
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