The Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Direction of a Play/Musical is an annual award celebrating achievements in Toronto theatre.
Winners and nominees
1980s YearDirectorPlayRef 1980 Guy Sprung Balconville and Paper Wheat Ray Conlogue, "Dora Mavor Moore Awards suffer from stage fright". The Globe and Mail, January 27, 1981. Peter Froehlich Staller's Farm Gina Mallet, "Controversial Bent set for Toronto run". Toronto Star, January 23, 1981. Ken Livingstone American Buffalo George Luscombe Ain't Lookin 1981 George F. Walker Theatre of the Film Noir Carole Corbeil, "Just like Oscars: lots of no-shows Carver, Maxwell win theatre awards". The Globe and Mail, January 26, 1982. William Lane Loose Ends "And the nominees are...". Toronto Star, January 16, 1982. Alan Scarfe The Last Meeting of the Knights of the White Magnolia Ray Whelan Arms and the Man 1982 Richard Rose Tamara Carole Corbeil, "An outstanding night for Tamara". The Globe and Mail, November 16, 1982. Jim Garrard Cold Comfort "Dora Mavor Moore awards Tamara paces the nominees". The Globe and Mail, October 1, 1982. Guy Sprung Night and Day Henry Tarvainen Straight Ahead/Blind Dancers 1983 Guy Sprung Translations Ray Conlogue, "Thomson, Phipps take Doras for outstanding acting". The Globe and Mail, October 11, 1983. Leon Major Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All for You and Identity Crisis Robin Phillips The Prisoner of Zenda Guy Sprung Dream in High Park 1984 Bill Glassco Cloud Nine Stephen Godfrey, "Jungle of Cities wins four Doras". The Globe and Mail, October 23, 1984. Derek Goldby, David Hemblen Delicatessen Stephen Godfrey, "Team aims to make this award show different". The Globe and Mail, October 13, 1984. Ray Jewers Trafford Tanzi Leon Major The Dining Room 1985 Derek Goldby Uncle Vanya "Cats takes lion's share of Dora awards". Montreal Gazette, October 9, 1985. Bill Glassco Salt-Water Moon Henry Mietkiewicz, "Cats leads pack of Dora nominees". Toronto Star, September 5, 1985. Ken Livingstone 'night, Mother Robin Phillips New World Aaron Schwartz Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean 1986 Richard Greenblatt The Miracle Worker Sid Adilman, "A night for families at Dora Awards show". Toronto Star, June 20, 1986. Alexander Hausvater Ghetto Deirdre Kelly, "Dora smiles on Tarragon with record 17 nominations". The Globe and Mail, May 15, 1986. Ken Livingstone Other Places Andy McKim The Wedding Script John Van Burek Hosanna 1987 Bob Baker B-Movie: The Play Ray Conlogue, "Mikado, B-Movie big Dora winners". The Globe and Mail, June 23, 1987. Dennis Foon Bedtimes and Bullies "Dora Award nominees". Toronto Star, May 27, 1987. Jeff Henry The Bloodknot Urjo Kareda, Andy McKim Aunt Dan and Lemon John Van Burek Bonjour, La, Bonjour 1988 Larry Lillo A Lie of the Mind Ray Conlogue, "Walker's Nothing Sacred collects four Dora awards". The Globe and Mail, June 15, 1988. Bill Glassco Nothing Sacred Robert Crew, "CentreStage play tops Dora Award nominees". Toronto Star, May 11, 1988. Derek Goldby I Am Yours Richard Greenblatt Detaining Mr. Trotsky Robert Rooney Something in the Air 1989 Robert Lepage The Dragons Trilogy "Highway sweeps Dora awards". Edmonton Journal, June 27, 1989. Denise Filiatrault Les Fridolinades Isabel Vincent, "And the Dora nominees are...". The Globe and Mail, May 13, 1989. Larry Lewis Dry Lips Oughta Move to Kapuskasing Richard Rose The Possibilities Susan Wright Under the Skin
1990s YearDirectorPlayRef 1990 JoAnn McIntyre The Collected Works of Billy the Kid Bob Baker Breaking the Code Ray Conlogue, "Dora nominations harvested from sparse crop of new plays". The Globe and Mail, May 15, 1990. Derek Goldby The Father Robert Lepage Echo Richard Rose The Europeans 1991 Richard Monette Saint Joan Richard Greenblatt Mirror Game Peter Hinton-Davis Possible Worlds Brian Richmond Lilies John Van Burek La Maison Suspendue 1992 Neil Munro Hamlet François Faucher Elvire Jouvet 40 Dennis Foon Naomi's Road László Marton Three Sisters Paulette Phillips Under the Influence 1993 Harold Prince Kiss of the Spider Woman Maja Ardal Whale Marti Maraden Fallen Angels Duncan McIntosh Le Bal Steven Pimlott Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat 1994 Mike Ockrent Crazy for You Maja Ardal A Christmas Carol John Bourgeois The Taming of the Shrew Peter Hinton-Davis Abundance Nicholas Hytner Miss Saigon 1995 Des McAnuff Tommy Bob Baker Into the Woods Marti Maraden Six Degrees of Separation 1996 Robert Lepage The Seven Streams of the River Ota Maja Ardal Two Weeks with the Queen Leah Cherniak The Diary of Anne Frank Robert Lepage Elsinore Gilles Maheu The Dead Souls 1997 Frank Galati Ragtime Rob Bettinson Jolson John Caird Jane Eyre Marshall Pynkoski Don Giovanni James Robinson Elektra 1998 Ian Prinsloo Patience Daniel Brooks The Designated Mourner "Dora Award nominees". Toronto Star, May 27, 1998. Leah Cherniak The Betrayal Alisa Palmer The Quartet Miles Potter Molly Sweeney Richard Rose Inexpressible Island George F. Walker Problem Child 1999 Soheil Parsa. Aurash Miles Potter The Drawer Boy John MacLachlan Gray, Eric Peterson Billy Bishop Goes to War Michael Hollingsworth The Life and Times of Brian Mulroney Andy McKim Kilt Miles Potter The Drawer Boy Guillermo Verdecchia, Daniel Brooks Insomnia
2000s YearDirectorPlayRef 2000 László Marton Platonov Daniel Brooks Endgame Daniel Brooks Faust Morris Panych, Wendy Gorling The Overcoat Sarah Stanley Beaver 2001 Ian McElhinney Stones in His Pockets Blake Brooker, Denise Clarke Thunderstruck Daniel Brooks Betrayal Dennis Garnhum Slavs! Pierre Tétrault Ghost Train 2002 Jim Warren The Bald Soprano Daniel Brooks The Good Life Rosemary Dunsmore Fighting Words Dennis Garnhum Skylight Daniel MacIvor In On It Kelly Thornton This Hotel 2003 Morris Panych Girl in the Goldfish Bowl Chris Abraham Russell Hill Leah Cherniak The Miracle Worker Brian Quirt Through the Eyes Albert Schultz A Chorus of Disapproval 2004 Richard Rose Remnants Kamal Al-Solaylee, "The Producers lost at box office but wins big at Dora awards". The Globe and Mail, June 29, 2004. Guy Mignault Le Visiteur Robert Cushman, "The Doras: and the winner is ...: Odd nominees make predictions difficult". National Post, June 26, 2004. Larry Moss The Syringa Tree Richard Rose Sarah Stanley Restitution: An Irish-Canadian Rhapsody 2005 Ken Gass The Leisure Society Daniel Brooks Bigger Than Jesus Daniel Brooks Half-Life Allen MacInnis Blue Planet Joseph Ziegler Hamlet 2006 Nigel Shawn Williams The Monument Daniel MacIvor A Beautiful View Robert Cushman, "Some nods are inexplicable: A desperate season, a desperate slate of Dora nominees". National Post, June 24, 2006. Weyni Mengesha blood.claat - one womban story Richard Rose Leo Joseph Ziegler Our Town 2007 Richard Rose Scorched Guy Dixon, "Scorched wins best play at Dora Awards". The Globe and Mail, June 25, 2007. Chris Abraham Insomnia Daniel Brooks Here Lies Henry Ted Dykstra Leaving Home Jennifer Tarver Crave 2008 Alisa Palmer Top Girls Philip Akin Intimate Apparel Micheline Chevrier The December Man Diana Leblanc Rose Jean-Stéphane Roy The Misanthrope 2009 Ed Roy Agokwe Chris Abraham I, Claudia Jason Byrne Festen Denise Clarke Radio Play Weyni Mengesha A Raisin in the Sun
2010s YearPlaywrightTitleRef 2010 Morris Panych Parfumerie Adam BrazierAssassins Robert Cushman, "Navigating the nominations; Our critic predicts Dora winners and laments overlooked performances". National Post, June 26, 2010. Alan Dilworth If We Were Birds Graham McLaren Hamlet Richard Rose Courageous 2011 Brendan Healy Blasted Philip Akin Ruined Allen MacInnis A Year With Frog and Toad Gina Wilkinson Wide Awake Hearts Nigel Shawn Williams Brothel #9 2012 Philip Akin Topdog/Underdog Alan Dilworth Crash Ross Manson The Golden Dragon Robert McQueen Caroline, or Change Kelly Thornton The Penelopiad 2013 Chris Abraham The Little Years Chris Abraham Someone Else Brendan Healy Arigato, Tokyo Evalyn Parry Obaaberima Albert Schultz The Crucible 2014 Albert Schultz Of Human Bondage Brendan Healy Pig Robert Cushman, "Best in shows; The Doras have a weak field to choose from this year, but they've chosen well". National Post, June 21, 2014. Weyni Mengesha Lungs Adam Paolozza The Double Richard Rose A God in Need of Help 2015 Eda Holmes Tom at the Farm Alan Dilworth Twelve Angry Men J. Kelly Nestruck, "Soulpepper leads in Dora Award nods". The Globe and Mail, June 2, 2015. Gísli Örn Garðarsson The Heart of Robin Hood Ravi Jain Accidental Death of an Anarchist Richard Rose An Enemy of the People 2016 Ravi Jain Salt-Water Moon Ashlie Corcoran Mustard Matjash Mrozewski, Estelle Shook Botticelli in the Fire and Sunday in Sodom Peter Hinton-Davis Bombay Black Ravi Jain We Are Proud to Present... 2017 Philip Akin "Master Harold" ...and the Boys Nina Lee Aquino acquiesce Ashlie Corcoran KISS Alan Dilworth Incident at Vichy Weyni Mengesha Father Comes Home From the Wars (Parts I, II, III) 2018 Mitchell Cushman Jerusalem Alan Dilworth Idomeneus J. Kelly Nestruck, "Soulpepper's 13 nominations lead general theatre division of Toronto's Dora Awards". The Globe and Mail, May 31, 2018. Richard Rose Hamlet Djanet Sears For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf Ted Witzel LULU v.7 // aspects of a femme fatale 2019 Nina Lee Aquino School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play Brendan Healy Every Brilliant Thing Mumbi Tindyebwa Otu Oraltorio: A Theatrical Mixtape Meg Roe Middletown Guillermo Verdecchia The Royale
2020s YearPlaywrightTitleRef 2020 Mumbi Tindyebwa Otu The Brothers Size Chris Abraham Julius Caesar Mitchell Cushman The Flick Jani Lauzon Almighty Voice and His Wife Weyni Mengesha A Streetcar Named Desire 2021 No ceremony held due to the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada on theatre production in 2020. "Dora Awards honour lifetime achievement in theatre as COVID-19 shuts down live shows: Dora Mavor Moore Awards celebrates lifetime contributions after COVID-19 pandemic shut down live performances". The Globe and Mail, June 16, 2021. 2022 Soheil Parsa Wildfire Joshua Chong, "‘Sweeney Todd,’ ‘Italian Mime Suicide’ and ‘Wildfire’ win big at 2022 Dora Awards". Toronto Star, September 19, 2022. Courtney Ch’ng Lancaster Three Women of Swatow Aisling Murphy, "Nomination Announcements: 42nd Annual Dora Mavor Moore Awards". Intermission Magazine, August 29, 2022. Weyni Mengesha Pipeline Mumbi Tindyebwa Otu Is God Is John Tiffany Harry Potter and the Cursed Child 2023 Cherissa Richards Red Velvet Hélène Crowley, "Announcing the 2023 Dora Mavor Moore Award Winners". Intermission Magazine, June 27, 2023. Philip Akin Maanomaa, My Brother Marie Farsi Fifteen Dogs Weyni Mengesha Queen Goneril Alisa Palmer Fall On Your Knees, Part Two: The Diary 2024 Andrew Kushnir Bad Roads Glenn Sumi, "Dora Awards 2024: ‘Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812’ earns four statuettes at Toronto’s top theatre honours". Toronto Star, June 24, 2024. Chris Abraham The Master Plan Aisling Murphy, "TAPA announces 2024 Dora Award nominees". Intermission Magazine, May 28, 2004. Seth Bockley King Gilgamesh and the Man of the Wild Brendan Healy The Inheritance, Pt. 1 Mumbi Tindyebwa Otu Sizwe Banzi Is Dead 2025 Ravi Jain Mahabharata: Part One: Karma: The Life We Inherit Beatriz Ferreira, "2025 Dora Mavor Moore Awards: Winners honoured for excellence in Toronto theatre". Now, July 1, 2025. Brendan Healy Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Krystal Abrigo, "TAPA reveals 2025 Dora Award nominees". Intermission, May 28, 2025. Djanet Sears Table for Two Mumbi Tindeybwa Otu Flex 2026 Gregory Prest Bremen Town A.A. Cristi, "2026 Dora Mavor Moore Awards Winners Announced; See the Full List". Broadway World, June 29, 2026. Andrea Donaldson Enormity, Girl, and the Earthquake in Her Lungs Chloe Rabinowitz, "TAPA Reveals 2026 Dora Mavor Moore Award Nominations". Broadway World, June 1, 2026. Claren Grosz, Augusto Bitter Reina Thomas Morgan Jones Through the Eyes of God Karine Ricard The Misunderstanding (Le malentendu)