The 2007 Dora Award Nominations were announced this morning, celebrating the best of the Toronto theatre scene.

The press conference was held on the 68th floor of First Canadian Place, overlooking the downtown core where most of the companies that fill Toronto's theatre scene reside. In the room, there were anxious artistic directors, general managers and producers, waiting to hear the news as to whether the shows they had poured their hearts into were going to be receiving a coveted Dora Award nomination for 2007. The Dora awards celebrate the best of theatre, dance, opera, and theatre for young people.

The winners of two major awards were announced: the George Luscombe Award for mentorship in the theatre and the Barbara Hamilton Memorial Award for excellence in the arts. The 2007 winners were Andy McKim, who has recently left his position at the Tarragon Theatre to assume the Artistic Director job at Theatre Pass Muraille, and Karen Kain, who is currently serving as the Artistic Director of the National Ballet Of Canada. Both McKim and Kain have had long and distinguished careers in their respective fields, and McKim was especially moved by the honour, named after George Luscombe, who founded Toronto Workshop Productions and was one of the most prolific political theatre creators this country has seen.

Two musicals tied for the largest number of Dora nominations. We Will Rock You, playing at the Canon Theatre as part of the 2006-2007 Mirvish subscription series received 8 nominations, including Outstanding Production of a Musical, as did the Lorraine Kimsa Theatre For Young People's production of Seussical.

The nominees are as follows:

GENERAL THEATRE DIVISION

OUTSTANDING NEW PLAY

Morris Panych, What Lies Before Us

Mike McPhaden, Noble Parasites

Michael Hollingsworth, The Saskatchewan Rebellion

Michael Healey, Generous

Damien Atkins, Lucy

OUTSTANDING NEW MUSICAL

Florence Gibson and Shawn Byfield, i think i can

Neil Bartram (music and lyrics) and Brian Hill (book), The Story of My Life

The cast, Bird Flu Over the Cuckoo's Nest

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION OF A PLAY

Scorched, Tarragon Theatre in co-production with the National Arts Centre, English Theatre

Of Mice and Men, CanStage in co-production with Theatre Calgary

Leaving Home, Soulpepper Theatre Company

Insomnia, Necessary Angel, a joint production with Theatre Junction, Calgary

Here Lies Henry, Buddies in Bad Times Theatre presents da da kamera

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL

We Will Rock You, David and Ed Mirvish and the Kimsa Group in association with Queen Theatrical Productions, Phil McIntyre Entertainment and Tribeca Theatricals

The Story of My Life, CanStage

Seussical, Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People

Richard O'Brien's The Rocky Horror Show, CanStage in co-production with The Manitoba Theatre Centre

i think i can, Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People

OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A PLAY

Ted Dykstra, Leaving Home

Richard Rose, Scorched

Jennifer Tarver, Crave

Daniel Brooks,Here Lies Henry

Chris Abraham, Insomnia

OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL

Ted Dykstra, Richard O'Brien's The Rocky Horror Show

Conrad Alexandrowicz, i think i can

Christopher Bond & Hinton Battle, Evil Dead the Musical

Ben Elton, We Will Rock You

Allen MacInnis, Seussical

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – PLAY

Tom McCamus, Thom Pain (based on nothing)

Rick Roberts, John and Beatrice

Kenneth Welsh, Leaving Home

Daniel MacIvor, Here Lies Henry

Ashley Wright, Of Mice and Men

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – PLAY

Seana McKenna, Orpheus Descending

Meg Roe, Lucy

Kristen Thomson, The Chairs

Diane D'Aquila, Leaving Home

Caroline Cave, John and Beatrice

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – MUSICAL

Yvan Pedneault, We Will Rock You

Ryan Ward, Evil Dead the Musical

Jeffrey Kuhn, The Story of My Life

George Masswohl, Seussical

Adam Brazier, Richard O'Brien's The Rocky Horror Show

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE – MUSICAL

Sarah Cornell, Evil Dead the Musical

Melody Johnson, i think i can

Jayne Lewis, Menopause Out Loud!

Erica Peck, We Will Rock You

Corrine Koslo, Seussical

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE IN A FEATURED ROLE IN A PLAY OR MUSICAL

Jane Spidell, Leaving Home

Ensemble, Danny, King of the Basement

Ensemble, The Overcoat

Eddie Glen, Richard O'Brien's The Rocky Horror Show

Colombe Demers, Insomnia

Alon Nashman, Scorched

OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN

Michael Levine, Das Rheingold

Michael Gianfrancesco, Seussical

Kevin Knight, Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk

John Jenkins and Allan Stichbury, Of Mice and Men

Derek McLane, Elektra

OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN

Xiaomin Mo, Tang Concubines

Tim Goodchild, We Will Rock You

Philip Clarkson, Seussical

Nancy Bryant, The Overcoat

Astrid Janson & Sarah Armstrong, The Saskatchewan Rebellion

OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN

Thomas C. Hase, Elektra

Kimberly Purtell, Crave

Kevin Lamotte, Of Mice and Men

Andy Moro, Here Lies Henry

Alan Brodie, The Overcoat

OUTSTANDING SOUND DESIGN/COMPOSITION

Todd Charlton, Scorched

Richard Feren, Here Lies Henry

Richard Feren, Insomnia

Cathy Nosaty, i think i can

Bobby Aitken, We Will Rock You

OUTSTANDING MUSICAL DIRECTION

Rick Fox, We Will Rock You

Richard Bradshaw, Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk

Richard Bradshaw, Elektra

Elizabeth Baird, Seussical

Andrew Parrott, Orpheus and Eurydice

OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY IN A PLAY OR MUSICAL

Nicola Pantin, Seussical Jonathan Feng, HanTang Concubines

Jody Ripplinger, Richard O'Brien's The Rocky Horror Show

Hinton Battle, Evil Dead the Musical

Arlene Williams, We Will Rock You

OUTSTANDING TOURING PRODUCTION

Le Professionnel, Théâtre français de Toronto

Mabou Mines DollHouse, Harbourfront Centre

MacHomer, Young Centre for the Performing Arts

Sizwe Banzi is Dead, Harbourfront Centre

Tempting Providence, Factory Theatre

OPERA DIVISION

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION

Orpheus and Eurydice, Opera Atelier

Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, Canadian Opera Company

Faust, Canadian Opera Company

Elektra, Canadian Opera Company

Das Rheingold, Canadian Opera Company

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE

Susan Bullock, Elektra

Penelope Randall, The Magic Flute

Nicola Beller Carbone, Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk

Ewa Podles, Elektra

David Pomeroy, Faust

Colin Ainsworth, Orpheus and Eurydice

DANCE DIVISION

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION

it's only a rehearsal, Harbourfront Centre presents zero visibility corp Le doute m'habite / The doubt within me, Harbourfront Centre

Timecode Break, Toronto Dance Theatre, Canada Dance Festival/ National Arts Centre/Banff Centre for the Arts

TooBoe - The Howl (CanAsian International Dance Festival) CanAsian Dance Festival

Unbound [DW 164], DanceWorks, Harbourfront Centre

OUTSTANDING NEW CHOREOGRAPHY

Susanna Hood, loveloathing

Sasha Ivanochko, Heaven (Mainstage DW160)

Keiko Ninomiya and Kinya "Zulu" Tsuruyama, You See the Tree, You Don't See the Forest (CanAsian International Dance Festival - Mainstage Programme)

Christopher House, Timecode Break

Christopher House, Chiasmata

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE

Johanna Bergfelt, Scarachnia (IN(side)tiME)

Louis Laberge-Côté, Heaven (Mainstage DW160)

Nova Bhattacharya, Calm Abiding (Out of Bounds) (Mainstage DW161)

Ramon Martinez, Esencia Flamenca

Sudarshan Belsare, Uma (Transformations: Expressions of Gender Roles in Asian Dance)

Valerie Calam, Timecode Break

OUTSTANDING SOUND DESIGN/COMPOSITION

Richard Windeyer, Hillar Liitoja and Magdalena Vasko, I of the Beholder

Phil Strong, Timecode Break

Nicolas Hernandez and Jose Valle, Esencia Flamenca

John Gzowski, Morning Star River and Arthur Tamwoy, Shimmer

Eric Craven, /Dance/Songs/ (CW 42)

Christine Fellows, The Spinster's Almanac (CW 48)

INDEPENDENT THEATRE DIVISION

OUTSTANDING NEW PLAY

The Rumoli Brothers (Brandon & Kurt Firla), SARSical

Tony Nardi, Two Letters

Bruce Alcock, Kate Alton, Rafael Barreto-Rivera, bpNichol, Paul Dutton, Steve MacCaffrey and Ross Manson, The Four Horsemen Project

Catherine Hernandez, Singkil

Erika Batdorf, Christine Horne, Matthew Romantini and the Company, Gorey Story

Conceived by Darren O'Donnell, Diplomatic Immunities: The End

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION

The Four Horsemen, Project Volcano in association with Factory Theatre, Crooked Figure Dances and Global Mechanic

Singkil, fu-GEN Asian-Canadian Theatre Company

How Soon Is Now, The Theatre Centre presents bluemounth inc.

Gorey Story, The Thistle Project

Diplomatic Immunities: The End, Mammalian Diving Reflex in association with Buddies in Bad Times Theatre

36 Views, Actors Repertory Company

OUTSTANDING DIRECTION

Kate Alton and Ross Manson, The Four Horsemen Project

Mark Cassidy, Terror

Nina Lee Aquino, Singkil

bluemouth inc., How Soon Is Now

Erika Batdorf, Gorey Story

Darren O'Donnell with Rebecca Picherack, Diplomatic Immunities: The End

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE

Thom Allison, Elegies: A Song Cycle

Ryan Kelly, Will the Real J.T. LeRoy Please Stand Up?

Paul Bates, SARSical

Leon Aureus, Singkil

David Collins, Twilight Café (The Last Breakfast)

Christopher Stanton, Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE

Sarah Dodd, Marion Bridge

Rose Cortez, Singkil

Michelle Monteith, The Russian Play

Eliza-Jane Scott, Elegies: A Song Cycle

Deena Aziz, Homebody/Kabul

OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN

Robin Fisher, Tiny Dynamite

Itai Erdal, 36 Views

Camellia Koo, The Sheep and the Whale

Camellia Koo, Singkil

bluemouth inc., How Soon Is Now

OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN

Ruth Howard, Bridge of One Hair

Robin Fisher, 36 Views

Ming Wong, Gorey Story

Cass Reimer, The Four Horsemen Project

Camellia Koo, The Russian Play

OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN

Trevor Schwellnus, The Sheep and the Whale

Michelle Ramsay, The Stronger Variations

Kim Purtell, Chekhov's Heartache

Itai Erdal, The Four Horsemen Project

David Duclos with bluemouth inc., How Soon Is Now

Beth Kates, Songs for a New World

OUTSTANDING SOUND DESIGN/COMPOSITION

Waylen Miki, SARSical

Romeo Candido, Singkil

Rick Sacks, Terror

Richard Windeyer with bluemouth inc., How Soon Is Now

Kathy Zaborsky, Goblin Market

John Millard & John Gzowski, The Four Horsemen Project

THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES DIVISION

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE

Joshua Reynolds, Chasing the Money

Jonathan Widdifield, Romeo and Juliet

Jennifer Lyon, Comet in Moominland

Christine Brubaker, The Babysitter

Alon Nashman, The Snow Queen

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION

The Snow Queen, Theaturtle in association with The Tokai String Quartet

The Babysitter, Theatre Direct Canada in association with Eldritch Theatre

Spirit Horse, Roseneath Theatre

Macbeth, The Classical Theatre Project

Comet in Moominland, Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People in association with Manitoba Theatre for Young People

For tickets and information on the 2007 Dora Awards, click here.

For a blog about the 2007 Dora Award Nominations, click here.