The Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding New Play is an annual award celebrating achievements in Toronto theatre.
For most of the Dora Awards' history, separate awards have been presented for best play and Best Original Musical. For part of the 1990s, however, the two awards were merged with both musicals and dialogue-based plays competing in a single category. From 1980 to 1988, only a single award was presented each year; beginning in 1988, a separate award was introduced for Outstanding New Play, Small/Independent Theatre.
Winners and nominees 1980s YearPlaywrightTitleRef 1980 Linda Griffiths, Paul Thompson Maggie and Pierre Ray Conlogue, "Dora Mavor Moore Awards suffer from stage fright". The Globe and Mail, January 27, 1981. Alun Hibbert October's Soldiers Tom Walmsley Something Red 1981 Allan Stratton Rexy Carole Corbeil, "Just like Oscars: lots of no-shows Carver, Maxwell win theatre awards". The Globe and Mail, January 26, 1982. Neil Munro Extreme Close Up Ray Conlogue, "Donald Davis, Loose Ends lead Dora nominees". The Globe and Mail, December 4, 1981. Judith Thompson The Crackwalker George F. Walker Theatre of the Film Noir 1982 John Krizanc Tamara Carole Corbeil, "An outstanding night for Tamara". The Globe and Mail, November 16, 1982. Lawrence Jeffery Clay "Dora Mavor Moore awards: Tamara paces the nominees". The Globe and Mail, October 1, 1982. Erika Ritter The Passing Scene Tom Walmsley White Boys 1983 Patrick Brymer, Linda Griffiths O.D. on Paradise Ray Conlogue, "Thomson, Phipps take Doras for outstanding acting". The Globe and Mail, October 11, 1983. Mavis Gallant What Is to Be Done? Richard Rose Censored George F. Walker The Art of War 1984 Autumn Angel Repertory: Stewart Arnott, Ines Ruchli, Mark Christmann, Dorian Clark, Denis Forest, Maggie Huculak, Tanja Jacobs, Susan McKenzie, Richard Rose Mein Stephen Godfrey, "Jungle of Cities wins four Doras". The Globe and Mail, October 23, 1984. Jim Betts The Mystery of the Oak Island Treasure Stephen Godfrey, "Team aims to make this award show different". The Globe and Mail, October 13, 1984. Lawrence Jeffery Tower Bob Knuckle, Gordon Carruth I Am Not a Legend George Luscombe, Larry Cox Names 1985 David French Salt-Water Moon "Cats takes lion's share of Dora awards". Montreal Gazette, October 9, 1985. Marie-Lynn Hammond De beaux gestes/Beautiful Deeds Henry Mietkiewicz, "Cats leads pack of Dora nominees". Toronto Star, September 5, 1985. Michael Hollingsworth The History of the Village of the Small Huts: Part 1, New France John Krizanc Prague George F. Walker Criminals in Love 1986 Linda Griffiths, Maria Campbell Jessica "Desert Song sweeps Dora awards as top production in Toronto theatre". Ottawa Citizen, June 17, 1986. Don Hannah The Wedding Script "Tarragon sweeps the nominations for Dora Awards". Toronto Star, May 15, 1986. Page F1. Margaret Hollingsworth Islands Maristella Roca La Storia: A Tale of Fables Allan Stratton Papers 1987 Tomson Highway The Rez Sisters Ray Conlogue, "Mikado, B-Movie big Dora winners". The Globe and Mail, June 23, 1987. René-Daniel Dubois Being at Home with Claude "Mikado nominated for 7 Dora Awards". Toronto Star, May 27, 1987. Margaret Hollingsworth War Babies John Lazarus Genuine Fakes Joan MacLeod Jewel 1988 George F. Walker Nothing Sacred Robert Crew, "George Walker play sweeps Dora awards". Toronto Star, June 14, 1988. Robert Fothergill Detaining Mr. Trotsky "CentreStage play tops Dora Award nominees". Toronto Star, May 11, 1988. Page C1. Ann-Marie MacDonald Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet) Judith Thompson I Am Yours Michel Tremblay Le Vrai Monde? 1989 Tomson Highway Dry Lips Oughta Move to Kapuskasing Robert Crew, "Passe Muraille sweeps up Doras". Toronto Star, June 26, 1989. Sally Clark Moo "And the Dora nominees are...". The Globe and Mail, May 13, 1989. Ken Garnhum Beuys, Buoys, Boys Kelly Rebar Bordertown Café Michel Tremblay (tr. John Van Burek, Bill Glassco) The Real World?
1990s Years marked with a § are those in which the awards for Outstanding New Play and Outstanding New Musical were merged. YearPlaywrightTitleRef 1990 George F. Walker Love and Anger Ray Conlogue, "Three Doras each for Billy the Kid, Love and Anger". The Globe and Mail, June 26, 1990. Howard Barker The Europeans Ray Conlogue, "Dora nominations harvested from sparse crop of new plays". The Globe and Mail, May 15, 1990. Sally Clark The Trial of Judith K Joan MacLeod Amigo's Blue Guitar Michael Ondaatje, Richard Rose, D.D. Kugler Coming Through Slaughter 1991 Michel Marc Bouchard (translation by Linda Gaboriau) Lilies "Lilies, 7 Stories win top honors". Ottawa Citizen, June 18, 1991. Linda Griffiths The Darling Family H. J. Kirchhoff, "That Scatterbrain Booky and Lilies pace Dora race: Each production picks up eight nominations". The Globe and Mail, May 15, 1991. Ann-Marie MacDonald The Arab's Mouth Judith Thompson Lion in the Streets Michel Tremblay La Maison suspendue 1992 George F. Walker Escape from Happiness H. J. Kirchhoff, "Beattie and Cavendish take home Doras George F. Walker's Escape from Happiness named outstanding new play". The Globe and Mail, June 29, 1992. Michael Hollingsworth Laurier "Dora Award nominees". Toronto Star, May 14, 1992. Bryden MacDonald Whale Riding Weather Paulette Phillips Under the Influence Paula Wing Naomi's Road 1993 § Terrence McNally, John Kander, Fred Ebb Kiss of the Spider Woman "Kiss of the Spider Woman captures 7 Dora Awards". Waterloo Region Record, June 22, 1993. Martha Ross, John Millard Ratbag "Dora Award nominations". Toronto Star, May 11, 1993. 1994 § Leslie Arden The House of Martin Guerre Vit Wagner, "Dora Awards crazy for Crazy For You". Toronto Star, June 21, 1994. John Lazarus The Nightingale Elizabeth Renzetti, "Miss Saigon leads in race for Doras". The Globe and Mail, May 18, 1994. Michael O'Brien A Christmas Carol Andrew Sabiston, Timothy Williams Napoleon 1995 § John Wimbs, Christopher Richards Molly Wood Vit Wagner, "Music to the ears: Tommy & Assassins whistle up five Dora Awards apiece". Toronto Star, June 7, 1995. Don Hannah The Wooden Hill "Nominations for '95 Dora Awards". Toronto Star, May 13, 1995. Maureen Hunter Transit of Venus 1996 § Raymond Storey The Glorious 12th "Dora Mavor Moore Awards announced". Montreal Gazette, June 25, 1996. Gilles Maheu The Dead Souls Geoff Chapman, "Canadian Stage, Tarragon lead Dora nominations". Toronto Star, May 17, 1996. Allan Stratton Dracula: Nightmare of the Dead 1997 § Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty, Terrence McNally Ragtime Vit Wagner, "Ragtime beats out seven Dora awards". Toronto Star, September 30, 1997. John Caird, Paul Gordon Jane Eyre Vit Wagner, "Ragtime sets Dora nominations beat Musical leads field for Toronto theatre awards". Toronto Star, September 12, 1997. Maureen Hunter Atlantis Michael O'Brien Oliver Twist, or The Street Boy's Progress Carol Shields Thirteen Hands 1998 George F. Walker Problem Child "List of Dora Award winners". Toronto Star, June 23, 1998. David Gow Cherry Docs "Dora Award nominees". Toronto Star, May 27, 1998. Jason Sherman Patience George F. Walker The End Of Civilization David Young Inexpressible Island 1999 Michael Healey The Drawer Boy Robert Cushman, "The Drawer Boy gets load of Doras, but Soulpepper's Don Carlos is overlooked". National Post, June 22, 1999. Daniel Brooks, Guillermo Verdecchia Insomnia Vit Wagner, "Opera leads Moore race; Main rivals on musical front are Mirvish shows". Toronto Star, May 28, 1999. Michael Hollingsworth, Deanne Taylor The Life and Times of Brian Mulroney Soheil Parsa Aurash Jonathan Wilson Kilt
2000s YearPlaywrightTitleRef 2000 Linda Griffiths Alien Creature Michel Tremblay (translation by Linda Gaboriau) For the Pleasure of Seeing Her Again Florence Gibson Belle Morwyn Brebner Music for Contortionist Jean Yoon The Yoko Ono Project 2001 Kristen Thomson I, Claudia Robert Cushman, "I, Claudia takes Doras for best actress, new play: Toronto Theatre Awards". National Post, June 26, 2001. Alex Bulmer Smudge Ronnie Burkett Happy Adam Pettle Zadie's Shoes Betty Quan Ghost Train 2002 Michael Healey Plan B Carole Fréchette, Elisa's Skin Daniel MacIvor You Are Here Alex Poch-Goldin This Hotel Djanet Sears The Adventures of a Black Girl in Search of God 2003 Morris Panych Girl in the Goldfish Bowl Chris Earle Russell Hill Matthew Edison The Domino Heart Sonja Mills The Danish Play Adam Pettle Therac 25 2004 Michael Hollingsworth Confederation Trey Anthony da kink in my hair Marjorie Chan China Doll Peter Froehlich Simpl Michael O'Brien Restitution: An Irish-Canadian Rhapsody 2005 John Mighton Half Life Claudia Dey Trout Stanley Keira Loughran Little Dragon Rick Miller, Daniel Brooks Bigger Than Jesus David S. Young No Great Mischief 2006 d'bi young blood.claat - one woman story Ronnie Burkett 10 Days on Earth Rosa Labordé Léo Niki Landau Territories Colombe Demers, Ann-Marie Kerr, Liisa Repo-Martell The Long Valley 2007 Michael Healey Generous Damien Atkins Lucy Kenneth Jones, "Toronto's Seussical and We Will Rock You Are Top Getters in Dora Nominations". Playbill, June 8, 2007. Michael Hollingsworth The Saskatchewan Rebellion Mike McPhaden Noble Parasites Morris Panych What Lies Before Us 2008 Judith Thompson The Palace of the End Brendan Gall Alias Godot Hannah Moscovitch East of Berlin Hannah Moscovitch Essay The Second City Tazed and Confused 2009 Waawaate Fobister Agokwe Charlotte Corbeil-Coleman Scratch Robert Cushman, "The play is the thing, not artificial categories; Dora stipulations make for some odd award nominees". National Post, June 27, 2009. Kevin Loring Where the Blood Mixes Joan MacLeod Another Home Invasion Andrew Moodie Toronto the Good
2010s YearPlaywrightTitleRef 2010 Michael Healey Courageous Carmen Aguirre Refugee Hotel Anusree Roy Letters to My Grandma Erin Shields If We Were Birds Judith Thompson Such Creatures 2011 Anusree Roy Brothel #9 Maja Ardal The Cure for Everything Brendan Gall Wide Awake Hearts Andrew Kushnir The Middle Place Roland Schimmelpfennig Peggy Pickit Sees the Face of God - The Africa Trilogy 2012 Pamela Mala Sinha Crash Ins Choi Kim's Convenience Erin Fleck Those Who Can't Do Tim Supple, Hanan al-Shaykh One Thousand and One Nights Evan Webber Ajax & Little Iliad 2013 Kristen Thomson Someone Else Richard Ouzounian, "Cinderella cleans up with 7 Dora Awards". Toronto Star, June 25, 2013. Melody Johnson Miss Caledonia Daniel MacIvor Arigato, Tokyo Hannah Moscovitch Little One Tawiah M'carthy Obaaberima 2014 Vern Thiessen Of Human Bondage Damien Atkins, Paul Dunn, Andrew Kushnir The Gay Heritage Project 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. Sean Dixon A God in Need of Help Tim Luscombe Pig Marcus Youssef, James Long Winners and Losers 2015 Hannah Moscovitch Infinity Michael Hollingsworth Trudeau and Lévesque Maria Milisavljevic Abyss Carolyn Smart, Nicky Guadagni Hooked 2016 Kat Sandler Mustard Anna Chatterton, Evalyn Parry, Karin Randoja Gertrude and Alice Fabrizio Filippo The Summoned Jordan Tannahill Botticelli in the Fire and Sunday in Sodom Severn Thompson Elle 2017 Nick Green Body Politic Katherine Cullen, Britta Johnson Stupidhead! Diane Flacks Unholy Kristen Thomson The Wedding Party David Yee Acquiesce 2018 Evalyn Parry, Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory Kiinalik: These Sharp Tools Rose Napoli Lo (or Dear Mr. Wells) Jivesh Parasram Take d Milk, Nah? Kat Sandler Bang Bang Emil Sher The Boy in the Moon 2019 Charlotte Corbeil-Coleman Guarded Girls "Soulpepper’s Rose grabs four Dora Awards". Toronto Star, June 26, 2019. Yolanda Bonnell Bug Lisa Karen Cox, Maggie Huculak, Raha Javanfar, Amy Nostbakken, Norah Sadava, Cheyenne Scott Now You See Her Kate Hennig The Virgin Trial Hannah Moscovitch, Maev Beaty, Anne-Marie Kerr Secret Life of a Mother
2020s