The Dora Mavor Moore Award for Best Leading Performer (General Theatre) is an annual Canadian theatre award, presented as part of the Dora Mavor Moore Awards to honour the year's best performance in a leading role in a stage production in the Toronto theatre market.
At the first awards in 1980, a single ungendered category was presented, with two winners. The following year, separate awards were presented for Best Leading Actor and Best Leading Actress, which remained in place until TAPA announced in 2018 that they would return to presenting ungendered acting categories. [1]
The Dora Mavor Moore Awards are awards presented annually by the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA), honouring theatre, dance and opera productions in Toronto. Named after Dora Mavor Moore, who helped establish Canadian professional theatre, the awards program was established on December 13, 1978, with the first awards held in 1980. Each winner receives a bronze statue made from the original by John Romano.
Brian Francis is a Canadian writer best known for his 2004 debut novel Fruit.
The Company Theatre is a Toronto-based independent theatre company that produces provocative international plays with Canada's best actors.
The Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding New Play is an annual award celebrating achievements in Toronto theatre.
The Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding New Musical/Opera is an annual award celebrating achievements in Toronto theatre.
The Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Direction of a Play/Musical is an annual award celebrating achievements in Toronto theatre.
The Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Production of a Play is an annual award celebrating achievements in live Canadian theatre.
The Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Principal Role - Play is an annual award celebrating achievements in live Canadian theatre.
The Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female in a Principal Role - Play is an annual award celebrating achievements in live Canadian theatre.
Evan Buliung is a Canadian actor and singer, who is best known for his work in musical theatre. In 2006, Buliung originated the role of Aragorn in the world premiere production of Lord of the Rings, which played at the Princess of Wales Theatre in Toronto. He also originated the role of Khashoggi in the Canadian premiere production of We Will Rock You in 2007. He also played Bruce Bechdel in a Toronto production of Fun Home, for which he won a Dora Award. In 2019, Buliung originated the role of Larry Murphy in the Canadian premiere production of Dear Evan Hansen, which played at the Royal Alexandra Theatre. In 2023, Buliung also originated the role of Pierre Bezukhov in the Canadian premiere production of Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812.
Nick Green is a Canadian actor and playwright. He won the Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding New Play in 2017 for his play Body Politic, a dramatization of the history of the Canadian LGBTQ newsmagazine The Body Politic. He is also the recipient of an Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Award, the Tom Hendry Award and BroadwayWorld.com Award.
John is a play from Pulitzer Prize winning American playwright Annie Baker. The show premiered off-Broadway at New York's Signature Theatre Company in 2015, and was directed by Sam Gold. Time ranked John as one of its top 10 plays and musicals of 2015, where it took the number four spot. The play also reached number eight on the Hollywood Reporter's list of the "Best New York Theatre of 2015."
Kanika Ambrose is a Canadian playwright from Toronto, Ontario. She is most noted for her play Our Place, which was the winner of the Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding New Play, General Theatre in 2023.
The Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding New Play, Independent Theatre is a Canadian theatre award, presented as part of the Dora Mavor Moore Awards to honour the year's best new play by a Canadian playwright which had its premiere in the Toronto theatre market in the previous year.
Cliff Cardinal is a Camadian actor, playwright and songwriter, known for his one-man show The Land Acknowledgement, or As You Like It.
Nancy Palk is a Canadian actress, most noted as one of the founding members of the Soulpepper theatre company.
Britta Johnson is a Canadian-American composer, lyricist, and playwright. She is best known for her musical, Life After.
Allegra Fulton is a Canadian actress, best known for Frida K, a one-woman stage show in which she portrayed artist Frida Kahlo.
Chris Abraham is a Canadian theatre director, most noted as the artistic director of the Crow's Theatre company in Toronto, Ontario since 2007.
Vanessa Sears is a Canadian actress and singer. She originated the role of Nicola in the Canadian premiere production of Kinky Boots, which played at the Royal Alexandra Theatre. In 2022, Sears originated the role of Anaia in the Canadian premiere production of Is God Is, for which she was nominated for a Dora Award for Outstanding Performance in a Leading Role.