TORONTO — "Red Velvet," a play about the first Black actor to star on a London stage, has garnered a leading six nominations in the general theatre division at the Dora Mavor Moore Awards.
The Crow's Theatre show nabbed nods in categories including best play and best director for Cherissa Richards.
The dramatization of the real-life story of Ira Aldridge, a Black man who starred in "Othello" in 1833, also garnered recognition for Allan Louis, who is nominated for best leading performance, and Amelia Sargisson, who's in the running for best performance in a featured role.
Also vying for best production are "Uncle Vanya," another Crow's Theatre production; Soulpepper's "'da Kink In My Hair" and "our place," a co-production from A Cahoots Theatre and Theatre Passe Muraille.
Top musical contenders include "Alice In Wonderland," from Bad Hats Theatre presented by Soulpepper, which is up for 13 awards, and "The Shape of Home," from Crow's Theatre, which has nine nominations.
Presented by the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts, the Doras recognize excellence in local theatre, dance and opera.
The awards will be presented June 27 at Koerner Hall in Toronto.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 29, 2023.
The Canadian Press
