Dora Awards presented to eight alumni from Oakville’s Sheridan College
Published July 7, 2023 at 3:18 pm
Tess Benger, hailed by critics as a “natural fit” for her leading role in Alice in Wonderland, headlined a group of Sheridan College alumni to be rewarded at the 2023 Annual Dora Mayor Moore Awards held late last month at the TELUS Centre for Performance and Learning in Toronto.
The 2009 Oakville Music Theatre graduate was one of eight alumni from Sheridan to win awards at the event — now in its 43rd year — which honours the late Dora Mavor Moore, who was a beloved teacher, director, and champion of the performing arts.
Graduates of the Faculty of Animation, Arts & Design received 19 nominations for the awards, which recognize excellence in professional theatre, dance and opera in Toronto.
Five of the eight wins this year by Sheridan graduates were a result of their work in Bad Hats Theatre’s Alice in Wonderland.
Along with Benger’s award for Outstanding Performance in a Leading role, former student Victor Pokinko (Theatre and Drama Studies ’14) captured a pair of awards for Outstanding Direction and Outstanding New Musical.
Other winners from the Alice in Wonderland production included Matt Pilipiak (Performing Arts Prep ’10) for Outstanding New Musical and Cameron Carver (Music Theatre ’10) for Outstanding Original Choreography.
Hailey Gillis (Theatre and Drama Studies ’13) also brought home two Doras, earning Outstanding Musical Direction and Outstanding Performance in a Featured Role for her work in The Shape of Home.
Vanessa Sears (Music Theatre ’15) received the award for Outstanding Performance in a Featured Role for Queen Goneril.
“We are incredibly proud to see our alumni gain recognition for their excellent work,” says Donna Braggins, Dean, Faculty of Animation, Arts & Design.
“They are an inspiration to our current students, and a testament to the impact Sheridan grads have on Canada’s musical theatre industry.”
Following is the list of Sheridan alumni nominated for the 2023 Dora awards:
Constant Bernard (Music Theatre ’11) – Outstanding Direction for Les Zinspiré.e.s : Dix-joncté.e.s
Dillan Meighan-Chiblow (Music Theatre ’13) – Outstanding Performance by an Individual for Bentboy
Starr Domingue (Music Theatre ’01) – Outstanding Performance in a Featured Role for RETOLD
Hailey Gillis (Theatre and Drama Studies ’13) – Outstanding New Musical for The Shape of Home
Brian Kenny (Theatre Arts – Technical Production ’11) – Outstanding Sound Design/Composition for Fall On Your Knees Part Two: The Diary
Daniel Krolik (Theatre and Drama Studies ’00) – Outstanding New Play for Gay for Pay with Blake and Clay
Matt Pilipiak (Performing Arts Prep ’10) – Outstanding performance in a featured role for Alice in Wonderland
Paolo Santalucia (Theatre and Drama Studies ’11) – Outstanding New Play for PRODIGAL
Karen Scora (Theatre and Drama Studies ’19) – Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble for Bone Cage
Vanessa Sears (Music Theatre ’15) – Outstanding Performance in a Leading Role for Alice in Wonderland
Daniel Yeh (Music Theatre ’22) – Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble for Bentboy