First half of two-part Sanskrit epic big winner at Dora Awards in Toronto

TORONTO — A modern take on a millennia-old Sanskrit epic was the big winner in the general theatre division of the Dora Mavor Moore Awards.

“Mahabharata Part One: Karma: The Life We Inherit” took home five of the nine prizes in its division at the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts’ award ceremony on Monday night.

Both halves of the two-part play from Why Not Theatre and Canadian Stage were nominated for a total of 15 Doras, but “Part Two: Dharma: The Life We Choose” didn’t win any.

Co-creators Ravi Jain and Miriam Fernandes both won for the play — the former for best direction, the latter for outstanding individual performance, and together for best new play.

The production, which presents a 4,000-year-old story about a feud between families, also won outstanding production and best sound design or composition.

In the musical theatre division, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” from Shifting Ground Collective took home the Doras for outstanding production and best creative direction.

Shifting Ground Collective’s production of the Broadway musical also won the audience choice award.

“People, Places and Things” from Coal Mine Theatre won outstanding production in the independent theatre division, while “La Reine-garçon,” which was a Canadian Opera Company co-production with Opéra de Montréal, took home the same award in the opera division.

Soulpepper Theatre Company’s “Alligator Pie” won outstanding production for young audiences, and “everything i wanted to tell you (but couldn’t, so here it is now)” from Citadel + Compagnie won that prize in the dance division.

Monday’s ceremony marked the Doras’ 45th anniversary.

The Dora Awards are nominated by members of Toronto’s professional performing arts community. Jurors include performers, designers, directors, producers, administrators and educators.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 30, 2025.