Mirvish posts big and small wins in Toronto critics’ awards

Good news came in all sizes for Mirvish Productions at the Toronto Theatre Critics' Awards this year, as the commercial producer picked up plaudits for both their biggest show and smallest show of the season.

Terminus, produced with indie company Outside the March as the inaugural play in the new Off-Mirvish subscription series, was named the best production of a play and picked up three other awards.

Irish playwright Mark O'Rowe's fantastical verse drama about a drug-and-violence filled night in Dublin – deemed the best international play to premiere in Toronto this season – played to just 200 audience members a night seated on the Royal Alexandra stage in director Mitchell Cushman's production.

Meanwhile, The Book of Mormon – the South Park spin-off currently breaking house records at the Princess of Wales – was named best production of a musical. Casey Nicholaw and Trey Parker were named best directors of a musical for their work on the hit, presented in a Broadway tour by Mirvish.

Other highlights from the TTCAs:

Bruce Dow, Stratford Festival and Broadway veteran, was named best actor in a musical for his portrayal of performance artist Leigh Bowery in Alistair Newton's Of a Monstrous Child: A Gaga Musical – currently on stage at Buddies in Bad Times.

Hannah Moscovitch's Afghanistan-set drama, This is War, was named the best Canadian play of the season, while Michelle Monteith was named best actress in a play for her work in another Moscovitch premiere, Little One. Both were produced at the Tarragon Theatre.

Acting Up Stage Company picked up two awards for performances: Darrin Baker won best supporting actor in a musical for Falsettos (co-produced with Harold Green Jewish Theatre), while Bree Greig won best actress in a musical for Do You Want What I Have Got? A Craigslist Cantata (co-produced with Factory Theatre)

Now in their third year, the Toronto Theatre Critics' Awards are voted upon by writers representing five of the city's newspapers and weeklies: The Globe and Mail (J. Kelly Nestruck); The Grid (Martin Morrow); NOW (Glenn Sumi); The National Post (Robert Cushman); and the Toronto Star (Richard Ouzounian). Awards will be given out at a ceremony at the Spoke Club at a date to be determined.

Full list of winners:

Best Canadian Play: This is War, Hannah Moscovitch

Best International Play: Terminus, Mark O'Rowe

Best Production of a Play: Terminus (Mirvish Productions/Outside the March)

Best Director of a Play: Mitchell Cushman, Terminus (Mirvish Productions/Outside the March)

Best Design: Nick Blais, Terminus (Mirvish Productions/Outside the March)

Best Actress in a Play: Michelle Monteith, Little One (Tarragon Theatre in co-production with Theatre Crisis)

Best Actor in a Play: Stuart Hughes, The Crucible (Soulpepper Theatre Company)

Best Supporting Actress in a Play: Maev Beaty, Proud (Proud Productions)

Best Supporting Actor in a Play: Alon Nashman, THIS (Canadian Stage)

Best Production of a Musical: The Book of Mormon (Mirvish Productions)

Best Director of a Musical: Casey Nicholaw and Trey Parker, The Book of Mormon (Mirvish Productions)

Best Actress in a Musical: Bree Greig, Do You Want What I Have Got? A Craiglist Cantata (Factory Theatre and Acting Up Stage Company)

Best Actor in a Musical: Bruce Dow, Of a Monstrous Child: A Gaga Musical (Buddies in Bad Times)

Best Supporting Actress in a Musical: Bryn McAuley, Snow White: The Deliciously Dopey Family Musical (Ross Petty Productions)

Best Supporting Actor in a Musical: Darrin Baker, Falsettos (Acting Up Stage Company in association with Harold Green Jewish Theatre Company)