More than 10 years after meeting as students at Brock University, Dramatic Arts (DART) graduates Evan Bawtinheimer (BA ’14), Cass Van Wyck (BA ’13) and Kaitlin Race (BA ’13) have again come together to turn heads in the Canadian arts scene.

The future is bright for the theatre artists who were recently honoured at the annual Dora Mavor Moore Awards, the oldest and largest professional theatre, dance and opera awards program in Canada celebrating creative and technical excellence on Toronto stages.

The spotlight shone on playwright Bawtinheimer, who won the Outstanding New Play award for Patty Picker in the Theatre for Young Audiences Division.

Written by Bawtinheimer, the play was directed and produced by Van Wyck and featured performer Race, alongside theatre artist Anne van Leeuwen. Patty Picker was also nominated for Outstanding Production, Outstanding Direction and Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble.

Patty Picker tells the story of protagonist Patty — who picks her nose.

“But the nose-picking is more than it appears. It’s an expression of anxiety, identity, depression and joy,” Bawtinheimer said. “Brock taught me not to take things at face value; that a sign or symbol could express more than one idea.”

Although a decade has passed since he graduated, Bawtinheimer said his time in DART inspired him to keep learning, continuously attending workshops and classes in addition to writing almost every day.

Bawtinheimer developed the concept for Patty Picker alongside Van Wyck and Race and received much-appreciated feedback on an early draft from DART Associate Professor Danielle Wilson.

“I never would have imagined staying in touch with my DART community over 10 years later,” he said. “I learned so much from them and am privileged that we’re all on the same side.”

Dramatic Arts graduate Jasmine Case (BA ’20) received a second career Dora award at the 2025 annual Dora Mavor Moore Awards for her role in the ensemble of FLEX, a Crow’s Theatre and Obsidian Theatre Company co-production written by Candrice Jones and directed by Mumbi Tindyebwa Otu.

In the General Theatre Division, DART graduate Jasmine Case (BA ’20), who made waves at the 2024 Doras for her award-winning performance in Truth by Kanika Ambrose, received a second career Dora, this year for her role in FLEX.

Case, alongside cast members Jewell Bowry, Asha James, Trinity Lloyd, Shauna Thompson and Sophia Walker, received Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble for their performance in FLEX, a Crow’s Theatre and Obsidian Theatre Company co-production written by Candrice Jones and directed by Mumbi Tindyebwa Otu.

DART Instructors and visiting artists, including Kari Pedersen, Adam Paolozza, Alix Sideris and Coleen MacPherson, were also well represented at the Dora awards ceremony, earning numerous nominations and awards.

DART Chair and Professor Jennifer Roberts-Smith said the success of graduates and instructors demonstrates not only their skills and talent on the stage and behind the scenes, but also the power of the supportive DART community.

“From their very first DART classes, Brock artists’ spirit of collaboration grows through their studies and continues as they step into professional theatre careers locally and globally,” she said.

Roberts-Smith said DART is privileged to have the expertise of theatre professionals teaching and sharing their insights and learnings with the next generation of creators.

“We are beyond proud of all our Dora award winners and nominees and can’t wait to see what comes next.”