CRAVEN AWARD

In June of 1962, Thomas Mowat Craven, three times President of Williamstown Little Theatre and one of the first three Life Members of the Group, passed away.
One of the early members of W.L.T., Tom was a tireless worker, as back-stage carpenter, Front-of-House Manager and as promoter of the many out-of-town performances staged by the group.
Tom’s widow, Millie, who worked alongside him during his life, wishing his name to live on in the annals of the theatre, endowed a perpetual trophy in his memory. Initially this was awarded to the Most Improved Performer, but in 1973 was altered to be awarded to the Best Performance of the Year in a Supporting Role. In 1977, the basis of the award was changed again. Since then it has been awarded to the production considered by the adjudicators to be the best overall in any given year. Sadly, the trophy has long since disappeared but the Craven Award lives on in memory of Tom.

Year Recipient Role Production
1968 Ellis Ebell La Fleche The Miser
1969 Glenys Clodd Lucy The Recruiting Officer
1970 Christine Bambery Pamela Five Finger Exercise
1971 Stephen Moore Tom The Knack
1972 Christine Saunders Sandy The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
1973 Jim Shaw Joxer Juno and the Paycock
1974 Michael Walker Hysterium A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
1975 Nancy Gantner Sandra One Thousand Clowns
1976 Lyndall Heiner Thelma Maguire The Slaughter of St. Teresa’s Day
       
Year Director Production  
1977 Gillian Wadds The Philanthropist  
1978 Grahame Murphy A Flea in Her Ear  
1979 Gillian Wadds Hay Fever  
1980 Laurie Gellon Journey’s End  
1981 Ian Walker President Wilson in Paris  
1982 Laurie Gellon Dusa, Fish, Stas and Vi  
1983 Laurie Gellon A Boy for Me, A Girl for You  
1984 Grahame Murphy The Elephant Man  
1985 Ian Walker Gulls  
1986 Vin Foster Another Country  
1987 Grahame Murphy The Dresser  
1988 Brian Crossley On the Wallaby  
1989 Brian Crossley The Winslow Boy  
1990 Wayne Pearn A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur  
1991 Grahame Murphy Amongst Barbarians  
1992 Grahame Murphy Master Class  
1993 Gordon Dunlop Mrs. Klein  
1994 Brian Crossley An Ideal Husband  
1995 Brian Crossley Waiting in the Wings  
1996 Grahame Murphy Death and the Maiden  
1997 Gordon Dunlop The Road to Mecca  
1998 Doug Bennett Steaming  
1999 Paul King Speaking in Tongues  
2000 Barbara Hughes The Venetian Twins  
2001 Chris Baldock Master Class  
2002 Liz Lipski W;t  
2003 Barbara Hughes Lucky Stiff  
2004 Chris Baldock Three Days of Rain  
2005 Ellis Ebell The Glass Menagerie  
2006 Chris Baldock Old Wicked Songs  
2007 Peter Newling Gross Indecency