70th Birthday Officially Launched!!

It was a night of both nostalgia and looking towards the future on Friday 5 February at our AGM, when our Birthday Year was officially launched and our Birthday Wall unveiled by Ella Bambery, dubbed the 'Matriarch of our Birthday'! Ninety eight year old Ella is a Life Member, and WLT's oldest member.

Our Guest Speaker, Dr Peter Cliff, told us fascinating tales about the days when our premises was the Cliff Family Bakery, with adjoining residence where he grew up. The ovens occupied

the space that is now our stage... if ovens can be called the heart of the bakery, how fitting that they are replaced by the heart of the theatre, it's stage.

Peter and Ella swapped many names and anecdotes of Williamstown of many years ago, and it set a warm, nostalgic tone to the evening. The nostalgic notes were enhanced by archival photos in new collages made by Barbara Hughes that hang in our foyer with new production boards, and by archival photos on our electronic display screen.

The 70th Birthday Wall was admired by all, and artist Kerry Drumm was applauded and congratulated.

It was a gorgeous night that enabled us to linger happily over a delicious supper and bubbles in the courtyard, in a lovely setting beside our beautiful new mural.

Ella Bambery unties the sapphire ribbon to officially 'unveil' the 70th Birthday Wall

Guest Speaker Dr Peter Cliff shares anecdotes with Ella Bambery

Ella was centre stage to an enchanted audience

And here's the other star of the evening... the Birthday Wall !