The Cordell Awards

 

Williamstown Little Theatre has in-house awards every year, celebrated on Cordell Day, generally the second Sunday of December. There are 4 major awards: three given by in-house adjudicators – The Win Stewart Award for Best Supporting Performance; The Cordell Award for Best Leading Performance; and the major award of the day, The Craven Award for Best Production. The fourth award is The Grahame Murphy Award for Excellence, given by the Committee to a member for excellent contribution in any field other than performance. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Win Stewart Award originally took the form of a scholarship to Williamstown Little Theatre Youth Theatre but, since the demise of the Youth Theatre in 1981, the award has been given to the person who, in the opinion of the adjudicators, has given the Best Performance in a Supporting Role.

 

The Craven Award was initially awarded to the Most Improved Performer but, 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 production of any given year.

 

NOTE: Full details of all nominations and awards, including Adjudicators' individual awards,  are in December issues,  Cues & News archives from 2011 onwards

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2023

Grahame Murphy Award for Excellence: LEAH DOWNEY

Win Stewart Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role: RHYS CARTER as Beardy Geoff in Jumpers for Goalposts

Cordell Award for Best Performance in a Leading Role: PAULA McDONALD as Kate Keller in All My Sons

Craven Award for Best Production: A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, directed by Barbara Hughes, Musical Direction by Janet Provan, Choreography by Jacqui McCallum

2022

Grahame Murphy Award for Excellence: ANDREW WILD

Win Stewart Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role: KATHARINE HUBBARD as Brigid in Citysong

Cordell Award for Best Performance in a Leading Role: PARIS ROMANIS as The Man in The River

Craven Award for Best Production: Citysong, directed by Shirley Sydenham

2020 & 2021

WLT had only one production and then closed due to Covid-19 until the 2022 season

2019

Grahame Murphy Award for Excellence:

DAMIAN COFFEY

Win Stewart Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role: VENETIA MACKEN

as Margaret in The Exorcism

Cordell Award for Best Performance in a Leading Role: TIM MURPHY

as Alfie Byrne in A Man of No Importance

Craven Award for Best Production: Double Bill- Black Comedy & The Real Inspector Hound, directed by Gaetano Santo 

2018

Grahame Murphy Award for Excellence:

CRAIG PEARCEY

Grahame Murphy Award for Excellence:

FRANK PAGE

Win Stewart Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role: PAULA McDONALD

Cordell Award for Best Performance in a Leading Role: LIAM O'KANE

Craven Award for Best Production: Under Milk Wood directed by Sandy Green

2017

Grahame Murphy Award for Excellence: DAVID DARE for more than 35 years as Ticket Secretary, and for his longstanding contribution to the high production standards for which WLT is well known.

Win Stewart Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role: LIAM O'KANE,  The 39 Steps

Cordell Award for Best Performance in a Principal role: MARK BRIGGS, The 39 Steps

Craven Award for Best Production: The 39 Steps directed by Barbara Hughes

2016

Grahame Murphy Award for Excellence: RAY HARE for his huge contribution to WLT since 1978 as actor, director, former President, FoH personality, working bee stalwart, and entertainment director of our Mystery Film Nights.

Win Stewart Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role: CAT JARDINE, The Nance by Douglas Carter Beane.

Cordell Award for Best Performance in a Principal Role: ZIV GIDRON, The Nance by Douglas Carter Beane.

Craven Award for Best Production: The Nance by Douglas Carter Beane, directed by Chris Baldock.

2015

Grahame Murphy Award for Excellence: Graeme Cope for many many years of outstanding service

Win Stewart Award:

Stephanie Gonelli as Mandy, Time Stands Still

Cordell Award

Rowan Howard as Nick, Over the River and Through the Woods

Craven Award:

Over the River and Through the Woods by Joe DiPietro, directed by Helen Ellis

2014

Grahame Murphy Award for Excellence:

Brian Christopher for 20 years as Treasurer, ensuring WLT's sound ongoing status

Win Stewart Award:

Janis Coffey, for multiple roles in Almost Maine

Cordell Award:

Tim Constantine, as Stephen Bellamy in Farragut North

Craven Award:

Farragut North by Beau Willimon, Directed by Peter Newling

2013

Grahame Murphy Award for Excellence:
Alex Begg

Win Stewart Award:
Tim Barsby as Hysterium in A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum

Cordell Award:
Julie Arnold as Dr. Katherine Brandt in 33 Variations

Craven Award:
A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum directed by Barbara Hughes

2012

Grahame Murphy Award for Excellence:
Neil Williamson for ongoing excellence in design and execution of sound

Win Stewart Award:
Emily Davison as Sister James in Doubt: A Parable

Cordell Award:
Scott Middleton as Edward Kynaston in Compleat Female Stage Beauty

Craven Award:
Compleat Female Stage Beauty directed by Chris Baldock

2011

Grahame Murphy Award for Excellence:
Roger Forsey for the technical innovations and improvements made at WLT in 2011

Win Stewart Award:
Katherine Hubbard as Mona and Chris Perkins as Juanita in Come Back To The Five And Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean

Cordell Award:
Andrew Mayes as Wilfred Owen in Not About Heroes

Craven Award:
Not About Heroes directed by Shane Ryan

2010

Grahame Murphy Award for Excellence:
Neil Williamson for his superb sound designs over a number of years

Win Stewart Award:
Janine Evans as Arabella in Role Play
Judi Clark as Mrs Swabb in Habeas Corpus

Cordell Award:
Patricia McCracken as Florence Foster Jenkins in Glorious!

Craven Award:
Glorious! directed by Doug Bennett

2009

Grahame Murphy Award for Excellence (inaugural year):
Janine Evans for her outstanding poster designs

Win Stewart Award:
Ian Grealy as Dvornichek in Rough Crossing

Cordell Award:
Stephen Shinkfield as Daniel Kaffee in A Few Good Men

Craven Award:
A Few Good Men directed by Shane Ryan

2008

Win Stewart Award:
Melanie Rowe as Rose in Dancing At Lughnasa and Lee Threadgold as Drake/Greylag in Honk!

Cordell Award:
Bruce Akers as Angus in The Drawer Boy

Craven Award:
The Drawer Boy directed by Chris Baldock

2007

Win Stewart Award:
Brian Christopher as Marquis of Queensberry and Tim Constantine as Lord Alfred Douglas in Gross Indecency: The Three Trials Of Oscar Wilde

Cordell Award:
Nicola Wright as Shelby in Steel Magnolias

Craven Award:
Gross Indecency: The Three Trials Of Oscar Wilde directed by Peter Newling

2006

Win Stewart Award:
Janine Evans as Helga Gerhardt in ‘Allo, ‘Allo

Cordell Award:
Ellis Ebell as Professor Joseph Mashkan in Old Wicked Songs

Craven Award:
Old Wicked Songs directed by Chris Baldock

2005

Win Stewart Award:
Peter Prenga as Ash in Dealer’s Choice

Cordell Award:
Tristan Lutze as Tom Wingfield in The Glass Menagerie and Ellis Ebell as Stephen in Dealer’s Choice

Craven Award:
The Glass Menagerie directed by Ellis Ebell

2004

Win Stewart Award:
Paul Farrell as Jack Jerome in Brighton Beach Memoirs and Beth Klein as Sybil Burlington in Daisy Pulls It Off

Cordell Award:
Kate Bowers as Nan/Lina and Anthony Wright as Pip/Theo in Three Days Of Rain

Craven Award:
Three Days Of Rain directed by Chris Baldock

2003

Win Stewart Award:
Fiona Hanrahan as Rita La Porta and Dean Rogers as various roles in Lucky Stiff

Cordell Award:
Ellis Ebell as Wilfred Bond in Quartet

Craven Award:
Lucky Stiff directed by Barbara Hughes / Musical direction by Janet Provan / Choreography by Renee Mandanici

2002

Win Stewart Award:
Judy Johnson as E.M. Ashford in W;t

Cordell Award:
Jayne Lindell as Vivian Bearing in W;t

Craven Award:
W;t directed by Liz Lipski

2001

Win Stewart Award:
Brian Christopher as Arthur Kilty in Chilling And Killing My Annabel Lee

Cordell Award:
Paula McDonald as Maria Callas in Master Class

Craven Award:
Master Class directed by Chris Baldock

2000

Win Stewart Award:
Narelle Gillie as Beatrice and Shannon Woollard as Florindo in The Venetian Twins

Cordell Award:
Michael Bingham as Tonino/Lanetto in The Venetian Twins

Craven Award:
The Venetian Twins directed by Barbara Hughes / Musical Direction by Chris Sluice / Choreography by Renee Mandanici

1999

Win Stewart Award:
Ray Hare as Dr. Yahuda in Hysteria

Cordell Award:
Moira Smith as Emma Leech in Kid Stakes

Craven Award:
Speaking In Tongues directed by Paul King

1998

Win Stewart Award:
Oleh Kowalyk as Mervyn Kant in The Sisters Rosenweig

Cordell Award:
Kyria as Josie in Steaming

Craven Award:
Steaming directed by Doug Bennett

1997

Win Stewart Award:
Judi Clark as Lady Manley-Prowe in Something’s Afoot

Cordell Award:
Paula McDonald as Elsa Barlow in The Road To Mecca

Craven Award:
The Road To Mecca directed by Gordon Dunlop

1996

Win Stewart Award:
Bryan Thomas as Brian in Brilliant Lies

Cordell Award:
Ian Grealy as Alan Turing in Breaking The Code

Craven Award:
Death And The Maiden directed by Grahame Murphy

1995

Win Stewart Award:
Lena Fiszman as Cherry in Cosi

Cordell Award:
Paula McDonald as Coralie in Coralie Lansdowne Says No

Craven Award:
Waiting In The Wings directed by Brian Crossley

1994

Win Stewart Award:
Mary Little as Baby in On Top Of The World

Cordell Award:
Christine Andrew as Doris in Same Time, Next Year

Craven Award:
An Ideal Husband directed by Brian Crossley

1993

Win Stewart Award:
Ellis Ebell as Crestwell in Relative Values

Cordell Award:
Louise Whiteman as Mrs. Klein in Mrs Klein

Craven Award:
Mrs. Klein directed by Gordon Dunlop

1992

Win Stewart Award:
Mary Little as Mrs Malaprop in The Rivals

Cordell Award:
Bryan Thomas as Stalin in Master Class

Craven Award:
Master Class directed by Grahame Murphy

1991

Win Stewart Award:
Bryan Thomas, Kate Llewelyn and Katie Wright as The Family in Amongst Barbarians

Cordell Award:
Lawrence Mooney as Bryan and Jason Hopkins-Gamble as Ralph in Amongst Barbarians

Craven Award:
Amongst Barbarians directed by Grahame Murphy

1990

Win Stewart Award:
Mary Little as Miss Gluck in A Lovely Sunday For Creve Coeur

Cordell Award:
Matthew McConnon as Brian in Who Cares?

Craven Award:
A Lovely Sunday For Creve Coeur directed by Wayne Pearn

1989

Win Stewart Award:
Cae Rees as Julie Jackson in Pack Of Lies

Cordell Award:
Fransina Voorpostel as Catherine Winslow in The Winslow Boy

Craven Award:
The Winslow Boy directed by Brian Crossley

1988

Win Stewart Award:
Anna Pianezze as Christina in In Duty Bound and Barbara Hughes as various roles in On The Wallaby

Cordell Award:

Shirley Cattunar as Sylvia Swift in A Pair of Claws

Craven Award:
On The Wallaby directed by Brian Crossley / Musical Direction by David Dare

1987

Win Stewart Award:
Barbara Hughes as Rosalia in Filumena

Cordell Award:
Marion Sinclair as Filumena in Filumena

Craven Award:
The Dresser directed by Grahame Murphy

1986

Win Stewart Award:
Norah Toohey as The Lion Aunt in Stevie

Cordell Award:
David Tredennick as Tommy Judd and John Chilton as Guy Bennett in Another Country

Craven Award:
Another Country directed by Vin Foster

1985

Win Stewart Award:
Derek Richards as Rev Arthur Humphrey in See How They Run

Cordell Award:
Mary Little as Ruth in Lamb Of God

Craven Award:
Gulls directed by Ian Walker

1984

Win Stewart Award:
Sarah Ryan as Julia Colvin in Jam Tomorrow

Cordell Award:
Neil Modra as John Merrick in The Elephant Man

Craven Award:
The Elephant Man directed by Grahame Murphy

1983

Win Stewart Award:
Judi Clark as Mary Beckett in Celebration

Cordell Award:
Norah Toohey as Janet Williams in A Boy For Me, A Girl For You

Craven Award:
A Boy For Me, A Girl For You directed by Laurie Gellon

1982

Win Stewart Award:
Jim Ewing as The Earl Of Kent in King Lear

Cordell Award:
Marian Sinclair as Paula Tanqueray in The Second Mrs Tanqueray

Craven Award:
Dusa, Fish, Stas And Vi directed by Laurie Gellon

1981

Win Stewart Award: N/A

Cordell Award:
Carmel Behan as Edith Wilson in President Wilson In Paris

Craven Award:
President Wilson In Paris directed by Ian Walker

1980

Win Stewart Award:
Jacqui Tamlyn

Cordell Award:
Les Terrill as Osbourne in Journey’s End

Craven Award:
Journey’s End directed by Laurie Gellon

1979

Win Stewart Award (inaugural year):
Russell Collier

Cordell Award:
Lorraine West as Judith Bliss in Hay Fever

Craven Award:
Hay Fever directed by Gillian Wadds

1978

Cordell Award:
Lorraine West as Evy Meara in The Gingerbread Lady

Craven Award:
A Flea In Her Ear directed by Grahame Murphy

1977

Cordell Award:
Bill Martin as Philip in The Philanthropist

Craven Award:
The Philanthropist directed by Gillian Wadds

1976

Cordell Award:
Peter Cheasley as Don Baker in Butterflies Are Free

Craven Award:
Lyndall Heiner as Thelma Maguire in The Slaughter Of St. Teresa’s Day

1975

Cordell Award:
Les Terrill as Sir Thomas More in A Man For All Seasons

Craven Award:
Nancy Gantner as Sandra in One Thousand Clowns

1974

Cordell Award:
David Bradshaw as Ken in Enemy

Craven Award:
Michael Walker as Hysterium in A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum

1973

Cordell Award:
Steven Moore as The Man and John in Cages

Craven Award:
Jim Shaw as Joxer in Juno And The Paycock

1972

Cordell Award:
June Lownds as Jean Brodie in The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie

Craven Award:
Christine Saunders as Sandy in The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie

1971

Cordell Award:
Lorraine West as Suzie in Wait Until Dark

Craven Award:
Steven Moore as Tom in The Knack

1970

Cordell Award:
June Lownds as Louise in Five Finger Exercise

Craven Award:
Christine Bambery as Pamela in Five Finger Exercise

1969

Cordell Award:
Les Terrill as Percy in Rattle Of A Simple Man

Craven Award:
Glenya Clodd as Lucy in The Recruiting Officer

1968

Cordell Award:
Helen Kofoed as Corrie in Barefoot In The Park

Craven Award (inaugural year):
Ellis Ebell as La Fleche in The Miser

1967

Cordell Award:
Gillian Wadds as Cordellia in Something Unspoken

1966

Cordell Award:
Ngaire McCutcheon as Emma Hornet in Sailor Beware

1965

Cordell Award:
Vin Foster as Hobson in Hobson’s Choice

1964

Cordell Award:
Lorraine West as Madame De in Madame De

1963

Cordell Award:
Lorraine West as Esther Brodsky in The Same Sky

1962

Cordell Award (inaugural year):
Gary Metcalf as Ben Donnelly in Multi-Coloured Umbrella