The Herbert Whittaker Award
for Outstanding Contribution to Canadian Theatre 

Herbert Whittaker
1910-2006

     Founding Chairman of the Canadian Theatre Critics Association, one of the founders of the Toronto Drama Bench and Critic Emeritus of the Globe and Mail, Herbert Whittaker had a long, distinguished career in Canada as a theatre critic and author. Mr. Whittaker had designed and directed stage productions in Canada , one of which is pictured on the award which bears his name. In 1997 with the dissolution of the Toronto Drama Bench which had given its own award annually over a period of 25 years for outstanding contribution to Canadian theatre, The Canadian Theatre Critics Association renamed the award the Herbert Whittaker/Drama Bench Award in honor of the Association's Co-Founder and founding member of the Toronto Drama Bench. Since the 1970's, the Award has been given annually to someone who has demonstrated outstanding contribution to Canadian theatre in his or her field. Over past years, the Herbert Whittaker/Drama Brench Award has been given to artists who represcent every discipline in theatre, including: Vancouver actor, playwright, director and teacher Joy Coghill; stage and film performer and Director-General of the National Theatre School, Monique Mercure; Actor/Director/Theatre Historian David Gardner; Tony award-winning actor Brent Carver, playwright/director/filmmaker Robert LePage, Playwright George F. Walker, Stratford Festival Artistic Director, Richard Monette, Puppeteer and Playwright Ronnie Burkett, and Shaw Festival Director Jackie Maxwell. Nominations for the Award come from the entire membership of the Canadian Theatre Critics Association.

To contact the Association:

• E-mail: Don Rubin - drubin@yorku.ca
  or Alvina Ruprecht - aruprech@ccs.carleton.ca

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