Writers' Guild of Great Britain has announced the winners of its tenth annual Theatre Encouragement Awards, which were renamed after playwright Olwen Wymark following her death in 2013 at the age of 81.
Retired company director Maurice Perl from Bristol was nominated by writer Anthony Smith, who contacted Perl after receiving a commission from the trustees of the Clifton Suspension Bridge to write Walking the Chains.
Smith explained, "it had to be independently produced, and I needed someone with a business head. Maurice joined up initially to oversee the financing, but his work has effectively grown into that of executive producer.
"Without him, I don’t believe we could have got the show on."
Martin Witts, artistic director of Leicester Square Theatre, was nominated by Richard Pinner for his support of the script development project Playwrights' Progress, a joint initiative between the Writers’ Guild, Leicester Square Theatre and Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.
Pinner said, "Martin has been a great enthusiast for Playwrights’ Progress, looking to broaden his theatre operation, embrace new writing and more innovative stage work.
"He offered the use of his theatre, staff and marketing team for free and, at the highly successful showcase event, staged at his theatre in May this year, was the warmest host, offering free drinks to the participants and footing the lunch bill for guests.
"As a result of Martin's support, the Writers’ Guild Theatre Committee is now planning significant developments for the future."
LAMDA principal Joanna Read was nominated by Lisa Evans, whom Read commissioned to adapt Margaret Attwood's Cat's Eye.
According to Evans, "LAMDA stands to make little money for public performances of plays, yet Joanna Read continues to commission new work, often with women performers in mind.
"She also regularly commissions LAMDA’s ‘Long Project’, which enables writers to create plays with large casts.
"It also gives young actors the opportunity to experience working on new writing over a period of time and to understand something of the writer’s creative process, both before and during rehearsals."
Finally, Derby Theatre's programme co-ordinator Adam Pownall was nominated by Nick Wood for his support of Wood's play A Girl With A Book when he was at Create Theatre in Mansfield.
Wood explained, "Create Theatre is part of West Notts College. West Notts College is on the outskirts of Mansfield. When Adam Pownall arrived it was little more than an idea. He turned it into a vital part of the East Midlands theatre scene.
"He encouraged new companies, he encouraged new writing, he found ways to offer support."
The Olwen Wymark Theatre Encouragement Awards, originally conceived by playwright Mark Ravenhill, were created to allow WGGB members to publicly thank those who had helped their new writing over the previous year.
This year's winners received their awards at the Royal Court Theatre in London on 28 November 2014.