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  • Winners of British Final Festivals of One Act Plays
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  • History - Wales Final Festival of One Act Plays
  • History - British Final Festival of One Act Plays
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Drama Association of Wales History

Use the links below to choose the history of the area of DAW activity you’re interested in: 

• Wales One-Act Play Final Festivals - History or List of past winners
• British One-Act Play Final Festivals - History or List of past winners
• DAW Summer Schools - History
• Miscellaneous - History

  We know we have a lot of gaps in our history, and in our photoalbum pages. 
  
  In some cases, this is because we haven't input yet everything we have:  we're working on it as fast as we can.
  
  But if you have information or photos that can help us build our archive,  we'd really like to hear from you.

We are also collating Photoalbums for all the areas above. 

 

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Key points in the history of DAW

DAW founded in 1934: Starts to run a small specialist drama library, lighting equipment and drape hire service.
1965: DAW launches one act playwriting competition – the four winning plays are chosen to perform at the DAW official launch at the Coliseum, Trecynon.  The authors include Grafton Radcliffe, J.R. Evans and T.C. Thomas. The event was also publicised on BBC Radio.
1969: DAW hosts the British Final for the first time
1970s:  DAW starts to run training courses, a youth drama programme and continues its one act play festival.
June 27th 1970: DAW hosts the British Final for the second time, this year in Cardiff at the New Theatre.
1971: DAW joins forces with the British Drama League and the Scottish Community Drama Association to form the UK Centre of the International Theatre Exchange.
January – March 1973: DAW moves from Cathedral Road to Chapter Arts Centre, Canton and becomes a registered charity.
1973: DAW member group Bridgend Castle Players are chosen to perform at the Opera House in Monte Carlo representing the UK at the fifth Congress of I.A.T.A. festival.
May 1989: Oscar-winning actor Sir Anthony Hopkins becomes the Association's newest patron, attending the opening of DAW’s new premises… in Splott. He even autographs the wall!
April 1991 – March 1992: DAW acquires the playsets of the British Theatre Association
1994: DAW celebrates its diamond jubilee