Bruce Mason

Bruce Edward George Mason, CBE was a significant playwright in New Zealand who wroteplays and influenced the cultural landscape of the country through his contribution to theatre. In 1980, he was awarded the prestigious CBE. The Bruce Mason Award, one of the most important playwrighting accolades in New Zealand, is named in his honour. Mason was also an actor, critic, and fiction writer.

Mason was born in Wellington, the countrys capital. At the age of 5, his family moved to Takapuna. He attended Victoria University College where he took part in drama. In 1945, he graduated with a B.A. He served in the New Zealand Army and the Naval Volunteer Reserve . He later worked for the New Zealand Forest Service . He edited the Mori news magazine Te Ao Hou , a culturally significant publication. He was a cofounder of Downstage Theatre, New Zealands first professional theatre in 1964 and wrote a weekly column Music on the Air for the New Zealand Listener from 1964 to 1969. In 1977, he was awarded an honorary degree by Victoria University. He was also a theatre critic for the capitals newspapers from the 1950s to the 1980s.

Source: Wikipedia