Bruce Edward George Mason CBE (28 September 1921 â€" 31 December 1982)
was a significant playwright in New Zealand who wrote 34 plays and
influenced the cultural landscape of the country through his
contribution to theatre. In 1980, he was appointed a Commander of the
Order of the British Empire.[1] The Bruce Mason Playwriting Award, one
of the most important playwrighting accolades in New Zealand, is named
in his honour.[2] Mason was also an actor, critic, and fiction
writer.[3]Mason's most well known play is The End of the Golden
Weather, a classic work in New Zealand theatre which was made into a
feature film directed by Ian Mune in 1991. Another significant play is
The Pohutukawa Tree written during the 1950s and 1960s. The Pohutukawa
Tree was Mason's first major success and explored MÄ ori and PÄ kehÄ
themes, a common thread in most of his works. Theatre was an avenue
for Mason to highlight social and political issues in New Zealand
society.[1] He translated Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard for radio in
1960. His works of solo theatre was collected under the title Bruce
Mason Solo (1981) and included The End of the Golden Weather.
Published in 1987 was The Healing Arch, a cycle of five plays,
including The Pohutukawa Tree and Hongi, which focus on MÄ ori culture
post European contact.Mason was born in Wellington, the country's
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 (1941â€"1943)
and the Naval Volunteer Reserve (1943â€"1945). He later worked for the
New Zealand Forest Service (1951â€"1957).[1] He edited the MÄ ori news
magazine Te Ao Hou (1960â€"1961), a culturally significant
publication. He was a co-founder of Downstage Theatre, New Zealand's
first professional theatre in 1964 and wrote a weekly column Music on
the Air for the New Zealand Listener from 1964 to 1969. He was also a
theatre critic for the capital's newspapers from the 1950s to the
1980s.[1]
was a significant playwright in New Zealand who wrote 34 plays and
influenced the cultural landscape of the country through his
contribution to theatre. In 1980, he was appointed a Commander of the
Order of the British Empire.[1] The Bruce Mason Playwriting Award, one
of the most important playwrighting accolades in New Zealand, is named
in his honour.[2] Mason was also an actor, critic, and fiction
writer.[3]Mason's most well known play is The End of the Golden
Weather, a classic work in New Zealand theatre which was made into a
feature film directed by Ian Mune in 1991. Another significant play is
The Pohutukawa Tree written during the 1950s and 1960s. The Pohutukawa
Tree was Mason's first major success and explored MÄ ori and PÄ kehÄ
themes, a common thread in most of his works. Theatre was an avenue
for Mason to highlight social and political issues in New Zealand
society.[1] He translated Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard for radio in
1960. His works of solo theatre was collected under the title Bruce
Mason Solo (1981) and included The End of the Golden Weather.
Published in 1987 was The Healing Arch, a cycle of five plays,
including The Pohutukawa Tree and Hongi, which focus on MÄ ori culture
post European contact.Mason was born in Wellington, the country's
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 (1941â€"1943)
and the Naval Volunteer Reserve (1943â€"1945). He later worked for the
New Zealand Forest Service (1951â€"1957).[1] He edited the MÄ ori news
magazine Te Ao Hou (1960â€"1961), a culturally significant
publication. He was a co-founder of Downstage Theatre, New Zealand's
first professional theatre in 1964 and wrote a weekly column Music on
the Air for the New Zealand Listener from 1964 to 1969. He was also a
theatre critic for the capital's newspapers from the 1950s to the
1980s.[1]
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