The Warren McDaniel Award for Best Production – Community Theatre

J. Warren McDaniel was a fixture in Coast community theatre for more than 30 years. He graduated from the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy and served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. While at Ole Miss he saw a touring company of “There Shall Be No Night”, starring Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne and “was totally hooked”.

Warren’s involvement in community theatre began at Gulfport in 1949-1950, and later in Washington, Ms., where he organized the Washington Little Theatre and became involved in State Competition. He was also an active member of Natchez Little Theater.

He continued his involvement in State and Regional Community Theatre Competition when he moved back to the Coast. During his association with Gulfport Little Theater he served twice as Chairman, was elected Chairman of the Southeastern Theatre Conference, and was a two-term representative to the American Community Theater Association.

At GLT, McDaniel directed such plays as Rebecca, Dr. Cooks Garden, The Runner Stumbles, Twelve Angry Men, Twelve Angry Women,and Caine Mutiny Court Martial.

In 1980 McDaniel was the first recipient of the Cowboy Maloney Award. This award was given “for his outstanding contributions to the Mississippi Theatre Association”.

In 1991 the Mississippi Theatre Association named its highest award in the Community Theatre Division the J. Warren McDaniel Community Theatre Award. This honor is given to the group judged best community theatre in the annual convention’s play festival.

Award Winners