This is a list of the productions mounted by the Crest Theatre Foundation of Toronto, Ontario, Canada during its 1954 to 1966 existence. The theatre was an important venue providing opportunities to Canadian actors and directors on a professional stage.
1954 Title Director Principal cast Premiere Richard of Bordeaux John Blatchley Neil Vipond, John Clark, Murray Davis, Barbara Chilcott, Eric House, George McCowan, Patrick Macnee, Norma Renault, Betty Leighton Jan. 5 The Philadelphia Story John Blatchley Mary Laura Wood, Joan Blackman, Betty Leighton, Bruce Swerdfager, John Clark, Eric House, Barbara Chilcott, George McCowan, Jan. 19 The Light of Heart Pierre Lefevre Margot Lassner, Eric House, Mary Laura Wood, Max Helpmann, Donald Davis, Barbara Chilcott, George McCowan, Betty Leighton Feb. 2 Lord Arthur Saville's Crime Pierre Lefevre Donald Davis, Murray Davis, Max Helpmann, George McCowan, Bruce Swerdfager, Eric House, Harold Burke, John Blatchley, Josephine Barrington, Mary Laura Wood, Norma Renault Feb. 16 Miss JulieSorry, Wrong Number John Blatchley Betty Leighton, Barbara Chilcott, Pierre Lefevre, Deborah Cass March 2 Escapade John Blatchley Betty Leighton, Virgina Snyder, Drew Thompson, George McCowan, Eric House, Pierre Lefevre, Barbara Chilcott March 16 Murder in the Cathedral Pierre Lefevre Donald Davis, Eric House, Bruce Swerdfager, John Clark, George McCowan, Bruce Swerdfager, Max Helpmann, Pierre Lefevre, Barbara Chilcott, Betty Leighton, John Washbrook, John Clark, Alan Caillou, Shirley Knight April 6 Dream Girl Pierre Lefevre Toby Robins, John Clark, Bruce Swerdfager, Antonia Pemberton, George McCowan, Betty Leighton, Drew Thompson, Barbara Chilcott, Elspeth Cochrane, Murray Davis, Eric House, Donald Davis, John Blatchley, Max Helpmann, Michael Poole, Pegeen Rose April 20 Haste to the Wedding John Blatchley Patrick Macnee, George McCowan, Drew Thompson, Donald Davis, Eric House, Max Helpmann, Pierre Lefevre, Betty Leighton, Toby Robins, Barbara Chilcott, Antonia Pemberton May 4 The Little Hut John Blatchley Murray Davis, Antonia Pemberton, Norman Ettlinger, John Clark, Pierre Lefevre May 18
1954–55 Title Director Principal cast Premiere A Jig for the Gypsy Herbert Whittaker Donald Davis, Norma Renault, Barbara Chilcott, Norman Ettlinger, George McCowan, Max Helpmann, Eric House, Neil Vipond, David Gardner, Bruce Swerdfager Sept. 14 The Man Who Came to Dinner Julia Murphy Kathleen Kidd, Norma Renault, Neil Vipond, Betty Allen, Joan Westlake, Amelia Hall, Bruce Swerdfager, Barbara Chilcott, David Gardner, Max Helpmann, George McCowan, Peter Mews, Betty Leighton, Charles Allen, John Clark, Brian Phelen, Bill Lazaruk Sept. 28 The Living Room Herbert Whittaker Betty Leighton, Donald Davis, Peter Mews, Amelia Hall, Aileen Seaton Oct. 12 Charley's Aunt Basil Coleman Peter Mews, Norman Ettlinger, Jack Medhurst, Eric House, Barbara Chilcott, Lois Shaw, George McCowan, Max Helpmman, Betty Leighton, Margaret Griffin Oct. 26 The Confidential Clerk Basil Coleman Donald Davis, Douglas Rain, Peter Mews, George McCowan, Frances Hyland, Barbara Chilcott, Betty Leighton Nov. 16 Lady from Edinburgh Brian Maller Eric House, Amelia Hall, Barbara Chilcott, George McCown, Joan Westlake, Murray Matheson, Betty Leighton Nov. 30 Christmas in the Market Place Basil Coleman Donald Davis, Amelia Hall, Eric House, Barbara Chilcott, David Sniderman Dec. 14 Beauty and the Beast Basil Coleman Frances Hyland, Eric House, Robert Jackson, Murray Davis, Harold Burke, Rose Mary Sowby, Joan Blackman Dec. 28 Twelfth Night Basil Coleman George McCowan, James Pearce, Noel Wagner, Grant Reddick, John Maddison, Donald Davis, Murray Davis, Barbara Chilcott, Frances Hyland, Betty Leighton Jan. 18 The Biggest Thief in Town Henry Kaplan David Gardner, George McCowan, Rose Mary Sowby, Leslie Lawrence, Max Helpmann, Betty Leighton, Eric House, Harold Burke, Grant Reddick, Donald Davis Feb. 1 Marching Song Basil Coleman Budd Knapp, Frances Hyland, George McCowan, Eric House, Barbara Chilcott, Murray Davis, Donald Davis, Grant Reddick, James Pearce Feb. 15 Diary of a Scoundrel Michael Langham William Hutt, Amelia Hall, Eric House, Grant Reddick, George McCowan, Deborah Cass, Louis Negin, Norman Roland, Murray Davis, Barbara Hamilton, Betty Leighton March 1 Meeting at Night Michael Langham Barbara Chilcott, Eric House, Max Helpmann, Donald Davis, Betty Leighton March 15 The Prisoner Herbert Whittaker Douglas Campbell, Murray Davis, Max Helpmann, Graham Parker, Grant Reddick, James Pearce, Paddy Croft March 29 When We Are Married Michael Langham Deborah Cass, Jane Mallett, Douglas Campbell, Amelia Hall, Barbara Hamilton, Grant Reddick, Audrey Kniveton, George McCowan, Norman Ettlinger, Betty Leighton April 12 The Gift of the Serpent Brian Maller Toby Robins, Grant Reddick, George McCowan, Hugh Webster, Eric House, Bruce Belfrage Roland Hewgill, Bruno Gerussi, Joseph Furst, Barbara Chilcott May 3 Hay Fever Brian Maller Amelia Hall, Diana Vandervlis, William Job, Norman Ettlinger, Aileen Seaton, James Edmond, Sylvia Gillespie, John Clark, Paddy Croft May 17
1955–56 Title Director Principal cast Premiere They Knew What They Wanted Basil Coleman Bruno Gerussi, Frederick Valk, Janet Reid, Edwin Stephenson, James Edmond, Graham Parker, Lloyd Jones Sept. 20 The Fourposter Joseph Furst Barbara Chilcott, Max Helpmann Oct. 11 Othello Basil Coleman Frederick Valk, Tony van Bridge, David Gardner, Alan Nunn, Bruce Swerdfager, Jonathan White, Charles Hayter, William Job, Murray Davis, Grant Reddick, Diana Vandervlis, Barbara Chilcott Oct. 25 Hunting Stuart Basil Coleman Frances Tobias, Diana Vandervlis, Helene Winston, Donald Davis, Eric House, Max Helpmann, Barbara Chilcott Nov. 22 Saint Joan Douglas Campbell Douglas Campbell, William Hutt, Ted Follows, Frances Hyland, Roland Hewgill, John Gardiner, George McCowan, Jack Hutt Dec. 5 Christmas in the Market Place Basil Coleman Amelia Hall, Donald Davis, Eric House, Barbara Chilcott, Hayward Morse Dec. 13 An Inspector Calls Brian Maller Frances Tobias, Norman Ettlinger, Diana Vandervlis, William Job, Alan Nunn, Paddy Croft, William Needles Dec. 28 You Never Can Tell Basil Coleman William Needles, Amelia Hall, Janet Reid, Murray Davis, Robin Gammell, Paddy Croft Jan. 10- The Rainmaker Henry Kaplan Kate Reid, Jonathan White, William Needles, John Sullivan, Grant Reddick Jan. 24- The School for Scandal Basil Coleman Toby Robins, Amelia Hall, Richard Easton, Araby Lockhart, William Needles Feb. 14- Come Back, Little Sheba Herbert Whittaker Amelia Hall, Donald Davis, Deborah Cass, John Vernon, Deborah Turnbull March 6- Antigone Basil Coleman Barbara Chilcott, Diana Vandervlis, Amelia Hall, Donald Davis, Grant Reddick, Murray Davis Mar. 20- Present Laughter Herbert Whittaker William Hutt, Douglas Rain, Amelia Hall, Deborah Cass April 3- Murder at the Vicarage Basil Coleman Ron Hartmann, Charmion King, Deborah Cass, Sylvia Gillespie, Edwin Stephenson, Jacqueline Barnett, William Job, Joan White, Margery Weston, Alan Nunn April 24- The Indifferent Shepherd Brian Maller Barbara Chilcott, Sylvia Gillespie, Alan Nunn, Murray Davis May 8- The Women George McCowan Norma Renault, Barbara Chilcott, Patricia Moffatt, Araby Lockhart, Katherine Blake May 23-Zone Leo Orenstein George Luscombe, Jonathan White, Cec Linder, Brock Shoveller, Tom Busby June 12-
1956–57 Title Director Principal cast PremiereGigi George McCowan Kate Reid, Austin Willis, Sylvia Gillespie, Cosette Lee, Joanna Clarke, Alan Nunn September 11Misery Me Joseph Furst Powys Thomas, Charmion King, Willam Job, Vernon Chapman, Sylvia Gillespie Sept. 25An Italian Straw Hat Warren Enters Richard Easton, Tony van Bridge, Powys Thomaas, Max Helpmann, Charmion King, Barbara Chilcott, John Vernon, Murray Davis Oct. 9The Three Sisters Jack Landau Kate Reid, Charmion King, Amelia Hall, Powys Thomas, Donald Davis, Richard Easton, Tony van Bridge, William Job, Roberta Maxwell, Alan Nunn Oct. 23Antony and Cleopatra Douglas Campbell Max Helpmann, Richard Easton, Powys Thomas, Barbara Chilcott, Edwin Stephenson, Tony van Bridge Nov. 13Village Wooing and How He Lied to Her Husband Brian Maller Donald Davis, Betty Leighton, Ian Thomson, William Job, Alan Nunn Nov. 27Every Bed is Narrow Herbert Whittaker Corinne Orr, Chris Wiggins, Cosette Lee, George Luscombe, James Doohan Dec. 11Oh Men! Oh Women! John Holden Kate Reid, Austin Willis, Charmion King, Murray Davis, Sylvia Gillespie, Jonathan White, Allan Nun, William Job Dec. 31 Ah, Wilderness Warren Enters Murray Davis, Amelia Hall, Barbara Hamilton, William Job, Sylvia Gillespie Jan. 15 King of Hearts Brian Maller Austin Willis, Barbara Chilcott, Kathleen Livingstone, Jonathan White Jan. 29 Hobson's Choice Leonard White Amelia Hall, Dawn Lesley, Margaret Griffin, Lawrence Beattie, Norman Ettlinger Feb. 19 The Glass Cage Henry Kaplan Murray Davis, Barbara Chilcott, Donald Davis, William Needles, Frank Peddie, Janet Reid, William Job, Edna Pozer, Margot Christie March 5 See How They Run Leonard White Sylvia Gillespie, Cosette Lee, Alan Nunn, Ann Morrish, Geoffrey Alexander April 2 She Stoops to Conquer Jack Landau Amelia Hall, Douglas Rain, Frances Hyland, Richard Easton, Tom Kneebone April 22 Anniversary Waltz John Holden Austin Willis, Diana Maddox, Sylvia Gillespie, Jane Mallett, Bernard Slade May 14 Pillars of Society Malcolm Black Douglas Ney, Edna Dick, Guy Bannerman Jean McGee, John Rammell July 30
1957–58 Title Director Principal cast Premiere Witness for the Prosecution John Holden Mavor Moore, Jonathan White, Ronald Hartmann, Leo Leyden, Vernon Chapman Oct. 1 Janus Leonard White Anna Cameron, Austin Willis, John Sullivan, Maud Whitmore, Ronald Hartmann Oct. 30 Bright Sun at Midnight Leonard White John Drainie, John Holden, Larry Mann, Maud Whitmore, James Doohan Nov. 27 Let's Make an Opera Basil Coleman Jeanne Pengelly, David Ouchterlony, Maxinne Miller, Donald Bartle, Rhoda Pendleton Dec. 18 Witness for the Prosecution(Second run) John Holden Mavor Moore, Jonathan White, Ronald Hartmann, Leo Leyden, Vernon Chapman Jan. 14 The Cherry Orchard Jack Landau Charmion King, Norma Renault, Donald Davis, Henry Ramer, Anna Reisner Jan. 29 Visit to a Small Planet Barry Morse John Drainie, Jack Creley, Jane Mallett, Toby Robins, Robert Goulet, Barry Morse Feb. 18 The Potting Shed Basil Coleman Earle Grey, Charmion King, Melanie Morse, Nancy Pyper, Geoffrey Alexander April 9 Double Image Malcolm Black Donald Davis, Jane Mallett, Jack Creley, Leo Leyden, Katherine Blake April 30 The Ottawa Man Mavor Moore William Needles, Drew Thompson, Betty Leighton, Deborah Turnbull, Orest Ulan May 21 The Mousetrap Murray Davis Jill Showell, William Job, Ian Thomson, Maud Whitmore, Geoffrey Alexander June 11
1958–59