First time playwright Deborah Pharoah was the winner in this year's Bermuda Musical and Dramatic Society's (BMDS), Famous for 15 Minutes.

Mrs. Pharoah was awarded the Golden Inkwell by Jacob Murray of The Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester, England. The competition saw eight 15-minute plays by eight different local playwrights. The award was for writing and was judged by Mr. Murray before he even arrived in Bermuda. But the playwrights and general public had an opportunity to see the works performed earlier this this month.

Mrs. Pharoah said that perhaps even more exciting than winning, was seeing her work on stage. "I thought the actors were great and Andra Simons as director, well I couldn't have had it better."

Mrs. Pharoah's play, "What's in a Name", was an emotionally charged piece which brought tears to many who saw it. The well defined characters brought the play to life and the situation of dealing with the news that a baby would not be born perfect.

Kelvin Hastings-Smith, drama chairman of BMDS said that the annual competition looks to be making a significant impact on the local arts scene.

"Three playwrights have had success from our Famous for Fifteen minute playwriting Festival. Carol Birch has had her submission for last year accepted for performance in a theatre festival in Toronto in April, Julia Pitt, who submitted last year and this, has written a script for a short film called "Baby ..Wait" which has been filmed and is presently in the editing room and will be submitted to BIFF for 2004. Joyce Finn and her monologue "Stella and her Steelheaded Men" has been accepted by the BBC in London for broadcast later in the year.

"Many of the playwrights who have had their plays performed at Daylesford in the last two years are continuing to write not only for next years Festival but also for submissions to other theatres around the world.

"Watch this space, there is no doubt that we are beginning to make inroads to theatre in other countries which can only further hi-light the mass of talent that there is in Bermuda."

Next year BMDS promises to run the competition again. The deadline for entries is December 1, 2003. Play submissions must be original, be for no longer than 15-minutes, not feature more than four actors and not have an elaborate set.

Play submissions must be received by the President of BMDS by no later than 1st December 2003. The playwrights will be expected to undertake re-writes as appropriate. Auditions for actors for the six winning plays will be held in early January 2004.

In order to give aspiring playwrights some help BMDS will be arranging for Tom Coash to present a playwriting workshop in the next few months and there are plans for an extended workshop later in the year.