l The Bermuda Musical & Dramatic Society's `Famous for 15 Minutes' annual playwriting contest and festival at Daylesford Theatre continues tonight.

The six playwrights whose work will be fully produced between now and Saturday night include three repeat playwrights from last year's festival: Julia Pitt, Carol Birch and winner Margaret Hammond, as well as newcomers Deborah Pharoah, John Gardner and Joyce Finn.

The winner will be selected by one of England's exciting and talented young directors, Jacob Murray, who has won numerous awards for his work, and who has also worked extensively with new plays and playwrights. Mr. Murray is currently associate director at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester, where he just opened the highly acclaimed new play, `Shoot the Crow', to rave reviews.

Evening performances begin at 8 p.m., and there will be a matinee on Saturday, March 15 at 5 p.m. Tickets for all performances are $15 except Saturday night, which is $35 because the performance will be a special gala event, and include food and champagne, when Mr. Murray will present the Golden Inkwell Award to the winning playwright.

Tickets are available at Daylesford box office every evening from 5.30 p.m. to 8 p.m., and on Saturday from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Telephone bookings with a credit card are accepted during regular box office hours. Call 292-0848. In addition Mr. Murray will hold a free talk/discussion about careers in theatre on Monday, March 17 at 7 p.m. at Daylesford Theatre for all who are interested.

lThe Essential Scottish Opera's best young talent will present a concert of popular opera highlights at the Ruth Seaton James Centre for the Performing Arts on Friday at 8 p.m. Tickets ($30 adults, $20 students) are available from the Visitors Service Bureau from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; ( 505-5581; or visit www.ticketstation.bm

On Saturday night the same company will present a royal gala concert and dinner in the presence of its patron, HRH the Duchess of Gloucester, at the Fairmont Hamilton Princess Hotel, for which tickets $250 are available from the same sources.

Friday marks the opening of artist and photographer Gillian Outerbridge's one-woman exhibition, `The Cedars Speak', in the Edinburgh Gallery at City Hall. Her work will consist of unusual black and white photographs of classic Bermuda Cedars, which she promises will provide a unique aspect of Bermuda's heritage. Mrs. Outerbridge, who is also an exhibiting artist, has won awards and recognition for her work, and was recently interviewed for the Canadian television programme, `Behind the Lens'. The opening is from 5.30 p.m. to 7.30 p.m., and the exhibition will continue through April 3. For further information see the Bermuda Calendar.

Local musicians are lining up to pay tribute to and honour one of their own, trumpeter Winston DeGraff, with a special concert at the Ruth Seaton James Centre for the Performing Arts on Sunday, March 16 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Among those taking part are Legacy, Tempo, Rejoice, Hubie's Band, and Griffin's Jazz Quintet.

They will be followed by a jam session involving many more of the Island's musicians.

Tickets ($35) are available from the Music Box, Ricky's Barber Shop, and the People's Pharmacy. For reservations ( 297-3829.

l The Ensemble Singers (formerly Word) will celebrate the life and work of the late Moses Hogan with a special lunchtime tribute at the Anglican Cathedral on Monday, March 17, beginning at 12.45 p.m. Tenor Dr. Gary Burgess be the soloist, singing `He's Got the Whole World in His Hands', with Ensemble director Mr. Lloyd at the piano.

Prayers will be said by the Rev. Canon James Francis, OBE, JP. Admission is free.

New Orleans-born Mr. Hogan, who thrilled local audiences with his performance in concert with The Ensemble Singers and soloists Marcelle Clamens and Gary Burgess at St. John's Church on February 16 last year, died last month in the US following an illness. He was just 45 years old.

A renowned pianist and composer, as well as founder of the New World Ensemble, the Moses Hogan Chorale and the Moses Hogan Singers, Mr. Hogan was an exceptionally gifted individual who won many major awards. Much in demand internationally as an arranger and composer, he was also editor of The Oxford Book of Spirituals - a music form which remained among his first loves.

At the time of his untimely death he was artist-in-residence at Dillard and Loyola Universities.

All who met Mr. Hogan were struck by his humility and presence, and his loss is being keenly felt, not least by his friends in Bermuda, which is why The Ensemble Singers and their director, Mr. Lloyd Matthew, have chosen to honour the artist's memory with the special concert.

Earmark Saturday, March 22 for the Bermuda Philharmonic Society's concert, `A Classical Evening' with guest artists, Metropolitan Opera tenor Joseph Frank, and soprano Madree Cross-Musson, at the Ruth Seaton James Centre for the Performing Arts.

The programme will begin at 8 p.m. sharp and begin with the Overture from the opera `Don Giovanni', followed by Mozart's `Divertimento K136'. `Per Pieta, Non Ricercate' also by Mozart, and Mendelssohn's `Symphony No. 2/Hymn of Praise. Tickets ($25) are available from the Visitors' Service Bureau on Front Street from today until March 22 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.