The first round of winners for the Fifteen Minutes Playwriting Festival have been announced.

Playwrights Henry Godfrey, Stuart Doyle, Andre Simons, Saliel Bala and two entries from Jean Hannant were selected by the Reading Committee. The Bermuda Musical and Dramatic Society created the event four years ago and interest has steadily grown. This year the Reading Committee, whose members are anonymous, narrowed their selection of six from 14 entries. Last year?s winner, Andre Simons who is now based in London, England, will have another chance at the top prize ? the Golden Inkwell and $250, with his entry, ?White Cedars?.

Jean Hannant and Henry Godfrey were also finalists in last year?s Festival. In fact, Ms Hannant went on to have her play produced and performed in other venues on the Island.

Producers of the event said the entries are of a wide variety and feature settings as diverse as an exclusive lobby area to a vasectomy clinic.

?One thing is certain ? the plays will certainly entertain,? a statement from BMDS said.

As in past years, a celebrity judge, who has not as yet been named, will determine the grand prize winner on the final night of the performances.

?Famous for Fifteen Minutes? usually sell out on the first night tickets go on sale.

Proceeds from the Festival go to the BMDS Charitable Trust, which was established in 2001 to assist Bermudian students who are studying the Performing Arts abroad.

The Festival is set to run from Monday, February 28 to Saturday, March 5. The public box office opens on Monday, 21 February from 5.30 p.m. to 7.30 p.m. and will run at those times (except weekends) through to March 5.

Tickets are $20 per performance and $50.00 for the final night gala. Tickets will be available online at www.bmds.bm.