Famous for Fifteen Minutes contest returns

Falling in love, the Cuban Crisis and blind dates are all in the mix for this year’s scriptwriting competition Famous For Fifteen Minutes.

Six plays have been submitted this year including one by three-time winner Owain Johnston. There are some new scriptwriters this year — Justine Foster (wife of local artist Graham) and Helen Jardine. 

This years guest judge is American playwright Pia Wilson. Ms Wilson is a 2011 Heideman Award finalist for her short play, Turning The Glass Around. Her play, Generation T, was featured in The Classical Theatre of Harlem`s Future Classics reading series in June 2012 along with her full length drama, Red Rooster.

A BMDS spokeswoman said: “BMDS are honoured to have Pia as this years judge. When choosing the winner she will base her decision purely on the writing and will have given the winner’s name in a sealed envelope to the producers before she gets to watch any performances.

The winner will be announced by a special guest judge on the closing gala night. The proceeds of the gala night go towards the BMDS Charitable which gives scholarships to students pursuing studies in the arts.

• Banana! by Adam Gauntlett:

Ordinarily I wouldn’t do anything quite this cheeky, but given the content of the piece, there’s not much I could say in a synopsis that wouldn’t spoil the whole thing. 

I hope you enjoy it!

• Fifty Shades of Beige by Justine Foster:

 A fascinating new friend, Tori, inspires Sheila to add a little spice to her life but her marriage to Bill comes under threat when Tori comes to visit. 

Sheila’s eyes are opened to Tori’s ulterior motives and she realises that maybe she doesn’t need spice after all.

• Future Endeavours by Owain Johnston:

After getting their pink slips, Ellie is blue but Colleen is seeing red. 

Facing an uncertain future, the ladies — together with an unwilling security guard — question if a victory can be claimed even after the war is lost.

• It’s not the End of the World, Hannah by Liz Jones:

 It’s not the End of the World, Hannah is set during the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. 

While JF Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev are in deadlock, Cora, Rob and their 16-year-old daughter, Hannah, grapple in different ways with the terrifying prospect of nuclear war. 

When Cora’s brother arrives, they fall into conflict and become locked in a  standoff position of their own.

• NACAD by Catherine Hay:

Falling in love is easy. Staying in love is hard. And getting a marriage licence is pretty close to impossible.

With the Minister of Culture and Good Sportsmanship determined to end domestic discord nationally, all couples must now be assessed and licensed before they can marry or even live together. NACAD profiles one couple as the newly created Nuptial and Courtship Assessment Department quizzes them on the intimate details of their relationship. Questioning how love can be measured and compatibility judged, Denise and Calvin challenge conventional ideas of love and marriage as well as the current standards of horse erotica.

• Pecan Pie by Helen Jardine: 

Few things in life are more awkward than a blind date...except a really bad blind  date! So discovers Sam, who takes the notorious first-date concept of ‘pretending to be someone you’re not’ to the max in this romantic comedy about two people hiding their true ‘selves’ for various reasons. Pecan Pie is the ultimate case of mistaken identity, proving that you can never judge a book by its cover!

For more information on the judge Pia Wilson, visit www.piawilson.com