The Kenneth Branagh International Award for New Drama Writing
A programme of Windsor Fringe
Our next call for submissions will open in December 2025, and the winning plays will be performed during Windsor Fringe in the autumn of 2026.
= Watch this space! =
Celeste Engel has won First Prize in the 2024 Kenneth Branagh Award for New Drama Writing
On October 5th 2024 our distinguished judges Joan Lane (producer, The King's Speech) and Abigal Morris (former CEO and Artistic Director of Soho Theatre) announced Celeste Engel as the First Prize winner for her play Star Light in a Jar. Celeste is the 20th writer to have won First Prize since the founding of the Drama Award in 2004. Congratulations to Celeste, and to her fellow finalists Andrew and Niall -- our finalists' plays were a highlight of Windsor Fringe 2024. A big thank you as well to the more than 300 writers who submitted scripts this year. Don't miss our full report on the Drama Award finale, with photos and profiles of our finalists and the directors, cast members and crew who brought the plays to the stage.
Congratulations to our 2024 Finalists!
Troy
by Andrew Crook (Sunningdale)
Star Light in a Jar
by Celeste Engel (Bournemouth)
Die Trying
by Niall McCarthy (Derry)
All three plays were performed each night for three nights on October 3rd, 4th and 5th 2024 at the Old Court Artspace in St Leonard's Road as part of Windsor Fringe. On the final night our distinguished judges Joan Lane and Abigal Morris announced the First Prize winner.
Our Top Nine Scripts in 2024
A Necessary End
Die Trying
Schrodinger
Seven Times
The Exit
Copernicus, Darwin and Freud
Troy
Star Light in a Jar
Naked Truths
Our Top Twenty Scripts in 2024
Die Trying
Seven Times
Troy
Copernicus, Darwin and Freud
Invisible
Candles
Pennies, Spectacles and Neverthelesses
Strangers on a Train
Schrodinger
The Minstrel Boy
Treesitter
A Necessary End
Star Light in a Jar
The Tale of Setsumi and Her Beloved Nobu
Cassiopeia
The Exit
The Gate
Anne Sexton Had a Band
The Meltdown
Naked Truths
Thank you to our generous sponsors in 2024
The Prince Philip Trust Fund, Darvilles of Windsor, Mail Boxes Etc Windsor, Waterstones Windsor, Laithwaites Windsor, Theatre Deli London and Castle View Windsor Retirement Living
I am delighted to sponsor this writing award and to be a small part in an initiative that supports new writers. Without a good play or script, the best actors and directors in the world cannot hope to produce good work, and I welcome the encouragement that this award offers to writers both local and international.
Kenneth Branagh
About the Windsor Fringe Kenneth Branagh International Award for New Drama Writing
In the two decades since its launch in 2004, the Drama Award has attracted more than 4,000 submissions from writers in 49 countries, and many of our winners have gone on to succeed in theatre, film and television. Luminaries in the arts have been our judges over the years, among them our star supporter Sir Kenneth Branagh, who has generously served as our sponsor since 2010.
This award was the creation of Ann Trewartha.
In 2003, after working on three community plays based on Windsor’s history, Ann wanted to help promote new writing talent. She organised a Windsor Fringe event of three 30-minute one-act plays, finding directors and asking local writing groups to submit scripts. This was such a success that fellow Fringe committee member David Birrell, then manager of Richmond Theatre, suggested that the Fringe offer a prize to raise its profiile. The Hotel Marriott sponsored the award for the first seven years, and in 2010 Kenneth Branagh became our sponsor and chief supporter.
Ann Trewartha had a passion for encouraging new drama writing. Together with the aid of the Windsor Fringe Drama Committee, Ann coordinated the Award for 20 years until, after a short illness, she passed away in April 2022.
Ann Trewartha