Wales Drama Award 2014 announces finalists

The finalists have been selected from over 170 other Wales-based drama writers by a panel of judges, including celebrated writers Andrew Davies and Lucy Gannon alongside John McGrath, Artistic Director of National Theatre Wales, Kate Rowland, Creative Director, New Writing and Faith Penhale, BBC Cymru Wales Head of Drama.

The winner stands to receive £10,000 and the opportunity to develop their work with BBC Cymru Wales and National Theatre Wales. The selected writer will be announced at a special ceremony at the BBC Roath Lock drama studios on Monday 15th December.

The Wales Drama Award is a collaboration between two creative leaders in drama – BBC Cymru Wales and National Theatre Wales – in close partnership with BBC Writersroom. It is the first of its kind for writers based in Wales.

Speaking on behalf of the Judges, Kate Rowland, BBC Creative Director, New Writing, says: “Our aim is to find bold, original writers based in Wales. This year we’re really excited by the four finalists who all bring fresh perspectives to their unique stories and contribute something new to the creative landscape in Wales.”

Faith Penhale, Head of Drama, BBC Cymru Wales and judge panel member says: “This award is a celebration of the growth of original drama in Wales and recognition of new writing talent. It also gives two drama specialists, BBC Cymru Wales and National Theatre Wales the opportunity to showcase emerging playwrights and encourage new, fresh ideas from writers the length and breadth of Wales.”

John McGrath, Artistic Director, National Theatre Wales and judge panel member said:

"It’s been thrilling to read the shortlist of scripts for this year's Wales Drama Award. We’ve been excited by the range of voices, the breadth of subjects, and the variety of forms. I’m delighted that National Theatre Wales is collaborating with BBC Wales and BBC Writersroom on such a key initiative for Welsh drama."

Katherine Chandler was the winner of the inaugural Wales Drama Award in 2012 for her script Parallel Lines which was produced by Dirty Protest. Her original drama short Tag was subsequently produced on BBC iPlayer and she recently adapted Terry Jones’ Fairytales for National Theatre Wales.

Notes to editors:

• The Wales Drama Award 2014 was launched in September 2014, following open sessions held in Wrexham and Cardiff.

• The full judging panel consists of BBC Cymru Wales’ Head of Drama, Faith Penhale; Kate Rowland, BBC Creative Director, New Writing; celebrated writers Andrew Davies and Lucy Gannon; and Artistic Director of National Theatre Wales, John McGrath.

• The Award was open to any writer residing in Wales, and aimed to encourage writers who feel passionate about the stories they want to tell, and who have something to offer audiences across the length and breadth of Wales and the wider UK.

• Applicants were asked to submit a full-length script in any medium (min. length 30 minutes), unperformed and unproduced, and in the English language, to BBC Writersroom, by 9th October 2014.

• The Award Ceremony will be held at BBC Roath Lock studios at 12noon on Monday 15th December 2014.

Finalists biogs:

Jeremy Davies (Newport):

Jeremy was born in Newport and is from the village of Cwmfelinfach. He studied independent film production as a postgraduate at the University of Cardiff and the National Film and Television School, sponsored by S4C. First film 'Shadow' was selected for showing at the Welsh International Film Festival in 1995. That year his play 'In the Blinking of an Eye' was premiered at the Sherman Theatre and was later broadcast on HTV. It has since been performed worldwide. Subsequently, he wrote and directed the tv thriller 'Bridgeman' for HTV, starring Tony Osoba and Cliff Parisi. He began writing for the BBC1's 'Doctors' in 2002 and is now one of their lead writers, having created fifty episodes. This year, these have included the World War One commemorative episode, 'Foreign Fields' and an adaptation of the M R James ghost story, 'Oh, whistle and I'll come to you, my lad.' Previous episodes include 'Impact', about a Welsh Guards veteran and survivor of the 'Sir Galahad', played by Sion Tudor Owen and 'Boyo', featuring Adrian Lewis Morgan, Hywel Morgan and Steve Speirs, in a Cardiff-inspired storyline.

Other work for the BBC includes the drama documentary 'Einstein's Unfinished Symphony', featuring the first television appearance by physicist Brian Cox and narrated by Bernard Hill, 'Einstein's Equation of Life and Death' and the BBC/Discovery USA production 'The Battle for Rome - Caesar', starring Sean Pertwee and Karl Johnson. As a script consultant, he has advised on many projects, including the recently released 'Starred Up.' Jeremy has just begun writing a trilogy of plays, set in the Welsh borderlands and is developing ideas for film and television.

Alyn Farrow (Cardiff):

Having worked in television development and production for nearly 3 years Alyn has recently secured his first writing commission; a short film for BBC Wales' "Made in Wales" showcase. Entitled "The Homing Bird”, the film was first broadcast November 4th and is scheduled to be repeated December 16th 2014. Alyn was born and raised in Cardiff and has worked in the Welsh TV and Film industry since graduating from the University of St Andrews in 2011. In that time he has taken up a range of roles including runner, production secretary, researcher and development researcher. His most recent television credit (other than The Homing Bird) was as a production secretary on the Dylan Thomas biopic A Poet in New York.

Alan Harris (Cardiff):

Plays and libretti include: Re: Set (Mess Up The Mess theatre), The Future For Beginners (liveartshow/Wales Millennium Centre), The Magic Toyshop (Invisible Ink/Theatr Iolo), The Opportunity of Efficiency (New National Theatre Tokyo/National Theatre Wales), Marsha (Capital Fringe, Washington DC), A Good Night Out in the Valleys (NTW), Rhinegold, Manga Sister (both liveartshow, The Yard, London), Wolf, The Lighthouse, A Certain Date (all BBC Radio 4), The Gold Farmer (BBC Radio 3), The Journey (Welsh National Opera MAX), The Hidden Valley (Birdsong Opera/WNO) Cardboard Dad (Sherman Cymru), Miss Brown To You (Hijinx Theatre), Brute (Operating Theatre Company), Orange (Sgript Cymru), Come To Where I’m From (Paines Plough). Alan has worked with a range of companies throughout the UK as a freelance new writing tutor and mentor. These include: Sherman Cymru, Welsh National Opera, Kitsch n Sync, National Youth Theatre of Great Britain, The Atrium, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and HMP Prisons (Cardiff, Usk, Prescoed).

Kelly Jones (Cardiff):

Originally from the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, Kelly has been living and working in Wales since 2007. Her plays are rooted in real human stories and often take inspiration from personal experiences, her upbringing in Dagenham and rooting in Wales. Kelly trained as a performer at Swansea Metropolitan University and after graduating found her passion for writing. This led to her joining Sherman Cymru Young Writers Programme and various other writing initiatives to hone her craft and develop her voice. In April 2013 she made the choice to leave her full time job working in a betting shop and focus solely on her writing career. Since then she has worked with and for National Theatre Wales, Sherman Cymru and Dirty Protest as well as being mentored by award-winning playwrights Tim Price and most recently -Kath Chandler. Earlier this year Kelly was the recipient of Arts Council Wales Research and Development Funding for her play 1.4 for copy , about how her parents met on a CB radio in 1980, after following a successful Waleslab on the piece. Kelly is currently working on putting a tour together of her solo show ‘The Drowned Girl’ a piece she created whilst at National Theatre Wales’ Summercamp in 2013. In February 2014 ‘The Drowned Girl’ was invited to perform a week’s run at the Yard Theatre, Hackney Wick, as part of their N.O.W’14 program.

BBC Cymru Wales is a drama centre of excellence for drama. Home to a range of celebrated productions made both in-house and by the independent sector including Doctor Who, Casualty, Pobol Y Cwm, Sherlock, Merlin and Being Human. BBC Cymru Wales drama is a major producer of drama for BBC network across television and radio as well as for BBC Wales and S4C.

National Theatre Wales was launched in November 2009, and creates invigorating theatre in the English language, rooted in Wales, with an international reach. To date, it has staged 22 productions in locations all over Wales, including The Passion, The Radicalisation of Bradley Manning and Coriolan/us. The Welsh Government and the Arts Council of Wales are supporting National Theatre Wales. In October 2011, National Theatre Wales was described as “one of the best things to happen to the stage in the past five years” by The Observer. For more information on National Theatre Wales, visit: nationaltheatrewales.org

BBC Writersroom champions new writing talent in film, television, radio, and theatre. Recent successes include Welsh writer Debbie’s Moon CBBC hit series ‘WolfBlood’ and currently in production the new BBC Three Drama ‘In The Flesh’ by Dominic Mitchell. They run schemes targeting talent from a range of sources and work in partnerships with theatres, writer's organisations, screen agencies, and the wider cultural industries. BBC writersroom helps new writers develop their craft through the website and in open sessions around the country with the UK's best writing talent. www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom

NTW

GWOBR DDRAMA CYMRU 2014 CYHOEDDI’R ROWND DERFYNOL

Heddiw, mae BBC Cymru Wales, National Theatre Wales a’r BBC Writersroom yn cyhoeddi pwy yw’r pedwar sydd yn rownd derfynol Gwobr Ddrama Cymru 2014. Y pedwar llwyddiannus yw Jeremy Davies (Casnewydd), Alyn Farrow (Caerdydd), Alan Harris (Caerdydd) a Kelly Jones (Caerdydd). Gwahoddir pob un ohonynt i gyfarfod y Beirniaid a thrafod eu syniadau.

Dewiswyd y pedwar olaf o dros 170 o ysgrifenwyr drama sy’n byw yng Nghymru gan banel o feirniaid, yn cynnwys yr awduron enwog Andrew Davies a Lucy Gannon ynghyd â John McGrath, Cyfarwyddwr Artistig National Theatre Wales, Kate Rowland, Cyfarwyddwr Creadigol, Ysgrifennu Newydd a Faith Penhale, Pennaeth Drama BBC Cymru Wales.

Bydd yr enillydd yn derbyn £10,000 a’r cyfle i ddatblygu ei waith gyda BBC Cymru Wales a National Theatre Wales. Cyhoeddir enw’r ysgrifennwr a ddewisir mewn seremoni arbennig yn stiwdios drama’r BBC ym Mhorth y Rhath ddydd Llun y 15fed o Ragfyr.

Mae Gwobr Ddrama Cymru yn gydweithrediad rhwng dau arweinydd creadigol mewn drama - BBC Cymru Wales a National Theatre Wales - mewn partneriaeth glos â BBC Writersroom. Dyma’r cyntaf o’i math ar gyfer ysgrifenwyr sy’n byw yng Nghymru.

Yn siarad ar ran y Beirniaid, dywedodd Kate Rowland, Cyfarwyddwr Creadigol y BBC, Ysgrifennu Newydd:

“Ein hamcan yw canfod ysgrifenwyr mentrus, gwreiddiol sy’n byw yng Nghymru. Eleni rydym wedi’n cynhyrfu’n wirioneddol gan y pedwar sydd yn y rownd derfynol, sy’n dod â phersbectif ffres i’w storïau unigryw ac yn cyfrannu rhywbeth newydd i’r byd creadigol yng Nghymru.”

Dywedodd Faith Penhale, Pennaeth Drama, BBC Cymru Wales ac aelod o banel y beirniaid:

“Mae’r wobr hon yn dathlu twf dramâu gwreiddiol yng Nghymru ac yn cydnabod talentau ysgrifennu newydd. Mae hefyd yn rhoi cyfle i ddau arbenigwr mewn drama, BBC Cymru Wales a National Theatre Wales, i roi sylw i ddramodwyr newydd a hybu syniadau newydd a ffres ysgrifenwyr ledled Cymru.”

Dywedodd John McGrath, Cyfarwyddwr Artistig, National Theatre Wales ac aelod o banel y beirniaid:

"Mae darllen y rhestr fer o sgriptiau ar gyfer Gwobr Ddrama Cymru eleni wedi bod yn gyffrous iawn. Rydym wedi’n cyffroi gan yr ystod o leisiau, ehangder y testunau, ac amrywiaeth y ffurfiau. Rwy’n llawenhau fod National Theatre Wales yn cydweithredu â BBC Cymru a’r BBC Writersroom ar y fath fenter allweddol ar gyfer y ddrama Gymreig."

Katherine Chandler oedd enillydd y Wobr Ddrama Cymru gyntaf yn 2012 am ei sgript Parallel Lines a gynhyrchwyd gan Dirty Protest. Wedyn fe gynhyrchwyd ei drama wreiddiol, Short Tag, ar BBC iPlayer ac yn ddiweddar mae hi wedi addasu Fairytales gan Terry Jones ar gyfer National Theatre Wales.

• Lansiwyd Gwobr Ddrama Cymru 2014 ym mis Medi 2014, yn dilyn sesiynau agored a gynhaliwyd yn Wrecsam a Chaerdydd.

• Y panel beirniaid llawn yw Pennaeth Drama BBC Cymru Wales, Faith Penhale; Kate Rowland, Cyfarwyddwr Creadigol BBC, New Writing; yr ysgrifenwyr enwog Andrew Davies a Lucy Gannon; a Chyfarwyddwr Artistig National Theatre Wales, John McGrath.

• Roedd y Wobr yn agored i unrhyw ysgrifennwr sy’n byw yng Nghymru, gyda’r amcan o hybu ysgrifenwyr sy’n teimlo’n angerddol ynglŷn â’r storïau maent yn awyddus i’w hadrodd, ac sydd â rhywbeth i’w gynnig i gynulleidfaoedd ledled Cymru a’r DU ehangach.

• Gofynnwyd i ymgeiswyr gyflwyno sgript lawn mewn unrhyw gyfrwng (lleiafswm o 30 munud), nad oedd erioed wedi ei pherfformio na’i chynhyrchu o’r blaen, yn Saesneg, i BBC Writersroom, erbyn 9 Hydref 2014.

• Cynhelir y Seremoni Wobrwyo yn stiwdios Porth y Rhath y BBC am 12 o’r gloch, dydd Llun 15 Rhagfyr 2014.

Bywgraffiadau'r pedwar olaf:

Jeremy Davies (Casnewydd):

Ganwyd Jeremy yng Nghasnewydd ac mae’n dod o bentref Cwmfelinfach. Ar ôl graddio bu’n astudio cynhyrchu ffilmiau annibynnol ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd ac yn Ysgol Genedlaethol Ffilm a Theledu, wedi ei noddi gan S4C. Cafodd ei ffilm gyntaf, 'Shadow', ei dewis ar gyfer ei dangos yng Ngŵyl Ffilm Ryngwladol Cymru ym 1995. Y flwyddyn honno cafodd ei ddrama 'In the Blinking of an Eye' ei pherfformiad cyntaf yn Theatr Sherman ac yn ddiweddarach fe’i darlledwyd ar HTV. Wedi hynny, fe’i perfformiwyd ledled y byd. Yn dilyn hynny, ysgrifennodd a chyfarwyddodd y ddrama deledu ias a chyffro 'Bridgeman' ar gyfer HTV, gyda Tony Osoba a Cliff Parisi yn sêr ynddi. Dechreuodd ysgrifennu ar gyfer 'Doctors' BBC1 yn 2002 ac mae’n awr yn un o’u hysgrifenwyr mwyaf blaenllaw, ac wedi llunio 50 pennod. Eleni, mae’r rhain wedi cynnwys y bennod goffadwriaethol i’r Rhyfel Byd Cyntaf, 'Foreign Fields' ac addasiad o stori ysbryd M R James, 'Oh, whistle and I'll come to you, my lad.' Mae penodau blaenorol yn cynnwys 'Impact', sy’n sôn am feteran o’r Gwarchodlu Cymreig a oroesodd ar y 'Sir Galahad', a chwaraeir gan Siôn Tudor Owen a 'Boyo', gydag Adrian Lewis Morgan, Hywel Morgan a Steve Speirs, mewn stori a ysbrydolwyd gan Gaerdydd.

Mae gweithiau eraill ar gyfer y BBC yn cynnwys y ddrama ddogfen 'Einstein's Unfinished Symphony', gyda pherfformiad teledu cyntaf y ffisegydd Brian Cox a’r traethu gan Bernard Hill, 'Einstein's Equation of Life and Death' a chynhyrchiad BBC/Discovery USA, 'The Battle for Rome - Caesar', gyda Sean Pertwee a Karl Johnson yn sêr ynddo. Fel ymgynghorydd sgriptiau, mae wedi cynghori ar sawl prosiect, yn cynnwys 'Starred Up’, a ryddhawyd yn ddiweddar. Mae Jeremy newydd ddechrau ysgrifennu trioleg o ddramâu, wedi eu lleoli yn y Gororau ac mae’n datblygu syniadau ar gyfer ffilm a theledu.

Alyn Farrow (Caerdydd):

Yn ddiweddar mae Alyn, ar ôl gweithio mewn datblygu a chynhyrchu teledu am bron i 3 blynedd, wedi sicrhau ei gomisiwn ysgrifennu cyntaf; ffilm fer i’w harddangos gan BBC Cymru "Made in Wales". Wedi ei henwi’n "The Homing Bird”, darlledwyd y ffilm gyntaf ar y 4ydd o Dachwedd ac fe’i rhestrwyd i’w hailddarlledu ar yr 16 Rhagfyr 2014. Ganwyd a magwyd Alyn yng Nghaerdydd a bu’n gweithio yn y diwydiant Ffilm a Theledu Cymreig ers iddo raddio ym Mhrifysgol St Andrews yn 2011. Yn ystod yr amser yna ymgymerodd ag ystod o swyddi fel rhedwr, ysgrifennydd cynhyrchiad, ymchwilydd ac ymchwilydd datblygu. Ei gydnabyddiaeth teledu ddiweddaraf (heblaw The Homing Bird) oedd fel ysgrifennydd cynhyrchiad bywgraffiad teledu Dylan Thomas, A Poet in New York.

Alan Harris (Caerdydd):

Mae ei ddramâu a’i libretti yn cynnwys: Re: Set (Theatr Mess Up The Mess), The Future For Beginners (liveartshow/Wales Millennium Centre), The Magic Toyshop (Invisible Ink/Theatr Iolo), The Opportunity of Efficiency (Theatr Genedlaethol Newydd Tokyo/National Theatre Wales), Marsha (Capital Fringe, Washington DC), A Good Night Out in the Valleys (NTW), Rhinegold, Manga Sister (y ddwy yn liveartshow, The Yard, London), Wolf, The Lighthouse, A Certain Date (pob un ar BBC Radio 4), The Gold Farmer (BBC Radio 3), The Journey (Opera Cenedlaethol Cymru MAX), The Hidden Valley (Birdsong Opera/OCC) Cardboard Dad (Sherman Cymru), Miss Brown To You (Theatr Hijinx), Brute (Cwmni Operating Theatre), Orange (Sgript Cymru), Come To Where I’m From (Paines Plough). Mae Alan wedi gweithio gyda llawer o gwmnïau trwy’r DU fel tiwtor a mentor ysgrifennu newydd llawrydd. Mae’r rhain yn cynnwys: Sherman Cymru, Opera Cenedlaethol Cymru, Kitsch n Sync, Theatr Ieuenctid Genedlaethol Prydain, The Atrium, Coleg Brenhinol Cerdd a Drama Cymru a Charchardai EM (Caerdydd, Brynbuga, Prescoed).

Kelly Jones (Caerdydd):

Yn wreiddiol o Fwrdeistref Barking a Dagenham yn Llundain, mae Kelly wedi byw a gweithio yng Nghymru er 2007. Mae ei dramâu wedi eu seilio ar storïau pobl real ac yn aml bu iddi gael ei hysbrydoli gan brofiadau personol, ei magwraeth yn Dagenham a’r ymgartrefu yng Nghymru. Hyfforddwyd Kelly fel perfformwraig ym Mhrifysgol Fetropolitan Abertawe ac ar ôl graddio canfu ei chariad at ysgrifennu. Arweiniodd hyn at ymuno â Rhaglen Ysgrifenwyr Ifanc Sherman Cymru ac amryw fentrau ysgrifennu eraill i hogi ei chrefft a datblygu ei llais. Yn Ebrill 2013 dewisodd adael ei swydd lawn amser yn gweithio mewn siop fetio a chanolbwyntio’n llwyr ar ei gyrfa ysgrifennu. Ers hynny mae wedi gweithio gyda ac ar gyfer National Theatre Wales, Sherman Cymru a Dirty Protest yn ogystal â chael ei mentora gan y dramodwyr arobryn Tim Price, a Kath Chandler yn fwyaf diweddar. Yn gynharach eleni derbyniodd Kelly Arian Ymchwil a Datblygu Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru am ei drama 1.4 for copy , sy’n ymwneud â sut y cyfarfu ei rhieni ar radio CB ym 1980, ar ôl gweithio arni’n llwyddiannus gyda Waleslab. Ar hyn o bryd mae Kelly yn gweithio ar drefnu taith o’i sioe unigol ‘The Drowned Girl’, darn a luniodd pan yng Ngwersyll Haf National Theatre Wales yn 2013. Yn Chwefror 2014 gwahoddwyd ‘The Drowned Girl’ i gael ei pherfformio am wythnos gyfan yn yr Yard Theatre, Hackney Wick, fel rhan o’u rhaglen O.W’14.

Mae BBC Cymru Wales yn ganolfan ragoriaeth mewn drama. Mae’n gartref i ystod o gynyrchiadau enwog a wnaed yn fewnol a gan y sector annibynnol yn cynnwys Doctor Who, Casualty, Pobol Y Cwm, Sherlock, Merlin a Being Human. Mae adran ddrama BBC Cymru Wales yn un o brif gynhyrchwyr drama rhwydwaith y BBC ar deledu a radio yn ogystal ag ar gyfer BBC Cymru ac S4C.

Lansiwyd National Theatre Wales yn Nhachwedd 2009, ac mae’n creu theatr fywiogus yn yr iaith Saesneg, gyda’i gwreiddiau yng Nghymru, a chyrhaeddiad rhyngwladol. Hyd yma, llwyfannodd 22 o gynyrchiadau mewn lleoliadau ledled Cymru, yn cynnwys The Passion, The Radicalisation of Bradley Manning a Coriolan/us. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru a Chyngor Celfyddydau Cymru yn cefnogi National Theatre Wales. Yn Hydref 2011, disgrifiwyd National Theatre Wales gan yr Observer fel “un o’r pethau gorau a ddigwyddodd ym myd y llwyfan yn ystod y pum mlynedd diwethaf”. Am ragor o wybodaeth am National Theatre Wales, ewch ar: nationaltheatrewales.org

Mae BBC Writersroom yn cefnogi talentau ysgrifennu newydd ar gyfer ffilm, teledu, radio, a theatr. Mae llwyddiannau diweddar yn cynnwys y gyfres boblogaidd ar CBBC ‘WolfBlood’ gan yr awdures Gymreig Debbie’s Moon, ac ar hyn o bryd cynhyrchir drama newydd BBC Three, ‘In The Flesh’ gan Dominic Mitchell. Maent yn cynnal cynlluniau i dargedu talent o wahanol ffynonellau, gan weithio mewn partneriaethau â theatrau, cymdeithasau ysgrifenwyr, asiantau’r sgrin, a’r diwydiannau diwylliannol ehangach. Mae BBC Writersroom yn helpu ysgrifenwyr newydd i ddatblygu eu crefft trwy’r wefan ac mewn sesiynau agored o gwmpas y wlad gyda thalentau ysgrifennu gorau’r DU. www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom