Charles Sturt University (CSU) Communication (Theatre/Media) graduate, Brendan Cowell has won The 2005 Philip Parsons Young Playwright's Award. Announced in Sydney on Sunday 9 October, Mr Cowell, 28, received a $10,000 mentoring commission from Sydney's Belvoir Street Theatre Company B. He won the award for his treatment for Ruben Guthrie, a tale of male depression, addiction and the pressures of success. In order to qualify for the award, playwrights under 35 must submit a play that has already been performed in Australia by a professional theatre company. But the award is unlike other Australian playwright awards as it is given on the basis of a treatment for a potential new work and to the playwright rather than for the play. This recent success for Mr Cowell follows other awards including the 2003 Griffin Award for Rabbit, the 2002 Patrick White Award for Bed and the Gloria Payten-Gloria Dawn Foundation Young Artist Award for his work as an individual.