The Berkshire Theater Critics Association has announced the nominees for the 5th Berkshire Theater Awards, known colloquially as The Berkies. This would be the 5th annual award, but of course last year no awards were given due to the pandemic so this year’s awards recognize shows that have opened in the greater Berkshire area between October 1, 2019 and September 30, 2021.
The purpose of the BTCA and the Berkshire Theater Awards is to promote and celebrate the quality and diversity of theater in the region. The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on the evening of November 15 at Zion Lutheran Church in Pittsfield.
“The Berkies are purposefully held in the fall, when everyone is a little more relaxed. The awards ceremony gives artists and critics a chance to network in a festive environment,” said the chairman of the board. of BTCA, J. Peter Bergman.
The next eighty nominees in twenty-one categories were selected from 381 votes from critics who covered productions in theaters in four states – Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont and New York. The season featured around 103 different shows in more than two dozen different venues.
Not only will the BTCA showcase the price range we’d expect, but the Association plans to honor theater companies that have gone out of their way to keep their audiences enthralled over the past year with special programs, variations on “live” performances, and an e-mail experience to keep people informed of theatrical activities and future prospects.
In addition to the awards for individual or collective achievement, which are voted on by the entire membership, the BTCA Board of Directors annually presents the Larry Murray Award for Community Engagement. Previous winners include Tina Packer, the Barrington Stage Company, the WAM Theater, and the Shakespeare Fall Festival of Shakespeare & Company.
For the first time, the Board of Directors has designated a name change for one of our awards: members; Sally Sugarman’s death in December 2020 inspired this change.
“It was clear to see, last year, how much live theater means to people here,” said Bergman. “The Berkshire Theater Group and the Barrington Stage Company worked together to negotiate reasonable union contracts in 2020 and were the only two companies in the United States to produce live theater this summer and fall. They were, for example. the law), which proved the need for live theater. “
The Berkshire Theater Critics Association invites and welcomes all companies and their nominees: Keep the theater and the various theaters alive this year and watch for our November announcement of this year’s winners!
Nominees 2021
Best Supporting Actress in a Play:
Myka Plunkett, Mr. Fullerton, Great Barrington Public Theater
Corinna May, The Importance of Being Serious, Berkshire Theater Group
Alexandria Danielle King, Pipeline, WAM Theater
Janis Young, A Doll’s House, Part 2, The Living Room Theater
Annabel Hoffman, Stupid F * ing Bird, Hubbard Hall
Sasha Hutchings, Nina Simone: Four Women, Berkshire Theater Group
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play:
Kenneth Tigar, Boca, Barrington Stage Company
David Adkins, The Importance of Being Serious, Berkshire Theater Group
Kevin O’Rourke, The Christopher Boy’s Communion, Great Barrington Public Theater
Justin Withers, American Underground, Barrington Stage Company
James Ricardo Milord, Pipeline, WAM Theater
James Barry, Tiny Beautiful Things, Chester Theater Company
Ed Rosini, Water, Water Everywhere, Oldcastle Theater Company
Stephen Heskett, The Stranger, Theater Barn
Exceptional stage design of a play or musical:
Brian Prather, Boca, Barrington Stage Company
Beowulf Boritt, Chester Bailey, Barrington Stage Company
Beowulf Boritt, A Crossing: A Dance Musical, Barrington Stage Company
Andrew Gmoser, Man of the Channel, Mac-Haydn Theater
Sam Reilly, The Chalk Garden, Ghent Playhouse
Exceptional choreography
Joshua Bergasse and Alberto Lopez, A Crossing: A Dance Musical, Barrington Stage Company
Bryan Knowlton, Beehive, Mac-Haydn Theater
Jeffrey L. Page, Who Could Ask For More ?, Barrington Stage Company
Exceptional direction of a musical:
Joshua Bergasse, A Crossing: A Dance Musical, Barrington Stage Company
John Saunders, She Loves Me, Mac-Haydn Theater
Alan Filderman, Godspell, Berkshire Theater Group
Julianne Boyd, who could ask for more? Barrington Theater Company
Outstanding Costume Design for a Play or Musical:
Jen Caprio, Boca, Barrington Stage Company
Hunter Kaczorowski, The Importance of Being Serious, Berkshire Theater Group
Brittney Belz, Mr. Fullerton, Great Barrington Public Theater
Sarabell Wrigley, A Doll’s House, Part 2, The Living Room Theater
Outstanding solo performance:
James Barry, Title and Act, Chester Theater Company
Harriet Harris, Eleanor, Barrington Stage Company
Steven Patterson, Miss Gulch Returns !, Bridge Street Theater
Debra Ann Boyd, Becoming Othello, Shakespeare & Company
Tamir, now Pauline Productions
Celeste Lecesne, Poof (Le Plein Air plays), Opéra d’Ancram
Best Supporting Actress in a Musical:
Erin Spears Ledford, She Loves Me, Mac-Haydn Theater
Amber Mawande-Spytek, The World Goes Round, Mac Haydn Theater
Darlesia Cearcy, Nina Simone: Four Women, Berkshire Theater Group
Storm Lever, The Hills are Alive with Rodgers & Hammerstein, Barrington Stage Company
Outstanding lighting design for a play or musical:
Matthew E. Adelson, Holiday Memories, Berkshire Theater Group
David Lander, Sorry Sister, Barrington Stage Company
Peter Kaczorowski, Chester Bailey, Barrington Stage Company
Yuki Nakase Link, Queen of the Night, Dorset Theater Festival
Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew, Walden, TheaterWorks Hartford
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical:
Brandon Lee (on hold), Godspell, Berkshire Theater Group
Omar Nieves, A Crossing: A Dance Musical, Barrington Stage Company
Andres Quintero, A Crossing: A Dance Musical, Barrington Stage Company
Michael Wartella, Godspell, Berkshire Theater Group
Jarod Bakum, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Theater Barn
Mikel Hunter, Pippin, Mac-Haydn Theater
Andrew Burton Kelly, She loves me, Mac-Haydn Theater
Jacob Tischler, Who Could Ask For More ?, Barrington Stage Company
Exceptional direction of a piece:
Ron Lagomarsino, Chester Bailey, Barrington Stage Company
Judy Braha, Mr. Fullerton, Great Barrington Public Theater
Kirk Jackson, A Doll’s House, Part 2, The Living Room Theater
Joe Calarco, Sorry Sister, Barrington Stage Company
Christina Franklin, The Niceties, Chester Theater Company
Regge Life, Hang, Shakespeare & Company
Outstanding sound design for a play or musical:
Alexander Sovronsky, Boca, Barrington Stage Company
Eddy Mineshi, Eleanor, Barrington Stage Company
Leon Rothenberger, A Crossing: A Dance Musical, Barrington Stage Company
Hao Bai, Walden, TheaterWorks Hartford
Best Leading Actress in a Musical:
Alysha Umphress, who could ask for more? Barrington Theater Company
Felicia Curry, Nina Simone: Four Women, Berkshire Theater Group
Kelly Gabrielle Murphy, She Loves Me, Mac-Haydn Theater
Maya Cuevas, Man of La Mancha, Mac-Haydn Theater
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical:
Alan H. Green, Who Could Ask For Something More ?, Barrington Stage Company
Gabe Belyeu, Man of La Manche, Mac-Haydn Theater
Kylan Ross, The World Turns, Mac-Haydn Theater
Outstanding overall performance:
A Crossing ,: A Dance Musical, Barrington Stage Company
Good People, Barn Theater
The Irish and How They Got That Way, Capital Repertory Theater
Live From WVL Radio Theater: It’s a Wonderful Life, Capital Repertory Theater
Exceptional production with less than six performances:
Falstaff, Berkshire Opera Festival
Glory Denied, Berkshire Opera Festival
Les Bacchantes, Siti Company, Williams College
Love Travels Fast, Oldcastle Theater Company
Outstanding lead actor in a play:
Ephraim Birney, Chester Bailey, Barrington Stage Company
Reed Birney, Chester Bailey, Barrington Stage Company
Christopher Sears, Sorry Sister, Barrington Stage Company
Oliver Wadsworth, Screw Tower, Oldcastle Theater Company
Mark H. Dold, Papa, Great Barrington Public Theater
Danny Johnson, Queen of the Night, Dorset Theater Festival
Sally and Robert Sugarman Award for the World Premiere of a NEW work
A Crossing: A Dance Musical, book by Mark St. Germain, songs by Zoe Sarnak, Barrington Stage Company
Queen of the Night, Travis Tate, Dorset Theater Festival
Eleanor, Mark St. Germain, Barrington Stage Company
Boca, Jessica Provenz, Barrington Stage Company
Mr. Fullerton, Anne Undeland, Great Barrington Public Theater
Best Leading Actress in a Play:
Peggy Pharr Wilson, Boca, Barrington Stage Company
Kathleen Carey, Good People, Theater Barn
Debra Jo Rupp, Boca, Barrington Stage Company
Randolyn Zinn, A Doll’s House, Part 2, The Living Room Theater
Tara Franklin, Tiny Beautiful Things, Chester Theater Company
Helen Sadler, Jane Eyre, Stagewest, Hartford
Exceptional production of a musical:
A Crossing: A Dance Musical, Barrington Stage Company
The Man from La Mancha, Mac-Haydn Theater
You’re a good man, Charlie Brown, Theater Barn
Godspell, Berkshire Theater Group
She loves me, Mac-Haydn Theater
Exceptional production of a play:
Chester Bailey by Joseph Dougherty, Barrington Stage Company
Laughing Wild, by Christopher Durang, Dorset Theater Festival
Death Tax, by Lucas Hnath, theater class with Patrick White
The Niceties by Eleanor Burgess, Chester Theater Company
