First Annual Berkshire Theatre Awards
Berkies Launched by Critic Larry Murray
By: Charles Giuliano - Oct 14, 2016
Some years ago I was approached by Larry Murray who for many years had worked as a publicist and administrator in the arts from Boston Ballet to the BSO. He was the founder of Arts Boston which offered reduced prices on tickets and travel.
At the time I had recently launched Berkshire Fine Arts.
He was exploring the idea of crossing over to the dark side of criticism. We divided coverage of theatre in the Berkshires.
There were some growing pains as the switch from promoting to critiquing represented challenges. Early on, as an exercise, I restricted him from using the personal pronoun. For both us there was an interesting and enjoyable learning curve.
After a couple of seasons he launched his own site which evolved into its current form as Berkshire on Stage and Screen. He has a particular interest in supporting LGBT efforts in the arts. He has been a lifelong activist in social and political movements.
Murray evolved from colleague to rival. He has scooped all of us on numerous occasions particularly tracking down insightful interviews. Over time he has come to be one of the most widely respected and quoted critics in the Berkshires.
Now and then we meet for lunch for long sessions mulling over the current state of our profession. From his marketing background he is an astute observer of media developments. Many of his insights have been useful in strategies to reach readers.
Often, after posting reviews, we engage in discussions sifting through the varying responses of colleagues. It is immediately evident that there is a wide range of approaches to companies and their productions.
With enormous sweat equity that has now developed into an effort to establish an annual awards event for theatre in the Berkshires and on its edges.
The press release posted below presents the first slate of nominations. Some of the nominators see all of the productions of a few of the companies. There are individuals who have seen most of the work of all of the nominated companies. During an early season gathering of critics during intermission our friend, Peter Bergman, quipped that he and Bob have a night off sometime in mid-August.
A perusal of the list confirms that there are a lot of awards worthy works being produced in our neck of the woods.
Right after this list was made public the buzz out of New York is that the awards are being dubbed “The Berkies.”
For all of this we are indebted to the energy, humanity and vision of our friend and colleague Larry Murray. One of the top awards moving forward will rightly bear his name.
Press Release
Berkshire County, MA [October 11, 2016] – In the last twelve months, more than 300,000 people attended a live theatre production in or around Berkshire County. With 75 stage productions employing hundreds of professionals, making theatre is an important cog in the area’s cultural economy. In fact, many consider the region a hot spot for Broadway bound shows, and a popular summer destination for theatre-goers from around the nation.
The region’s theatre critics have joined together to create a new Berkshire Theatre Awards program to recognize the importance of their work.
The group announced today more than 120 nominations from which 25 winners will be selected.
Participating in the Awards program are twenty arts journalists who will cast their final votes in the coming days, with the winners to be announced by the end of October. The project was organized by Larry Murray, and a working committee which includes Peter Bergman, Robert Bruyr, Gail M. Burns, Macey Levin, Gloria Miller, and Ed Sedarbaum.
“Thanks to its exceptional resident theatre companies, the Berkshires have sent more than a dozen shows to Broadway in the past few years, while attracting the best people in show business to our region,” says Larry Murray. “Writers and composers like Theresa Rebeck (Seared, Seminar, Bad Dates, Mauritius) and William Finn (25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Falsettos) have homes in the area where they create the drama and music we get to see on our stages before anyone else, while directors like John Rando (On the Town) and Scott Ellis (The Elephant Man) have successfully transferred the innovative work they first created here to Broadway.
There is a special Larry Murray Award, to be given to a person or theatre project that advances social, political or community issues. Receiving one of the nominations are the three Vermont theatre companies that teamed up to produce all three plays in Alan Ayckbourn’s The Norman Conquests last summer – the Dorset Theatre Festival, Northern Stage Company, and the Weston Playhouse Theatre Company – while Kristen van Ginhoven, Co-founder and Artistic Director of WAM Theatre, and Julianne Boyd Artistic Director of Barrington Stage, are the other two contenders for this inaugural special award.
Seven shows received more than five nominations each including 11 for The Pirates of Penzance and eight for Broadway Bounty Hunter, both produced by Barrington Stage Company. Seven nominations were received for Or, and six for The Merchant of Venice at Shakespeare & Company. Also popular with five nominations each are The Rose Tattoo (Williamstown Theatre Festival), Little Shop of Horrors (Berkshire Theatre Group), and American Son (Barrington Stage).
Here are the categories and nominations:
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Outstanding Production of a Play - Large Theater:
All My Sons (Weston Playhouse Theatre Company)
American Son (Barrington Stage Company)
Cat On a Hot Tin Roof (Berkshire Theatre Group
Or, (Shakespeare & Company)
The Rose Tattoo (Williamstown Theatre Festival)
Tribes (Barrington Stage Company)
Outstanding Production of a Play - Intimate Theatre:
The Consul, The Tramp, and America's Sweetheart (Oldcastle Theatre Company)
Constellations (Berkshire Theatre Group)
Cost of Living (Williamstown Theatre Festival)
Cry Havoc (Shakespeare & Company)
The Homecoming (Berkshire Theatre Group)
Outstanding Production of a Musical - Large Theatre:
Little Shop of Horrors (Berkshire Theatre Group)
Mamma Mia (Weston Playhouse Theatre Company)
The Pirates of Penzance (Barrington Stage Company)
Outstanding Production of a Musical - Intimate Theatre:
Big River (Oldcastle Theatre Company)
Broadway Bounty Hunter (Barrington Stage Company)
Fiorello (Berkshire Theatre Group)
Sister Act (Mac-Haydn Theatre)
Outstanding Production of a New Play:
American Son (Barrington Stage Company)
And No More Shall We Part (Williamstown Theatre Festival)
The Consul, The Tramp, and America's Sweetheart (Oldcastle Theatre Company)
Cost of Living (Williamstown Theatre Festival)
My Jane (Chester Theater Company)
Or, (Shakespeare & Company)
The Stone Witch (Berkshire Theatre Group)
Outstanding Production of a New Musical:
Broadway Bounty Hunter (Barrington Stage Company)
Presto Change-O (Barrington Stage Company)
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor - Large Theatre:
Christopher Abbott in The Rose Tattoo (Williamstown Theatre Festival)
Joshua Castille in Tribes (Barrington Stage Company)
Jonathan Epstein in The Merchant of Venice (Shakespeare & Company)
John Hadden in The Merchant of Venice (Shakespeare & Company)
Michael Hayden in American Son (Barrington Stage Company)
Will Swenson in The Pirates of Penzance (Barrington Stage Company)
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor - Intimate Theatre:
Joey Collins in The Homecoming (Berkshire Theatre Group)
David Joseph in The Consul, The Tramp, and America's Sweetheart (Oldcastle Theatre Company)
Alfred Molina in And No More Shall We Part (Williamstown Theatre Festival)
Wendell Pierce in Cost of Living (Williamstown Theatre Festival)
Stephan Wolfert in Cry Havoc (Shakespeare & Company)
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor - Large Theatre:
Marinda Anderson in Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill (Dorset Theatre Festival)
Rebecca Brooksher in Cat On a Hot Tin Roof (Berkshire Theatre Group)
Tod Randolph in Or, (Shakespeare & Company)
Molly Regan in All My Sons (Weston Playhouse Theatre Company)
Marisa Tomei in The Rose Tattoo (Williamstown Theatre Festival)
Tamara Tunie in American Son (Barrington Stage Company)
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor - Intimate Theatre:
Kate Baldwin in Constellations (Berkshire Theatre Group)
Tara Franklin in Sister Play (Chester Theatre Company)
Annie Golden in Broadway Bounty Hunter (Barrington Stage Company)
Jane Kaczmarek in And No More Shall We Part (Williamstown Theatre Festival)
Maddie Jo Landers in The Taming (Shakespeare & Company)
Christiana Nelson in Ugly Lies The Bone (Shakespeare & Company)
Debra Jo Rupp in Kimberly Akimbo (Barrington Stage Company)
Outstanding Supporting Performance by a Male Actor - Large Theatre:
David Adkins in Cat On a Hot Tin Roof (Berkshire Theatre Group)
Alex Gibson in The Pirates of Penzance (Barrington Stage Company)
John Hadden in The Two Gentlemen of Verona (Shakespeare & Company)
Andre Ware in American Son (Barrington Stage Company)
Outstanding Supporting Performance by a Male Actor - Intimate Theatre:
Carson Elrod in The Chinese Room (Williamstown Theatre Festival)
Jeff McCarthy in Broadway Bounty Hunter (Barrington Stage Company)
Rylan Morsbach in The Homecoming (Berkshire Theatre Group)
Scott Wattanabe in Broadway Bounty Hunter (Barrington Stage Company)
Lenny Wolpe in Presto Change-O (Barrington Stage Company)
Outstanding Supporting Performance by a Female Actor - Large Theatre:
Kate Abbruzzese in The Merchant of Venice (Shakespeare & Company)
Jane Carr in The Pirates of Penzance (Barrington Stage Company)
Nehassiu De Gannes in Or, (Shakespeare & Company)
Deborah Rush in An American Daughter (Williamstown Theatre Festival)
Scarlett Strallen in The Pirates of Penzance (Barrington Stage Company)
Outstanding Supporting Performance by a Female Actor - Intimate Theatre:
Jenni Barber in Presto Change-O (Barrington Stage Company)
Chelsea Groen in Fiorello (Berkshire Theatre Group)
Dana Harrison in Holy Laughter (WAM Theatre)
Sue Jean Kim in The Chinese Room (Williamstown Theatre Festival)
Katy Sullivan in Cost of Living (Williamstown Theatre Festival)
Outstanding Direction of a Play - Large Theatre:
Julianne Boyd for American Son (Barrington Stage Company)
Jonathan Croy for The Two Gentlemen of Verona (Shakespeare & Company)
Trip Cullman for The Rose Tattoo (Williamstown Theatre Festival)
Tina Packer for The Merchant of Venice (Shakespeare & Company)
Mary B. Robinson for All My Sons (Weston Playhouse Theatre Company)
Alice Reagan for Or, (Shakespeare & Company)
Jenn Thompson for Tribes (Barrington Stage Company)
Evan Yianoulis for Table Manners (Dorset Theatre Festival)
Outstanding Direction of a Play - Intimate Theatre:
Jo Bonney for Cost of Living (Williamstown Theatre Festival)
Gregg Edelman for Constellations (Berkshire Theatre Group)
Eric Hill for The Homecoming (Berkshire Theatre Group)
Louisa Proske for Peerless (Barrington Stage Company)
Eric Tucker for Cry Havoc (Shakespeare & Company)
Outstanding Direction of a Musical - Large Theatre:
Tim Fort for Man of La Mancha (Weston Playhouse Theatre Company)
Ethan Heard for Little Shop of Horrors (Berkshire Theatre Group)
John Rando for The Pirates of Penzance (Barrington Stage Company)
Outstanding Direction of a Musical - Intimate Theatre:
Julianne Boyd for Broadway Bounty Hunter (Barrington Stage Company)
Tim Howard for Big River (Oldcastle Theatre Company)
John Saunders for Chicago (Mac-Haydn Theatre)
Steve Stettler for Murder for Two (Weston Playhouse Theatre Company)
Outstanding Choreography - Large Theatre:
Joshua Bergasse for The Pirates of Penzance (Barrington Stage Company)
Parker Esse for Little Shop of Horrors (Berkshire Theatre Group)
Michael Raine for Mamma Mia (Weston Playhouse Theatre Company)
Outstanding Choreography - Intimate Theatre:
Maddie Apple for Sister Act (Mac-Haydn Theatre)
Michael Callahan for Fiorello (Berkshire Theatre Group)
Jeffrey Page for Broadway Bounty Hunter (Barrington Stage Company)
Jenna Ware for The Emperor of The Moon (Shakespeare & Company)
Outstanding Scenic Design for Play or Musical:
David L. Arsenault for The Norman Conquests (Dorset, Weston, and Northern Stage)
Beowulf Borritt for The Pirates of Penzance (Barrington Stage Company)
Yael Pardess for The Stone Witch (Berkshire Theatre Group)
Carl Sprague for Fiorello (Berkshire Theatre Group)
Reid Thompson for Little Shop of Horrors (Berkshire Theatre Group)
Mark Wendland for The Rose Tattoo (Williamstown Theatre Festival)
Outstanding Lighting Design for a Play or Musical:
Shawn E. Boyle for The Stone Witch (Berkshire Theatre Group)
Lara Dubin for The Mountaintop (Chester Theatre Company)
Alan C. Edwards for Constellations (Berkshire Theatre Group)
Michael Giannetti for Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill (Dorset Theatre Festival)
Jason Lyons for The Pirates of Penzance (Barrington Stage Company)
Matthew Miller for The Merchant of Venice (Shakespeare & Company)
Best Costume Design for a Play or Musical:
Jess Goldstein for The Pirates of Penzance (Barrington Stage Company)
Jimm Halliday for Into The Woods (Mac-Haydn Theatre)
Tyler Kinney for The Merchant of Venice (Shakespeare & Company)
Govane Lohbauer for Or, (Shakespeare & Company)
David Murin for Little Shop of Horrors (Berkshire Theatre Group)
Bobby Frederick Tilley for Broadway Bounty Hunter (Barrington Stage Company)
Outstanding Sound Design for Play or Musical:
Toby Aliya for Tribes (Barrington Stage Company)
Amy Altadonna for Or, & Ugly Lies The Bone (Shakespeare & Company)
Ed Chapman for Mamma Mia (Weston Playhouse Theatre Company)
Scott Killian for Constellations (Berkshire Theatre Group)
Rider Q. Stanton for The Addams Family (Mac-Haydn Theatre)
Corey Wheat for The 39 Steps (Oldcastle Theatre Company)
Larry Murray Award:
- Julianne Boyd, Barrington Stage Company, for her issue-related programming and community outreach.
- Kristen van Ginhoven, WAM Theatre, for combining meaningful theatre with charitable support of women's causes.
- The Producing Directors of the Dorset Theatre Festival, Weston Playhouse Theatre Company, and Northern Stage fortheir collaborative co-production of the three plays comprising The Norman Conquests.