2016 Berkies Announced
First Annual Berkshire Theatre Awards
By: Charles Giuliano - Oct 17, 2016
With formidable sweat equity the First Annnual Berkshire Theatre Awards has been launched. The winners have been announced and two of the four major Berkshire companies, Barrington Stage Company and Shakespeare & Company have dominated.
While 17 critics have voted not all of them saw most of the nominated productions. This is particularly true for companies on the fringes of the Berkshires. It is likely that the majority of critics, however, saw most of the productions of the four major companies which were well represented in nominations.
While often touted for its New York and Broadway connections the surprise of this first annual slate of winners is that Williamstown Theatre Festival sailed wide of the mark. In general, its marquee appeal failed to produce winners. It is a notable, for example, that its production of Tennessee Williams' The Rose Tattoo did not claim kudos for its star Marisa Tomei. The other Williams production, Cat on the Hot Tin Roof, at Berkshire Theatre Group was nominated but failed to win.
While WTF had strong productions in its smaller Nikos Stage the two Main Stage offerings other than Rose Tattoo, a hit with critics and audiences, ranged from bad to worse. Its Nikos musical Poster Boy, which was not open to review, according to media consensus would have won for best new musical had it been eligible. That award went to Barrington's Broadway Bounty Hunters which got mixed reviews. At the last moment Julianne Boyd jumped in as director to save the show and surprisingly won for that category.
The dominance of Barrington Stage comes as no surprise to Berkshire theatre insiders. Unlike NY oriented WTF, artistic director, Julianne Boyd, has often stated a policy of not casting marquee actors. This raises costs as well as expectations. The team for Pirates, however, was comprised of Tony winners and Broadway veterans. It was far and away the best reviewed and most popular production of the season.
In any other year, however, a delicious and raucous production of Little Shop of Horrors by Berkshire Theatre Company deserved to be a winner. While it was presented at the large Colonial Theatre there was a feisty production of the musical Fiorello which was compressed effectively into its small Unicorn Theatre. The show traveled to Off Broadway this fall where it earned positive reviews.
To say the least Shakespeare & Company has gone through several seasons of turbulence. Despite patched up administration and the announcent of yet another artistic director, overall, as reflected by nominations and winners the company managed a strong season. There were remarkable performances including Johnathan Epstein (didn't win) in Merchant of Venice, the incredible solo of Stephan Wolfert in Cry Havoc and the over the top Nehassaiu DeGannes in Or (in a tie with Scarlett Strallen in The Pirates of Penzance).
At the beginnng of the season The Boston Globe wrote a feature noting women as artitic directors of the four major equity companies. At S&Co. Ariel Block shared those responsibilities with Johnathan Croy. Add to that mix Kristen van Ginhoven, Co-founder and Artistic Director of WAM Theatre, which mandates productions by and about women and girls.
Not surprisingly that equated to a season notable for message plays and feminism.
Often one emerged from an evening of theatre feeling more educated than entertained. Some of these productions proved to be remarkable and memorable. While others felt misdirected, preachy and flat.
Given the horrific state of racism, xenophobia, sexism and current politics perhaps Berkshire theatre aptly reflects the national zeitgeist.
In putting together seasons artistic directors have the option to enforce their social and political agendas. Ultimately, audiences decide on the success or failure of programming. Moving into the next season artistic directors have to explain empty seats to their boards.
It is interesting, for example, that for its three Main Stage productions WTF featured strong roles for women. Theatre goers noted the lack of a mainstream musical or an "entertaining" show. By default that was Marisa Tomei in Rose Tattoo. Critics noted her strong but generally miscast performance. She was edged out by Tamara Tunie in American Son. Many felt that the ambitious Nikos program was superior to what appeared on the mainstage.
Of course there is always next year.
Below is the press release for the awards.
Berkshire County, MA [October 17, 2016] – The winners of the First Annual Berkshire Theatre Awards have been announced. Seventeen arts journalists voted on 120 nominees in 25 categories chosen from artists in the 75 live theatre productions mounted in Berkshire County and adjacent areas between October 1, 2015 and September 30, 2016.
The winner of the special Larry Murray Award, to be given to a person or theatre project that advances social, political, or community issues, will not be announced until the Winners’ Celebration at 5 pm on November 13 at Mr. Finn’s Cabaret in Pittsfield. Nominees for the Larry Murray Award are Kristen van Ginhoven, Co-founder and Artistic Director of WAM Theatre, and Julianne Boyd Artistic Director of Barrington Stage; and the three Vermont theatre companies that teamed up to produce all three plays in Alan Ayckbourn’s The Norman Conquests this past summer – the Dorset Theatre Festival, Northern Stage Company, and the Weston Playhouse Theatre Company.
"If these awards indicate who is doing the best work in the Berkshires, then Barrington Stage and Shakespeare & Company have to be at the top of anyone's list,” said awards organizer Larry Murray of BerkshireOnStage.com. “Those two companies received the majority of wins, with WAM Theatre and Berkshire Theatre Group also receiving recognition of their work. That the Williamstown Theatre Festival came close in many categories without securing its own place in the awards will undoubtedly be cause for speculation. It seems the critics have spoken."
There were tie votes in both the male and female Outstanding Support Performance categories, and many of the votes were extremely close.
With regional theatres 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 Berkshire Theatre Awards voters included Mark G. Auerbach of the Westfield News Group, Peter Bergman of Berkshire Bright Focus and the Berkshire Edge, Jeffrey Borak of the Berkshire Eagle, theatre historian Bob Bruyr, Dan Dwyer of Off Script, Helen Epstein of Arts Fuse, Bob Goepfert of the Troy Record and WAMC, Charles Giuliano of Berkshire Fine Arts, Rex Hearn of the Berkshire Record, Macey Levin of Berkshire on Stage, Gloria Miller of Curtain Up, Larry Murray of Berkshire on Stage, Chris Rohmann of the Valley Advocate, Fred Sokol of Talkin’ Broadway, Stephen Sorokoff of Broadway World, Bob Sugarman of Theatre Talk, and Sally Sugarman of WBTN and More Theatre Talk. Also participating in the program but not voting are Gail M. Burns and Ed Sedarbaum.
The complete list of nominees follows, with the winners in Bold Face.
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)
Nehassaiu DeGannes 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)
Cory Wheat for The 39 Steps (Oldcastle Theatre Company)