Berkshire Theatre Critics Association
Third Annual Berkshire Theatre Awards
By: Gail M. Burns - Oct 15, 2018
This week the Berkshire Theatre Critics Association is voting on the final award list in preparation for the Third Annual Berkshire Theatre Awards. Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony to be held on Monday, November 12 at 7 pm at the Zion Lutheran Church, 74 First Street (Route 7) in Pittsfield, MA.
Nominations were sought from all 27 members of the Association and the diversity of results have led to a fascinating final list of nominees including artists from 13 theatre companies in the Association’s defined region.
Close to 460 different artists and qualifying productions that opened between October 15, 2017 and September 30, 2018 in theaters in the Association’s defined region comprising Berkshire County, Columbia County, southern Vermont, northern Connecticut, and the New York Capital District were eligible for nomination. The final vote will produce 21 winners out of 82 nominee finalists.
An additional award will be selected by the Board of the Association in memory of the award’s founder, critic Larry Murray. This special award is for service to the community by a theater company or theater professional.
The November 12 awards ceremony is free and open to the public, with a request for a donation at the discretion of the individual attending. Anyone wishing to attend should make a reservation at 413-822-7384. Doors will open at 6:30 pm.
NOMINEES FOR THE 2018 BERKSHIRE THEATRE CRITICS ASSOCIATION AWARDS
1. Outstanding Supporting Actress Musical
· Skyler Volpe - Anita - West Side Story - Barrington Stage
· Hayley Podschun - Gwen Cavendish - Royal Family of Broadway - Barrington Stage
· Latoya Edwards - Dionne - Hair -Berkshire Theatre Group
· Monica M. Wemett - Miss Hannigan - Annie -Mac-Haydn Theatre
2. Outstanding Supporting Actor Musical
· Chip Zien - Oscar Wolfe - Royal Family of Broadway - Barrington Stage
· Sean Ewing - Bernardo - West Side Story - Barrington Stage
· A.J. Shively - Perry - The Royal Family of Broadway - Barrington Stage
· Steven Rattazzzi - Marinetti - Lempicka - Williamstown Theatre Festival
3. Outstanding Supporting Actress Play
· Ella Loudon - LaBelle/Phoebe Dennis - As You Like It - Shakespeare and Co.
· Victoria Frings - Viv - Well Intentioned White People - Barrington Stage
· Nemuna Ceesay - Macy - The Cake - Barrington Stage
· Mary Stout - Anne Marie - A Doll’s House, Part II - Barrington Stage
4. Outstanding Supporting Actor Play
· Brooks Ashmankas - Ronnie Wilde - The Closet - Williamstown Theatre Festival
· Phillip James Brannon - Marcel - Dangerous House - Williamstown Theatre Festival
· John Hadden - Arnold - HIR - Shakespeare and Co.
· Daniel K. Isaac - Atung - The Chinese Lady - Barrington Stage
5. Outstanding Lead Actor Musical
· Will Branner - Tony - West Side Story - Barrington Stage
· Will Swenson - Tony Cavendish - Royal Family of Broadway - Barrington Stage
· David Garrison - Irving Berlin - Coming back like a song - Berkshire Theatre Group
· George Dvorsky - Warbucks - Annie – Mac-Haydn Theatre
6. Outstanding Lead Actress Musical
· Addie Morales - Maria - West Side Story - Barrington Stage
· Harriet Harris - Fanny Cavendish - Royal Family of Broadway - Barrington Stage
· Laura Michelle Kelly - Julie Cavendish -Royal Family of Broadway - Barrington Stage
· Andrea Prestinario - Alison Bechdel - Fun Home - Weston Playhouse
7. Outstanding Lead Actress Play
· Annette Miller - Katherine - Mothers and Sons - Shakespeare and Co.
· Debra Jo Rupp - Della The Cake - Barrington Stage
· Alfie Fuller - Noxolo - Dangerous House - Williamstown Theatre Festival
· Laila Robins - Nora - A Doll’s House, Part II - Barrington Stage
8. Outstanding Lead Actor Play
· Jonathan Epstein - Gustav - Creditors - Shakespeare and Co
· Christopher Innvarr - Torvald - A Doll’s House, Part II - Barrington Stage
· David Adkins - Allen Squier - The Petrified Forest - Berkshire Theatre Group
· Hoon Lee - Harry - Seared - Williamstown Theatre Festival
9. Outstanding Ensemble Production
· HIR - Shakespeare and Co.
· The Three Sisters - Living Room Theatre
· Men on Boats - Acting Class with Patrick White at Sand Lake Center for the Arts
· Aliens - Chester Theatre
10. Outstanding Solo Play
· Mona Golabek - The children of Willisden Lane - Hartford Stage
· Danielle Skraastad - HOMEBODY - Ancram Opera House
· Sharon Washington – Feeding the Dragon - Hartford Stage
11. Outstanding Director Musical
· Julianne Boyd - West Side Story - Barrington Stage
· John Rando - Royal Family of Broadway - Barrington Stage
· John Saunders - Cabaret – Mac-Haydn Theatre
· Rachel Chavkin - Lempicka - Williamstown Theatre Festival
12. Outstanding Director Play
· Nicole Ricciardi - Creditors - Shakespeare and Co.
· Saheem Ali - Dangerous House - Williamstown Theatre Festival
· Jennifer Chambers -The Cake - Barrington Stage
· James Warwick - Mothers and Sons - Shakespeare and Co.
13. Outstanding Scenic Design
· Alexander Dodge - Royal Family of Broadway - Barrington Stage
· Wilson Chen - The Petrified Forest - Berkshire Theatre Group
· Dane Laffrey - Dangerous House - Williamstown Theatre Festival
· Kristen Robinson -West Side Story - Barrington Stage
14. Outstanding Costume Design
· Alejo Vietti - The Royal Family of Broadway - Barrington Stage
· Hunter Kaszarowski - The Petrified Forest - Berkshire Theatre Group
· Montana Levi Blanco - Lempicka - Williamstown Theatre Festival
· Angela Carstensen - Cabaret – Mac-Haydn Theatre
15. Outstanding Lighting Design
· Bradley King - Lempicka - Williamstown Theatre Festival
· Andrew Gmoser - Damn Yankees – Mac-Haydn Theatre
· Lap Chi Chu - Dangerous House - Williamstown Theatre Festival
· David Lander - West Side Story - Barrington Stage
16. Outstanding Sound Design
· Daniel Kluger/Aaron Rhynne - The Sound Inside - Williamstown Theatre Festival
· Fabian Obispo - The Chinese Lady - Barrington Stage Company
· Rider Q. Stanton - Ring of Fire - Capital Repertory Theatre
· Palmer Hefferan - Dangerous House - Williamstown Theatre Festival
17. Outstanding Choreography
· Robert LaFosse - West Side Story - Barrington Stage
· Joshua Bergasse - Royal Family of Broadway - Barrington Stage
· Sebastiani Romagnolo - Cabaret – Mac-Haydn Theatre
· Lisa Shriver - Hair - Berkshire Theatre Group
18. Outstanding NEW Play
· The Sound Inside by Adam Rapp, directed by David Cromer - Williamstown Theatre Festival
· The Chinese Lady by Lloyd Suh, directed by Ralph B. Pena - Barrington Stage
· The Closet by Douglas Carter-Beane, directed by Mark Brokaw - Williamstown Theatre Festival Dangerous House by Jen Silverman, directed by Saheem Ali - Williamstown Theatre Festival
19. Outstanding NEW Musical
· Lempicka - Book and Lyrics by Carson Kreitzer; Music by Matt Gould, directed by Rachel Chavkin - Williamstown Theatre Festival
· Royal Family of Broadway - Book by Rachel Sheinkin; Music and Lyrics by William Finn, directed by Joshua Bergasse - Barrington Stage
· Coming Back Like a Song - by Lee Kalcheim. Songs by Irving Berlin, Harold Arlen, Jimmy Van Heusen and their collaborators. Directed by Gregg Edelman - Berkshire Theatre Group
20. Outstanding Musical Production
· West Side Story - directed by Julianne Boyd - Barrington Stage
· Hair - directed by Daisy Walker - Berkshire Theatre Group
· Ring of Fire - directed by Maggie Mancinelli -Cahill - Capital Repertory Theatre
· Anything Goes - directed by Alan M-L Wager - Sharon Playhouse
21. Outstanding Play Production
· Creditors by August Strindberg, adapted by David Greig. Directed by Nicole Ricciardi -Shakespeare and Co.
· Mothers and Sons by Terence McNally. Directed by James Warwick - Shakespeare and Co.
· Dangerous House by Jen Silverman, directed by Saheem Ali - Williamstown Theatre Festival
· Seared, by Theresa Rebeck. Directed by Moritz von Stuelpnagel. Williamstown Theatre Festival
--