[Capdist-announce] PRESS RELEASE: New Berkshire Theatre Awards Program Announces Nominees

[Gail Burns]

October 11, 2016





Contact: Larry Murray

www.BerkshireOnStage.com

Larrymurray1 at gmail.com

413-664-6108


*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*



*New Berkshire Theatre Awards Program Announces Nominees*


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:

------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------

*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:*

     1. Julianne Boyd, Barrington Stage Company, for her issue-related
programming and community outreach.



     2. Kristen van Ginhoven, WAM Theatre, for combining meaningful theatre
with charitable support of women's causes.



     3. The Producing Directors of the Dorset Theatre Festival, Weston
Playhouse Theatre Company, and Northern Stage for their collaborative
co-production of the three plays comprising

 *The Norman Conquests*.
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