The First Annual Berkshire Theatre Awards (The Berkies) were awarded in Pittsfield MA. on Sunday November 13th. The location for the ceremony was Mr. Finn’s Cabaret and due to the overwhelming response from the Berkshire Theatre community, next years event is already being planned for a larger facility. Although Two-Time Tony Award Winner William Finn did not have a show in contention this year, he was on hand to accept for some artists who could not attend in person. Mr. Finn’s Tony Award Winning musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee was launched in the Berkshires at Barrington Stage Co.
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. Times Square Chronicles music editor and theatre critic Stephen Sorokoff is one of the voters along with the other members of The Berkshire Theatre Critics Association: 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, 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 Berkshire theatrical community was brought together by Larry Murray who has long promoted the idea of a Berkshire Theatre Awards program and in his honor the Founders committee did create the Larry Murray Award which is given to a person or theatre project that advances social, political, or community issues. Larry personally presented this year’s award to Julianne Boyd founder/artistic director of Barrington Stage Co. Shakespeare & Company and Barrington Stage Co, were big winners this year. BSC’s productions of The Pirates of Penzance and American Son took top honors. Will Swenson, Tamara Tunie, Debra Jo Rupp, John Hadden, Andre Ware, and Jeff McCarthy were also recipients of Berkshire Theatre Awards.
(For complete photos of The First Annual Berkshire Theatre Awards go to Broadwayworld.com)
The Winners of The First Annual Berkshire Theatre Awards
Outstanding:
Supporting Performance (Female) Intimate Theatre – Dana Harrison in Holy Laughter (WAM Theatre)
Supporting Performance (Male) Intimate Theatre – Jeff McCarthy in Broadway Bounty Hunter (BSC)
Direction of Musical – Intimate Theatre – Julianne Boyd – Broadway Bounty Hunter (BSC)
Choreography – Large Theatre – Joshua Bergasse Pirates of Penzance (BSC)
Costume Design – Play or Musical – Jess Goldstein Pirates of Penzance (BSC)
Choreography – Intimate Theatre – Jeffrey Page -Broadway Bounty Hunter (BSC)
Direction – Intimate Theatre – Eric Tucker Cry Havoc (Shakespeare & Co)
Lighting Design – Play or Musical Jason Lyons Pirates of Penzance (BSC)
Supporting Performance (Male) Large Theatre John Hadden The Two Gentlemen of Verona (Shakespeare) & Andre Ware – American Son (BSC)
Scenic Design Play or Musical – Beowulf Borritt – Pirates of Penzance (BSC)
Sound Design Play or Musical- Scott Kilian – Constellations (Berkshire Theatre Group)Male Actor (Male) – Intimate THeatre- Stephan Wolfert – Cry Havoc (Shakespeare & Co.)
Actor (Female) Intimate Theatre- Debra Jo Rupp – Kimberly Akimbo (BSC)
Direction Musical – Large Theatre – John Rando – Pirates of Penzance (BSC)
Production of a New Musical – Broadway Bounty Hunter (BSC)
Production of Musical Intimate Theatre – Broadway Bounty Hunter (BSC)
Performance Male Actor – Large Theatre – Will Swenson – Pirates of Penzance (BSC)
Production of Play- Intimate Theatre – Cry Havoc (Shakespeare & Co.)
Performance Supporting Female Actor – Large Theatre – Nehassaiu Degannes -Or (Shakespeare) & Scarlett Strallen – Pirates of Penzance (BSC)
Direction of Play – Large Theatre – Julianne Boyd – American Son (BSC)
Performance Female Actor – Large Theatre – Tamara Tunie – American Son (BSC)
Production of New Play – American Son – (BSC)
Production of Musical – Large Theatre – Pirates of Penzance (BSC)
Production of Play – Large Theatre – American Son (BSC)
Larry Murray Award – Julianne Boyd
(Complete photo coverage of The Berkshire Theatre Awards can be found on Broadwayworld.com)
William Finn
The Berkshire Theatre Awards
Tamara Tunie
Debra Jo Rupp
Debra Jo Rupp & Julianne Boyd
Larry Murray
William Finn, Elizabeth Aspenlieder, Larry Murray, Debra Jo Rupp
Elizabeth Aspenlieder, Stephen Sorokoff, David Joseph, Eda Sorokoff
The Berkshire Theatre Awards
Cabaret
My View: The Only Thing Missing Was A Latte ( with extra foam) Marcy & Zina Party at 54 Below
The only thing missing at last night’s party for Marcy and Zina was a Latte choice in the beverage section on the menu at 54 Below (with extra foam). The show, titled Make Your Own Party: The Songs of Goldrich and Heisler was conceived by Scott Coulter and performed by a cast of five. It celebrated over three decades of quirky, heartfelt and utterly contemporary romantic comedy songs written by Marcy Heisler and Zina Goldrich.
From “Taylor the Latte Boy” to under appreciated altos we were introduced to the cast of characters that inspired these inseparable, irreverent friends to write over three hundred and counting musical love letters to the city, the theatre, and the people who make them sing. The evening was filled with the heart felt stories that these two award winning women have created and was performed by a first rate cast of Broadway super singers. The lyrics, the music, the luscious harmonies…it was the best party of music I’ve ever been invited to.
The Performers: Jill Abramowitz, Cole Burden, Alex Getlin, Joe Kinosian, Kelli Rabke, and Austin Rivers.
Joe Kinosian,piano, Matt Scharfglass, bass
Marcy & Zina have been performing and writing together since 1992. Their critically acclaimed romantic comedy songs have been featured in venues across the world, recorded by artists across many genres, and appear in numerous folios and collected works. Their Off-Broadway musical Dear Edwina earned them a Drama Desk nomination, and other works have been produced by regional powerhouses such as Paper Mill playhouse, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Goodspeed, and the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts. Their shows include Ever After, JUnie B Jones, and The Great American Musical, based on the bestselling book by auther/director Julie Andrews.
KELLI RABKE & JILL ABRAMOVITZ
MAKE YOUR OWN PARTY: THE SONGS OF GOLDRICH AND HEISLER
KELLI RABKE
KELLI RABKE & ALEX GETLIN
ALEX GETLIN
JILL ABRAMOVITZ
COLE BURDEN
AUSTIN RIVERS
KELLI REBKE & JILL ABRAMOVITZ
KELLI REBKE & ALEX GETLIN
JOE KINOSIAN
COLE BURDEN, KELLI RABKE, JILL ABRAMOVITZ, AUSTIN RIVERS
SCOTT COULTER, PRODUCER
MAKE YOUR OWN PARTY
54 BELOW
ZINA GOLDRICH & MARCY HEISLER
If there is one night during the week when you want-need?- to hear love songs, well, it’s got to be a Saturday night. And this last Saturday, 54 Below provided just the right tonic of famously romantic songs in a show created and hosted by Scott Siegel titled “Love Song Saturday Night”. It’s a new hit series at the club and the songs in the show came from every genre, including Broadway, country, pop, R&B, and more. They were performed by a richly talented cast of stars that sing not from the page, but from the soul. The packed house of mostly lovers had a sensational time and Eda and I got home in time for Saturday Night Live
The Performers: Edward Staudenmayer, Elena Mindlina, Christopher Brian, Moipei, Matthew Drinkwater, Ryan Knowles, Ben Jones. Ron Abel, music director
Edward Staudenmayer
ELENA MINDLINA
CHRISTOPHER BRIAN
MOIPEI
MATTHEW DRINKWATER
RYAN KNOWLES
BEN JONES
LOVE SONG SATURDAY NIGHT
SCOTT SIEGEL
RON ABEL
RON ABEL & BEN JONES
My heart is exploding with love for Donna McKechnie and her jewel box of a show titled: “Take Me To The World – The Songs Of Stephen Sondheim.” Since the legendary composer/lyricist has left this planet, there have been many shows and evenings (with even more to come) trying to capture, assess, explain and illustrate what it is/was that made him the revered genius he has become to any actor who sings. Some more successful or eloquent than others. Some more musical than others. But (and this is a large use of the word) no one has had the span of time on this same plane embodying the work of Sondheim on a stage, more than Donna McKechnie, who starred as Philia on the National Tour of A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM, which was the first show Steve wrote the words and music for. That already puts her in a class all her own. And “class” is a word that perfectly defines the confection and power that comes across a stage and into audiences hearts when she speaks, sings or dances. No “spoilers” here, but if you want to learn how it’s done, go see Donna McKechnie. She has information we didn’t even know we needed and I would like to be at the head of the class. Awe-inspiring. Stephen is a huge part of her lore and longevity, which can shake away the idea that she will be forever defined as Cassie in A CHORUS LINE. There is, oh, so much more to behold and time has been loving to her, as she to it.
Ian Herman, music director
Donna McKechnie
Donna McKechnie
Donna McKechnie
Donna McKechnie
Donna McKechnie
Donna McKechnie
Donna McKechnie
54 Below
Donna McKechnie
Michele Lee & Donna McKechnie
Penny Fuller, Donna McKechnie, Lorna Dallas-Brown
Jeff Harnar & Donna Mckechnie
Michele Lee, Donna McKechnie, Eda Sorokoff
Lorna Dallas-Brown, Eda Sorokoff, Penny Fuller, Michele Lee
54 Below
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