(Pittsfield, MA) – The Berkshire Theatre Critics Association (BTCA) is pleased to announce the nominees for the 5th Berkshire Theatre Awards, known colloquially as The Berkies. This would be the 5^th annual awards, but of course last year no awards were given because of the pandemic, so this year’s awards recognize shows that opened in the greater Berkshire region between October 1, 2019 and September 30, 2021.

The purpose of the BTCA and the Berkshire Theatre Awards is to promote and celebrate the quality and diversity of theatre in the region. The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on the evening of November 15 at Zion Lutheran Church in Pittsfield.

“The Berkies are purposely held in the fall when everyone is a little more relaxed. The awards ceremony give artists and critics a chance to network in a festive environment,” BTCA Board President J. Peter Bergman explained.

The following eighty nominees in twenty-one categories were culled from the 381 votes of critics who covered productions at theatres in four states – Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, and New York. The season included about 103 different shows at more than two dozen different venues.

Not only will the BTCA present the array of awards we’ve come to expect, but the Association plans to honor theater companies that stretched their usual endeavors to keep their audiences enthralled over the past year with special programs, variations on “live” performance, and an e-mail experience to keep people informed about theater activities and prospects for the future.In addition to the awards for individual or ensemble achievement, which are voted on by the entire membership, the BTCA Board annually presents the Larry Murray Award for Community Engagement. Previous winners include Tina Packer, Barrington Stage Company, WAM Theatre, and Shakespeare & Company’s Fall Festival of Shakespeare.

For the first time the Board has designated a change in the name of one of our awards: The prize for Outstanding New Play will henceforth be called the “Sally and Robert Sugarman Award for the World Premiere of a New Work” to honor two founding board members; Sally Sugarman’s death in December 2020 inspired this change.

“It was clear to see, this past year, how much live theatre means to people here,” Bergman said. “Berkshire Theatre Group and Barrington Stage Company worked together to negotiate reasonable union contracts in 2020 and were the only two companies in the United States to produce live theatre that summer, and fall They were amply rewarded by sold-out houses (minimal and reduced as they were, by law) which proved the necessity of live theater.”The Berkshire Theatre Critics Association extends an invitation and a welcome to all the companies and their nominees: Keep the theater, and the various theaters, alive this year and watch for our November announcement of this year’s winners!

2021 Nominees

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play:

1. Myka Plunkett, Mr. Fullerton, Great Barrington Public Theater
2. Corinna May, The Importance of Being Earnest, Berkshire Theatre Group
3. Alexandria Danielle King, Pipeline, WAM Theatre
4. Janis Young, A Doll’s House, Part 2, The Living Room Theatre
5. Annabel Hoffman, Stupid F*%ing Bird, Hubbard Hall
6. Sasha Hutchings, Nina Simone: Four Women, Berkshire Theatre Group

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play:

1. Kenneth Tigar, Boca, Barrington Stage Company
2. David Adkins, The Importance of Being Earnest, Berkshire Theatre Group
3. Kevin O’Rourke, The Christopher Boy’s Communion, Great Barrington Public Theater
4. Justin Withers, American Underground, Barrington Stage Company
5. James Ricardo Milord, Pipeline, WAM Theatre
6. James Barry, Tiny Beautiful Things, Chester Theatre Company
7. Ed Rosini, Water, Water Everywhere, Oldcastle Theatre Company
8. Stephen Heskett, The Stranger, Theater Barn

Outstanding Scenic Design of a Play or Musical:

1. Brian Prather, Boca, Barrington Stage Company
2. Beowulf Boritt, Chester Bailey, Barrington Stage Company
3. Beowulf Boritt,  A Crossing: A Dance Musical, Barrington Stage Company
4. Andrew Gmoser, Man of La Mancha, Mac-Haydn Theatre
5. Sam Reilly, The Chalk Garden, Ghent Playhouse

Outstanding Choreography

1. Joshua Bergasse and Alberto Lopez, A Crossing: A Dance Musical, Barrington Stage Company
2. Bryan Knowlton, Beehive, Mac-Haydn Theatre
3. Jeffrey L. Page, Who Could Ask For Anything More?, Barrington Stage Company

Outstanding Direction of a Musical:

1. Joshua Bergasse, A Crossing: A Dance Musical, Barrington Stage Company
2. John Saunders, She Loves Me, Mac-Haydn Theatre
3. Alan Filderman, Godspell, Berkshire Theatre Group
4. Julianne Boyd, Who Could Ask For Anything More? Barrington Stage Company

Outstanding Costume Design of a Play or Musical:

1. Jen Caprio, Boca, Barrington Stage Company
2. Hunter Kaczorowski, The Importance of Being Earnest, Berkshire Theatre Group
3. Brittney Belz, Mr. Fullerton, Great Barrington Public Theater
4. Sarabell Wrigley, A Doll’s House, Part 2, The Living Room Theatre

Outstanding Solo Performance:

1. James Barry, Title and Deed, Chester Theatre Company
2. Harriet Harris, Eleanor, Barrington Stage Company
3. Steven Patterson, Miss Gulch Returns!, Bridge Street Theatre
4. Debra Ann Byrd, Becoming Othello, Shakespeare & Company
5. Tamir, Now, Pauline Productions
6. Celeste Lecesne, Poof (The Plein Air Plays), Ancram Opera House

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical:

1. Erin Spears Ledford, She Loves Me, Mac-Haydn Theatre
2. Amber Mawande-Spytek, The World Goes Round, Mac Haydn Theatre
3. Darlesia Cearcy, Nina Simone: Four Women, Berkshire Theatre Group
4. Storm Lever, The Hills are Alive with Rodgers & Hammerstein, Barrington Stage Company

Outstanding Lighting Design of a Play or Musical:

1. Matthew E. Adelson, Holiday Memories, Berkshire Theatre Group 
2. David Lander, Sister Sorry, Barrington Stage Company
3. Peter Kaczorowski, Chester Bailey, Barrington Stage Company
4. Yuki Nakase Link, Queen of the Night, Dorset Theatre Festival
5. Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew, Walden, TheaterWorks Hartford

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical:

1. Brandon Lee (Stand-by), Godspell, Berkshire Theatre Group
2. Omar Nieves, A Crossing: A Dance Musical, Barrington Stage Company
3. Andres Quintero, A Crossing: A Dance Musical, Barrington Stage Company
4. Michael Wartella, Godspell, Berkshire Theatre Group
5. Jarod Bakum, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Theater Barn
6. Mikel Hunter, Pippin, Mac-Haydn Theatre
7. Andrew Burton Kelly, She Loves Me, Mac-Haydn Theatre
8. Jacob Tischler, Who Could Ask For Anything More?, Barrington Stage Company

Outstanding Direction of a Play:

1. Ron Lagomarsino, Chester Bailey, Barrington Stage Company
2. Judy Braha, Mr. Fullerton, Great Barrington Public Theater
3. Kirk Jackson, A Doll’s House, Part 2, The Living Room Theatre
4. Joe Calarco, Sister Sorry, Barrington Stage Company
5. Christina Franklin, The Niceties, Chester Theatre Company
6. Regge Life, hang, Shakespeare & Company

Outstanding Sound Design of a Play or Musical:

1. Alexander Sovronsky, Boca, Barrington Stage Company
2. Eddy Mineshi, Eleanor, Barrington Stage Company
3. Leon Rothenberg, A Crossing: A Dance Musical, Barrington Stage Company
4. Hao Bai, Walden, TheaterWorks Hartford

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical:

1. Alysha Umphress, Who Could Ask for Anything More? Barrington Stage Company
2. Felicia Curry, Nina Simone: Four Women, Berkshire Theatre Group
3. Kellly Gabrielle Murphy, She Loves Me, Mac-Haydn Theatre
4. Maya Cuevas, Man of La Mancha, Mac-Haydn Theatre

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical:

1. Alan H. Green, Who Could Ask for Anything More?, Barrington Stage Company
2. Gabe Belyeu, Man of La Mancha, Mac-Haydn Theatre
3. Kylan Ross, The World Goes Round, Mac-Haydn Theatre

Outstanding Ensemble Performance:

1. A Crossing,: A Dance Musical, Barrington Stage Company
2. Good People, Theater Barn
3. The Irish and How They Got That Way, Capital Repertory Theatre
4. Live From WVL Radio Theatre: It’s a Wonderful Life, Capital Repertory Theatre

Outstanding Production with Fewer Than Six Performances:

1. Falstaff, Berkshire Opera Festival
2. Glory Denied, Berkshire Opera Festival
3. The Bacchae, SITI Company, Williams College
4. Love Travels Fast, Bennington Community Theater

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play:

1. Ephraim Birney, Chester Bailey, Barrington Stage Company
2. Reed Birney, Chester Bailey, Barrington Stage Company
3. Christopher Sears, Sister Sorry, Barrington Stage Company
4. Oliver Wadsworth, Turn of the Screw, Oldcastle Theatre Company
5. Mark H. Dold, Dad, Great Barrington Public Theater
6. Danny Johnson, Queen of the Night, Dorset Theatre Festival

Sally and Robert Sugarman Award for World Premiere of a NEW Work

1. A Crossing: A Dance Musical,, book by Mark St. Germain, songs by Zoe Sarnak, Barrington Stage Company
2. Queen of the Night, Travis Tate, Dorset Theatre Festival
3. Eleanor, Mark St. Germain, Barrington Stage Company
4. Boca, Jessica Provenz, Barrington Stage Company
5. Mr. Fullerton, Anne Undeland, Great Barrington Public Theater

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play:

1. Peggy Pharr Wilson, Boca, Barrington Stage Company
2. Kathleen Carey, Good People, Theater Barn
3. Debra Jo Rupp, Boca, Barrington Stage Company
4. Randolyn Zinn, A Doll’s House, Part 2, The Living Room Theatre
5. Tara Franklin, Tiny Beautiful Things, Chester Theatre Company
6. Helen Sadler, Jane Eyre, Hartford Stage

Outstanding Production of a Musical:

1. A Crossing: A Dance Musical, Barrington Stage Company
2. Man of La Mancha, Mac-Haydn Theatre
3. You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Theater Barn
4. Godspell, Berkshire Theatre Group
5. She Loves Me, Mac-Haydn Theatre

Outstanding Production of a Play:

1. Chester Bailey by Joseph Dougherty, Barrington Stage Company
2. Laughing Wild, by Christopher Durang, Dorset Theater Festival
3. Death Tax, by Lucas Hnath, Acting Class with Patrick White
4. The Niceties by Eleanor Burgess, Chester Theatre Company