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'The Pirates of Penzance' at Barrington Stage Company received several awards.

New Berkshire Theatre Awards Program Names Winners

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. - 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 theater project that advances social, political or community issues, will not be announced until the Winners’ Celebration at 5 p.m. on Nov. 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 theater 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.

 

Outstanding Production of a Play - Large Theatre: "American Son" (Barrington Stage Company)

 
Outstanding Production of a Play - Intimate Theatre: "Cry Havoc" (Shakespeare & Company)


Outstanding Production of a Musical - Large Theatre: "The Pirates of Penzance" (Barrington Stage Company)


Outstanding Production of a Musical - Intimate Theatre: "Broadway Bounty Hunter" (Barrington Stage Company)

 
Outstanding Production of a New Play: "American Son" (Barrington Stage Company)


Outstanding Production of a New Musical: "Broadway Bounty Hunter" (Barrington Stage Company)


Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor - Large Theatre: Will Swenson in "The Pirates of Penzance" (Barrington Stage Company)

 
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor - Intimate Theatre: Stephan Wolfert in "Cry Havoc" (Shakespeare & Company)

 
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor - Large Theatre: Tamara Tunie in "American Son" (Barrington Stage Company)

 
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor - Intimate Theatre: Debra Jo Rupp in "Kimberly Akimbo" (Barrington Stage Company)

 
Outstanding Supporting Performance by a Male Actor - Large Theatre (tie): John Hadden in "The Two Gentlemen of Verona" (Shakespeare & Company) and Andre Ware in "American Son" (Barrington Stage Company)



Outstanding Supporting Performance by a Male Actor - Intimate Theatre: Jeff McCarthy in "Broadway Bounty Hunter" (Barrington Stage Company)


Outstanding Supporting Performance by a Female Actor - Large Theatre (tie): Nehassiu De Gannes in "Or," (Shakespeare & Company) and Scarlett Strallen in "The Pirates of Penzance" (Barrington Stage Company)

 
Outstanding Supporting Performance by a Female Actor - Intimate Theatre: Dana Harrison in "Holy Laughter" (WAM Theatre)

 
Outstanding Direction of a Play - Large Theatre: Julianne Boyd for "American Son" (Barrington Stage Company)

 
Outstanding Direction of a Play - Intimate Theatre: Eric Tucker for "Cry Havoc" (Shakespeare & Company)

 
Outstanding Direction of a Musical - Large Theatre: 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)


Outstanding Choreography - Large Theatre: Joshua Bergasse for "The Pirates of Penzance" (Barrington Stage Company)

 
Outstanding Choreography - Intimate Theatre: Jeffrey Page for "Broadway Bounty Hunter" (Barrington Stage Company)

 
Outstanding Scenic Design for Play or Musical: Beowulf Borritt for "The Pirates of Penzance" (Barrington Stage Company)

 
Outstanding Lighting Design for a Play or Musical: Jason Lyons for "The Pirates of Penzance" (Barrington Stage Company)

 
Best Costume Design for a Play or Musical: Jess Goldstein for "The Pirates of Penzance" (Barrington Stage Company)


Outstanding Sound Design for Play or Musical: Scott Killian for "Constellations" (Berkshire Theatre Group)


Tags: local theater,   theater,   

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MassDOT Project Will Affect Traffic Near BMC

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Prepare for traffic impacts around Berkshire Medical Center through May for a state Department of Transportation project to improve situations and intersections on North Street and First Street.

Because of this, traffic will be reduced to one lane of travel on First Street (U.S. Route 7) and North Street between Burbank Street and Abbott Street from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday through at least May 6.

BMC and Medical Arts Complex parking areas remain open and detours may be in place at certain times. The city will provide additional updates on changes to traffic patterns in the area as construction progresses.

The project has been a few years in the making, with a public hearing dating back to 2021. It aims to increase safety for all modes of transportation and improve intersection operation.

It consists of intersection widening and signalization improvements at First and Tyler streets, the conversion of North Street between Tyler and Stoddard Avenue to serve one-way southbound traffic only, intersection improvements at Charles Street and North Street, intersection improvements at Springside Avenue and North Street, and the construction of a roundabout at the intersection of First Street, North Street, Stoddard Avenue, and the Berkshire Medical Center entrance.

Work also includes the construction of 5-foot bike lanes and 5-foot sidewalks with ADA-compliant curb ramps.  

Last year, the City Council approved multiple orders for the state project: five orders of takings for intersection and signal improvements at First Street and North Street. 

The total amount identified for permanent and temporary takings is $397,200, with $200,000 allocated by the council and the additional monies coming from carryover Chapter 90 funding. The state Transportation Improvement Plan is paying for the project and the city is responsible for 20 percent of the design cost and rights-of-way takings.

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