PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Board of the Berkshire Theatre Critics Association (BTCA) has presented the 2025 Berkshire Theatre Critics Awards, colloquially known as The Berkies, on Monday, Nov. 10, at Zion Lutheran Church in Pittsfield.
This is the ninth time in ten years that these awards have been presented to honor and celebrate the excellence and diversity of theatre in the greater Berkshire region.
A request for donations was delivered by host J. Peter Bergman who also presented an overview of the season and read a letter from nominee Isadora Wolfe. Members of the Board of the Association presented awards throughout the evening; they included Barbara Waldinger, Paula Kaplan-Reiss, Bill Kellert, and Emily Edelman. Kaplan-Reiss, accompanied on the piano by her brother, Gary P. Kaplan, presented her montage of the season in a musical number early in the program.
"This was an unusual year for the awards. Theaters at all levels saw not just nominations but awards. It was an exciting competition," BTCA President J. Peter Bergman said. "Scenic Designers Christopher and Justin Swader were up against themselves for two shows at Dorset Theatre Festival and actually were nominated for seven shows they created at three theaters in three states. Kaitlyn Frank also ran against herself for two different shows at the Mac-Haydn. There were three nominees instead of the usual two for a production with fewer than six performances and many of the winners were unanticipated."
The Berkshire Theatre Group’s production of Mary Zimmerman’s Metamorphoses swept the technical theatre awards with Outstanding Costume Design going to Amanda Roberge (who shared the award with Amy Avila for The Elephant Man and Ana Kuzmanic for Camelot), Outstanding Scenic Design going to Jason Simms, Outstanding Sound Design going to Scott Killian, and Outstanding Lighting Design to Matthew E. Adelson. The production also was named the Outstanding Production of a Play this year, and it split the Outstanding Ensemble Production prize with Other Desert Cities at the Dorset Theatre Festival.
On the musical side, the Mac-Haydn Theatre in Chatham, NY, was a big winner this year, taking home the award for Outstanding Production of a Musical for Guys and Dolls. Producing Artistic Director John Saunders won Outstanding Direction of a Musical for his work on Jesus Christ Superstar, which also saw choreographer Kaitlyn Frank take home the award in her category. Mike Keller and Spencer Stanley split the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical for their work in A Bronx Tale and Guys and Dolls respectively.
The Mac-Haydn production of Annie saw popular company member Monica M. Wemitt take home the award for Outstanding Supporting Performance by an Actress in a Musical for her portrayal of Miss Hannigan, and newcomer Wild Handel won Outstanding Leading Performance by an Actress in a Musical for her performance as the titular orphan.
The Larry Murray Award for Community Outreach and Support Through Theatre went to Jim Frangione , Co-founder and Artistic Director of Great Barrington Public Theater, for his work scheduling a full season of world premieres penned by Berkshire playwrights who identify as female. The company’s production of How to NOT Save the World with Mr. Bezos saw Shai Vaknine take home Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play – an award he shared with Tony Pallone for his work in Deep Blue Sound at Harbinger Theatre.
Godfrey Simmons was awarded the Berkie for Outstanding Solo Performance for his work in Mr. Joy at the Chester Theatre Company.
The Sally and Robert Sugarman Award for World Premiere of a NEW Play went to fuzzy, the world premiere musical at Barrington Stage, with music and lyrics by Will Van Dyke, and book and lyrics by Jeff Talbott. For the third year in a row Producer/Director Paul Sugarman was on hand to present the award honoring his parents.
Several categories saw ties and the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play had the win split three ways, between Jack Maxwell for his performance in Dying is No Excuse; Michael Wartella in the title role of The Elephant Man – both produced by the Berkshire Theatre Group – and Ben Rosenfield in The Weekend at Barrington Stage Company. Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play was split between Jen Cody in Sylvia at the Sharon Playhouse and Hero Marguerite in A Hundred Words for Snow at the Chester Theatre Company.
1. Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play:
Sasha Diamond – The Weekend – Barrington Stage Company
Cathy Lee-Vischer – The Outsider – Ghent Playhouse
2. Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play:
Tony Pallone – Deep Blue Sound – Harbinger Theatre
Shai Vaknine – How to NOT Save the World with Mr. Bezos – Great Barrington Public Theater
3. Outstanding Scenic Design of a Play or Musical:
Jason Simms – Metamorphoses – Berkshire Theatre Group
4. Outstanding Choreography:
B. Kaitlyn Frank – Jesus Christ Superstar – Mac-Haydn Theatre
5. Outstanding Direction of a Musical:
John Saunders – Jesus Christ Superstar – Mac-Haydn Theatre
6. Outstanding Costume Design of a Play or Musical:
Amy Avila – The Elephant Man – Berkshire Theatre Group
Ana Kuzmanic – Camelot – Barrington Stage Company
Amanda Roberge – Metamorphoses – Berkshire Theatre Group
7. Outstanding Solo Performance:
Godfrey Simmons – Mr. Joy – Chester Theatre Company
8. Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical:
Monica M. Wemitt – Annie – Mac-Haydn Theatre
9. Outstanding Lighting Design of a Play or Musical:
Matthew E. Adelson – Metamorphoses – Berkshire Theatre Group
10. Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical:
Mike Keller – A Bronx Tale – Mac-Haydn Theatre
Spencer Stanley – Guys and Dolls – Mac-Haydn Theatre
11. Outstanding Direction of a Play:
A. Chris Foster – Deep Blue Sound – Harbinger Theatre
12. Outstanding Sound Design of a Play or Musical:
Scott Killian – Metamorphoses – Berkshire Theatre Group
13. Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical:
Wild Handel – Annie – Mac-Haydn Theatrere
14. Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical:
John Cariani – fuzzy – Barrington Stage Company
15. Outstanding Ensemble Performance:
Metamorphoses – Berkshire Theatre Group
Other Desert Cities – Dorset Theatre Festival
16. Outstanding Production with Fewer Than Six Performances:
The Last Five Years – Mac-Haydn Theatre
17. Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play:
Jack Maxwell – Dying is No Excuse – Berkshire Theatre Group
Ben Rosenfield – The Weekend – Barrington Stage Company
Michael Wartella – The Elephant Man – Berkshire Theatre Group
18. Sally and Robert Sugarman Award for World Premiere of a NEW Play:
fuzzy by Music and lyrics by Will Van Dyke, book and lyrics by Jeff Talbott, Barrington Stage Company
19. Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play:
Jen Cody – Sylvia – Sharon Playhouse
Hero Marguerite – A Hundred Words for Snow – Chester Theatre Company
20. The Larry Murray Award for Community Outreach and Support through Theater:
Jim Frangione, Producer, Great Barrington Public Theater, for creating an entire season of world premieres by Berkshire playwrights who identify as women.
21. Outstanding Production of a Musical:
Guys and Dolls, Book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows
Music and Lyrics by Frank Loesser
Directed by Mandy Modic
Mac-Haydn Theatre
22. Outstanding Production of a Play:
C. Metamorphoses by Mary Zimmerman, based on the Myths of Ovid
Directed by Isadora Wolfe
Berkshire Theatre Group
