Michael R. Jackson to be Honored at Barrington Stage Company Fall Gala

Michael R. Jackson (Broadway: A Strange Loop; Off-Broadway: Teeth) will receive the William Finn Award for Excellence in Musical Theatre at Barrington Stage Company's annual fall celebration, BSC>NYC. This year’s event will be held on Monday, October 27 at 6:00 PM at Chelsea Table + Stage at the Hilton Fashion District Hotel, 152 West 26th Street.
 
BSC has presented the William Finn Award since 2017. Previous recipients include Joe Iconis, John Rando and Mary Testa. The company had a long association with Finn, the Tony Award-winning songwriter of Falsettos, A New Brain, and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, who died earlier this year. The presentation of this year’s award is the first since his passing.

Jackson was one of Time Magazine's 100 most influential people of 2022. His Pulitzer Prize and New York Drama Critics Circle winning A Strange Loop received 11 Tony nominations in 2022 and was called “a full-on laparoscopy of the heart, soul, and loins” as well as a “gutsy, jubilantly anguished musical with infectious melodies” by Ben Brantley, The New York Times. He also wrote book, music and lyrics for White Girl in Danger, and book and lyrics for Teeth which opened at New World Stages in Fall 2024. Awards and associations include: a New Professional Theatre Festival Award, a Jonathan Larson Grant, a Lincoln Center Emerging Artist Award, an ASCAP Foundation Harold Adamson Award, a Whiting Award, the Helen Merrill Award for Playwriting, an Outer Critics Circle Award, a Drama Desk Award, an Obie Award, a Fred Ebb Award, a Windham-Campbell Prize, a Dramatist Guild Fellowship and he is an alum of Page 73’s Interstate 73 Writers Group. 
 
“Michael R. Jackson is one of the most thrilling and original voices in musical theatre today. His work is sharply funny, deeply insightful, emotionally raw, and unexpectedly tender,” commented Alan Paul. “Michael was mentored by William Finn, who held a deep admiration for both Michael and his writing. Like Bill's own work, Michael’s musicals are bold, distinctive, and full of character—making him a fitting recipient of the first William Finn Award since Bill’s passing. In honoring Michael, we pay tribute to Bill’s legacy while celebrating the vibrant future of musical theatre.”
 
This year, BSC>NYC pays special tribute to Eda Sorokoff, beloved BSC Board Member Emeritus. Sorokoff served as chair of BSC IN NYC since 2008 and has been an enthusiastic supporter of the company’s work for many years. Her dedication to the arts and unwavering commitment to Barrington Stage’s mission have helped foster its continued growth and impact in the Berkshires and beyond.
 
BSC>NYC will be directed by acclaimed producer and director Richard Jay-Alexander, with Billy Stritch serving as music director. The evening will be hosted by Tony Award nominee Norm Lewis (Broadway: Porgy and Bess, The Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables).
 
The evening begins with a cocktail hour, followed by a sit-down dinner, and culminates in a special one-night-only performance. Additional talent appearing include Hugh Panaro (Broadway: The Phantom of the Opera; Off-Broadway: Masquerade), Tony Award winner Donna McKechnie (Broadway: A Chorus Line), and singer Storm Lange (Pink Martini, Rockstar Supernova).
 
Eda Sorokoff is the Chair and Violet Eagan/Rosita Sarnoff are the co-chairs for BSC>NYC.