John Cariani in a scene from “fuzzy.” (Photo by Daniel Rader)
Following its summer 2025 world premiere by Barrington Stage Company, the new musical fuzzy — the puppet-and-human-populated tale of a storyteller who goes home to care for his ailing mother — is getting a hand from the Berkshire Theatre Critics Association (BTCA) of Western Massachusetts. The musical by Will Van Dyke and Jeff Talbott earned seven nominations in the 2025 Berkshire Theatre Awards, colloquially known as “The Berkies,” including noms for World Premiere of a New Play and Outstanding Production of a Musical.
Editor Note: The musical won the award for World Premiere of a New Play or Musical.
All three of its stars (John Cariani, Cass Morgan, Teddy Yudain) were nominated for Berkies in Leading performer categories in a musical, and so were Ellie Heyman (Best Direction of a Musical) and Jason Crystal (Outstanding Sound Design of a Play or Musical).
L-R, John Cariani, Cass Morgan and Teddy Yudain in “fuzzy” at Barrington Stage Company’s St. Germain Stage. Puppet design by Amanda Villalobos. (Photo by Daniel Rader)
The Berkies honor excellence in theater in the greater Berkshire mountain region of Western Massachusetts (within 50 miles of Berkshire County), which includes parts of southern Vermont, the capital region of New York state and northern Connecticut.
The awards will be presented Nov. 10 at Zion Lutheran Church in Pittsfield, MA. Find a complete list of 2025 nominees here.
With music and lyrics by Van Dyke and book and lyrics by Talbott, the intimate new show ran July 8-27 at BSC’s St. Germain Stage in Pittsfield, MA. The musical whimsically unpacks ideas about the tension of parents and grown children, the delicate art of caregiving, the turbulence of coming home, and the process of, well, processing a life that you left behind. Opening night was July 12.
In the frisky, highly theatrical fuzzy, a playwright called The Human (played by Tony Award nominee John Cariani) is seeking to share the story of the time they returned home to the Great Plains to focus on their mother’s health crisis. To lend some emotional distance from the sting of the story, The Human has hired The Actress (played by Broadway and Off-Broadway vet Cass Morgan), The Puppeteer (played by Teddy Yudain, recently of Off-Broadway’s Little Shop of Horrors and The Apple Boys at Bucks County Playhouse) and a trio of musicians (Shraman Gosh as The Pianist, Ben Clark as The Guitarist and Carl Carter as The Bassist).
Cass Morgan and Teddy Yudain in the Barrington Stage Company world premiere of “fuzzy.”
The musical was directed by indie and Off-Broadway director Ellie Heyman (Space Dogs at MCC, the Drama League Award-winning digital experience The Great Work Begins: Scenes From Angels in America), with puppet design by Drama Desk nominee Amanda Villalobos and music direction by Patrick Sulken (Off-Broadway’s Little Shop of Horrors and Teeth).
Van Dyke and Talbott said in a statement, “We’re so proud of the footprint our little show is making. The response from audiences this summer was so profound, and to be remembered with these award nominations means so much to our whole collective. To us, fuzzy is just getting started. We’re working hard to bring our friends and puppets — our entire creative team, actors and musicians — to New York City, and then to theaters all over.”
To get a full feel of the ambitions of fuzzy, check out my earlier feature and interview with the writing team of Van Dyke and Talbott.
For more information about the future of fuzzy, visit the fuzzythemusical.com.
Ellie Heyman and Teddy Yudain in rehearsal for Barrington Stage Company’s world premiere of “fuzzy.” Puppet design by Amanda Villalobos.
Critics and audiences leapt to their feet for fuzzy, which managed to feel experimental and grounded, distancing and sentimental — a tears-and-laughter musical that defied definition.
Berkshire Onstage wrote, “[fuzzy] is an extraordinary theatrical experience . . . Do not miss this enchanting and hilarious production. It is a ‘must-see’!”
Berkshire Edge wrote, “I think I could watch this musical over and over and never tire of it, never be bored, never imagine a different scenario . . . It is a musical about family and friendship and love . . . It is meant for us. It belongs to us.”
Saratogian wrote, “fuzzy, a small musical with a huge heart is, without question, the most original piece of theater offered in this area in quite a while . . an original and thrilling night of theater,” adding that the show is “a remarkable achievement for director Ellie Heyman.”
Albany Times Union wrote, “The new musical fuzzy, having its world premiere at Barrington Stage Company, is tender, sweet and intimate in scale and emotion.”
Talkin’ Broadway wrote, “fuzzy is remarkably moving theatre . . . You, too, might smile through tears as you watch and ultimately rejoice.”
