Back in 1948 when the Barn Theater opened, playing its first show literally in a barn, theater founder Peter Tewksbury and his troupe of fledging actors decided to conclude the season with an awards ceremony patterned after Hollywood's glamorous Academy Awards program.

Displaying some level of humility, however, the members of the theater group elected to call their awards "Hosscars," in recognition of the bucolic setting in which they performed.

Originally the trophies were actually graced with porcelain statuettes of horses.

These were eventually replaced because their fragile legs broke too easily, and after experimenting with several styles, the group settled on using statuettes of comic-character donkeys sitting on their haunches. Over the years, the little donkeys have become a treasured and much sought after symbol of peer recognition within the local community theater circle. In 2005, the award was changed to a plaque with an image of the donkey. Click here for a list of all Hosscar Winners.

• Further information coming in May

• Best Show: "Bullshot Crummond"
• Best Director: Bob Merzoian, "Bullshot Crummond"
• Best Lead Actor: Bob Merzoian, "Bullshot Crummond"
• Best Lead Actress: Sharon Hall, "Bullshot Crummond"
• Best Major Supporting Actor: Ralph Bourne, "Bullshot Crummond"
• Best Major Supporting Actress: Cristal Reitzel, "The Drunkard"
• Best Minor Supporting Actor: Tom Besson, "Bullshot Crummond"
• Best Minor Supporting Actress: Sarah Barkley-Bradford, "A Bad Year For Tomatoes"
• Best Actor in a Bit Part: Steve Ross, "The Drunkard"
• Best Actress in a Bit Part: Amanda Borjon, "A Bad Year For Tomatoes"
• Best Juvenile Lead Actor: Javier Garcia, "Calliope"
• Best Juvenile Lead Actress: Natalie Tate, "The Drunkard"
• Best Light Design and Operation: Charles Hickinbotham, Lillie Arrollo and Christy Keller, "Alibis"
• Best Set Design: Wendy and Gordy Plaisted, "Alibis"
• Best Costuming: Caroline Harris, "Bullshot Crummond"
• Special Awards:

President's Award: Wendy Plaisted
Board of Directors Award: Steve Ross and Coco Ream
Lifetime Achievement Award: Wendy Plaisted

• Due to the shortened season resulting from major repairs to the facilities, there were no awards given this year.
• Click here for a letter from Bob Merzoian (September 12, 2008)
• Click here for a letter from Bob Merzoian (October 13, 2008)

• Best Show: "Deathtrap", directed by Bob Merzoian
• Best Lead Actor: George Pearce, "Autobahn"
• Best Lead Actress: Michelin White, "Autobahn"
• Best Major Supporting Actor: Chris Kemp, "Oliver"
• Best Major Supporting Actress: Ashley Brown, "Oliver"
• Best Minor Supporting Actor: Gene Anacleto, "Deathtrap"
• Best Minor Supporting Actress: Pam Putnam, "Deathtrap"
• Best Actor in a Bit Part: Terry Crewse, "Oliver"
• Best Actress in a Bit Part: Mariah Phillips, "Oliver"
• Best Juvenile Lead Actor: Doug Murdock, "Oliver"
• Best Juvenile Lead Actress: Danielle Hanks, "Oliver"
• Best Light Design and Operation: Ian Hammer and Michelin White, "Deathtrap"
• Best Set Design: Bob Merzoian, "Deathtrap"
• Best Costuming: Michelin White, "Diary of Anne Frank"
• Special Awards:

Board of Directors Award: Derek Hurt
Lifetime Achievement Award: Steve Ross

• Best Show: "Proof," directed by Ian Hammer
• Best Lead Actor: Gordon Plaisted, "Proof"
• Best Lead Actress: Michelin White, "Proof"
• Best Major Supporting Actor: Bob Merzoian, "Proof"
• Best Major Supporting Actress: Daniella Diaz, "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown"
• Best Minor Supporting Actor: Richard Boyd, "Hollywood Arms"
• Best Minor Supporting Actress: Pam Putnam, "Steel Magnolias"
• Best Actor in a Bit Part: Matt Edwards, "Hollywood Arms"
• Best Juvenile Lead Actor: John Mehciz, "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown"
• Best Juvenile Lead Actress: Danielle Hanks, "Dear Edwina Jr."
• Best Juvenile Supporting Actor: Carl Cubero, "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown"
• Best Juvenile Supporting Actress: Danielle Hanks, "Hollywood Arms"
• Best Light Design and Operation: Ian Hammer, "Proof"
• Best Set Design: Ian Hammer, "Proof"
• Best Costuming: Wendy Plaisted and Janet Richey, "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown"
• Special Awards:

President's Award: Joan Givan
Board of Directors Award: Steve Ross
Lifetime Achievement Award: Leslie Woudstra

2005-2006 Hosscar Winners - August 12, 2006

• Best Show: "Waiting in the Wings," directed by Steve Ross
• Best Male Lead: Gordon Plaisted, "Waiting in the Wings"
• Best Female Lead: Lori Shelton, "A Little Murder Never Hurt Anybody"
• Best Male Major-Supporting Actor: Jeff Ramirez, "Waiting in the Wings"
• Best Female Major-Supporting Actress: Joan Givan, "Waiting in the Wings"
• Best Male Minor-Supporting Actor: Adam Silvey, "Wait Until Dark"
• Best Female Minor-Supporting Actress: Michelin Hammer, "Waiting in the Wings"
• Best Male Bit Part: George Verduzco, "Wait Until Dark"
• Best Male Juvenile Actor: Brian Murdock, "Babes in Toyland"
• Best Female Juvenile Actress: Sarah Merzoian, "Wait Until Dark"
• Light Design and Operation: Michelin Hammer, Ian Hammer, Richard Boyd, "Tribute to Cole Porter"
• Set Design: Michelin Hammer, Ian Hammer, Richard Boyd, "Tribute to Cole Porter"
• Costumes: Wendy Plaisted, "Waiting in the Wings"; Michelin Hammer, Stella Leppert, "Tribute to Cole Porter"
• Special Awards:

President's Award: John Burkey
Board of Directors Award: Ian Hammer
Lifetime Membership Award: Mike Proctor, George Pearce

2004-2005 Hosscar Winners - August 6, 2005

• Best Show: "Bus Stop," directed by Bob Merzoian
• Best Male Lead: Gary Giraudi, "Seven Nuns at Las Vegas"
• Best Female Lead: Jean Loscotoff, "Seven Nuns at Las Vegas"
• Best Male Major-Supporting Actor: George Pearce, "The Music Man"
• Best Female Major-Supporting Actress: Karmen Grant, "The Music Man"
• Best Male Minor-Supporting Actor: Jeff Ramirez, "Charley's Aunt"
• Best Female Minor-Supporting Actress: Karmen Grant, "Charley's Aunt"
• Best Male Bit Part: Bill Wilson, "Bus Stop"
• Best Female Bit Part: Roxanne Jennings-Guerra, "Barefoot in the Park"
• Best Male Juvenile Actor: Trevor Jarrett, "The Music Man
• Best Female Juvenile Actress: Shelby Westoby, "The Music Man"
• Light Design and Operation: Betty Walters, "Bus Stop"
• Set Design: Mike Hamilton, "Seven Nuns at Las Vegas"
• Costumes: Candalyn Abbot and Wendy Plaisted, "Charley's Aunt" and the cast of "Seven Nuns art Las Vegas"
• Special Awards:

President's Award: Monache High School Marching Band
Board of Directors Award: Graphic Dimensions
Barn Boosters Award: Ray Alvarez
Lifetime Membership Award: Dick Eckhoff, Alfonso Hernandez, Pam Putnam and Ralph Bourne

• Best show: "Murder by Misadventure," directed by Wendy Plaisted and "Monky Business" directed by Carlynn Turner
• Best lead actor: Tom Besson, "Murder by Misadventure" and Scott Turner, "Monky Business"
• Best lead actress: Lori Shelton, "Murder by Misadventure"
• Best actor, major supporting role: Terry Manning, "Monky Business"
• Best actress, major supporting role: Elizabeth Dieterle, "The Odd Couple (Female Version)"
• Best actor, minor supporting role: Jason Porter, "Monky Business"
• Best actress, minor supporting role: Brieann Trueblood, "The Crucible" and Angelina Leon, "The Odd Couple (Female Version)"
• Best actor, bit part: Luis Mendoza, "The Odd Couple (Female Version)"
• Best actress, bit part: Taylor Ashby, "The Crucible"
• Best juvenile actor: Chase Wilson, "Treasure Island" and Adam Allsworth, "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever"
• Best juvenile actress: Karen Gilstrap, "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever"
• Best set design and decor: Wendy Plaisted and George Pearce, "Murder by Misadventure"
• Best lighting design and operation: Betty Walters, "Monky Business"
• Best costuming: Carlynn Turner, "Monky Business"
• Special Awards:

Barn Boosters Award: Beverly Gorne
Board of Directors Award: Carol Manning
President's Award: Carlynn Turner
Lifetime Membership Award: Gary Sue

• Best show: "The Odd Couple," directed by Adam Silvey
• Best lead actor: Bill Wilson, "Rumors"
• Best lead actress: Michelin White, "The Insanity of Mary Girard"
• Best actor, major supporting role: Jeff Ramirez, "The Insanity of Mary Girard"
• Best actress, major supporting role: Krista Garrettson, "The Insanity of Mary Girard"
• Best actor, minor supporting role: George Pearce, "The Odd Couple"
• Best actress, minor supporting role: Wendy Plaisted, "The Odd Couple"
• Best actor, bit part: Jeff Ramirez, "Mr. Scrooge's Christmas"
• Best actress, bit part: Britney Ruffa, "Mr. Scrooge's Christmas"
• Best set design and decor: Adam Silvey, Wendy Plaisted and Alta Ross, "The Odd Couple"
• Best lighting design and operation: Tim Bradford, Gordon Plaisted and Dick Eckhoff, "The Insanity of Mary Girard"
• Best costuming: Vickie Schulz, "The Insanity of Mary Girard"