“Horn in the U.S.A.,” Holyoke Civic Symphony’s holiday offering on Dec. 10, at Holyoke Community College, features the ensemble with Maestro David Kidwell, horn soloists Jean Jeffires and Josh Michal, performing Gina Gillie’s “The Great Migration.” The program also includes: “Hark ! The Herald Angels Sing,” composed by Charles Wesley in 1739, that will be played by the Holyoke Strings in an arrangement by Kidwell; George Bizet’s “L’Arlésienne Suite No. 1″; and works by Brian Balmages, Jonathan Allentoff, Bob Krogstad and John Finnegan. For details: www.holyokecivicsymphony.org.

The Berkies, the Berkshires Area Theatre Critics Awards for excellence in theater in our region, were presented Nov. 13. This was the seventh edition of the awards. Barrington Stage’s production of “Cabaret” was the big winner of the evening, taking home eight awards. Nominees represented theaters in Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut and New York state. A total of 27 awards were presented in 22 categories. Several categories saw ties this year, including the top honors for outstanding musical production, as Barrington Stage Company’s production of “Cabaret” and the Sharon Playhouse production of “Something Rotten” shared the award. Shakespeare & Company’s production of August Wilson’s “Fences” shared the top play production honors with Bridge Street Theatre’s “East of Berlin” and “Dream,” at the Rep in Albany. The Larry Murray Award for Community Outreach and Support through Theater went to Jean-Remy Monnay, founder and artistic director of the Black Theatre Troupe of Upstate New York. Actors Richard Kline (currently in TheaterWorks’ “Christmas on the Rocks”) and Barrington Stage’s Mark H. Dold took home some major acting awards.