BUYER AND CELLAR to Make Fire Island Debut in August

The Arts Project of Cherry Grove will present Buyer and Cellar – the international hit comedy by Jonathan Tolins – for two performances only onFriday, August 4 and Saturday, August 5, both at 8:00 PM. This production, starring Jack Bartholet and directed by Travis Greisler, will mark theFire Island debut of the play after an extended run Off-Broadway and productions around the world. Tickets range from $50-$75 and are available at Red Eye Tickets HERE. Buyer and Cellar will be performed at The Cherry Grove Community House (180 Bayview Walk in Cherry Grove, Fire Island, NY).

 

According to The New York Times, Buyer and Cellar is “an irresistible one-man play from the most peculiar of fictitious premises—an underemployed Los Angeles actor goes to work in Barbra Streisand’s Malibu, California basement—allowing the playwright to ruminate with delicious wit and perspicacity on the solitude of celebrity, the love-hate attraction between gay men and divas, and the melancholy that lurks beneath narcissism. This seriously funny slice of absurdist whimsy creates the illusion of a stage filled with multiple people, all of them with their own droll point of view.”

 

“I love the intimate nature of this show,” says Bartholet. “It feels just as close and immediate as my own solo shows. I knew it would be a challenge and that excited me. Operating under a shoestring budget – the set is courtesy of the Belvedere Guest House for Men – it feels like a wonderful way to join the ranks of trailblazing queer people who have taken to this historic stage with passion projects. It’s an honor to work with The Arts Project of Cherry Grove, America’s oldest-known LGBTQ theatre, and a thrill to have the involvement of Actors’ Equity and Dramatists Play Service. My wild idea is really happening!”

 

He continues: “Alex, the main character I play, is entranced by a larger-than-life pop star diva. This is a familiar dynamic for gay men, so Fire Island seems a particularly rich place for relatability. He’s also an actor with a boyfriend who has gay showbiz-encyclopedia knowledge and passion—the gays will get nearly every joke. I really enjoy the imaginative work of Jonathan Tolins. I’d love to live inside his brain for a day. In this fantasy, Barbra Streisand encourages Alex to demand respect. She elevates his taste and teaches him a few lessons…it’s a lovely journey. The play is hysterical and I can’t wait to dive into this world when the curtain rises.” 

 

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Jack Bartholet

(Performer) is an award-winning actor and cabaret artist known for his solo works Lady with a Song and Unusually Grand Ideas, which played to sold-out crowds in New York (Pangea and Club Cumming) and London (Crazy Coqs). In addition to his work with the Arts Project of Cherry Grove, Bartholet is collaborating with the Fire Island Pines Arts Projects as well in their Labor Day musical Urinetown, playing Bobby Strong. He returned to the Post Office Cabaret of Provincetown with his solo show Live Laugh Lexapro, which was also a part of the new season at the Ice Palace of Fire Island. His work was included in the 2019 New York Times “Fall Arts Preview” and called one of the city’s best cabaret shows by Time Out New York. Bartholet was presented the Bistro Awards’ Ira Eaker Special Achievement honor in 2020. Recently, he has been seen in “Night of a Thousand Judys” at Joe’s Pub, Nora Burns’ The Village: A Disco Daydream at Dixon Place, Susie Mosher’s “The Lineup” at Birdland, and in the downtown delight The Jo-Lynn Butterfly Country Hour of Sunshine Christmas Special at The Wild Project. www.jackbartholet.com IG: jack.bartholet 

 

Travis Greisler

(Director) is a New York City-based stage director and writer. He has been a part of the creative teams for several Broadway shows including The Cher Show and Fully Committed (starring Jesse Tyler Ferguson), in addition to Tales of the City (co-written by Jake Shears of The Scissor Sisters). Other associate director credits include Off-Broadway’s Superhero at Second Stage and original development of The Book of Mormon. Travis directed Kate Baldwin’s The Same, But Different at Second Stage; Once at the Bucks County Playhouse, with a rave review in the Wall Street Journal; and created The Orion Experience, an immersive circus rock concert. Selected additional directing credits: Into the Woods (Northwestern/Cap21), The Rocky Horror Show(Yale), Company, Cabaret, and various immersive experiences. Travis began his career as a professional actor at the age of nine appearing on Broadway inThe Who’s Tommy, Radio City’s Christmas Spectacular and the National Tours of Les Misérables and Big. He continues to develop new projects while working as a teacher and private coach for actors. www.travisgreisler.com

 

The Arts Project of Cherry Grove, Inc. (APCG), founded in 1948, is the oldest known LGBTQ theater in America. APCG is a 501c3 community service organization dedicated to presenting the arts in Cherry Grove, Fire Island, New York, one of America’s most colorful communities.

 

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