BUYER & CELLAR to Open Ensemble Theatre Company 48th Season

Ensemble Theatre Company of Santa Barbara opens its 48th 'CALIFORNIA HERE AND NOW' season with a trip to the Malibu mansion of the legendary Barbra Streisand and the various shops in her home's underground mall in the wildly popular, BUYER & CELLAR, written by Jonathan Tolins (Twilight of the Golds), directed by Jamie Torcellini, and starring ETC's very own Artistic Associate Brian McDonald.

BUYER & CELLAR will begin previews on Wednesday, October 7; will open on Saturday, October 10 at 8pm (press opening); and run through Sunday, October 25 at the New Vic Theatre, 33 Victoria Street in Santa Barbara.

Brian McDonald reprises his award-winning performance as Alex, an out-of-work actor, who lands the strangest gig of his life: working in the private shopping mall that Barbra Streisand built in the basement of her Malibu estate. As he tends to the antique doll shop, gift wrapping station, and frozen yogurt counter in the deserted mall, his only customer is Barbra herself. What begins as a surreal job becomes an unexpected friendship as Alex navigates the absurd reality of playing shopkeeper to one of the world's biggest stars. Jonathan Tolins' solo comedy is a witty, warm, and wonderfully theatrical meditation on celebrity, consumerism, and the price of living in someone else's fantasy.

'Jonathan Tolins has written a very funny play about fantasy, celebrity, and the price of living inside someone else's dream - and setting all of it in a Malibu basement makes it a California story to its bones,' comments Scott DeVine, ETC's executive artistic director. 'Opening our 48th season with Brian McDonald in it - our Artistic Associate, our Director of Education, and one of the finest comic actors I know - feels exactly right.'

ETC is committed to ensuring that transformative theatrical experiences remain accessible to all Santa Barbara community members through its 'Community Pay-What-You-Can Program.' The Pay-What-You-Can performance for BUYER & CELLAR will be Wednesday, October 7 at 7:30pm.

ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM AND CAST

Jamie Torcellini (Director) has previously directed the ETC productions of War of the Worlds: The Panic Broadcast, Dracula: A Comedy of Terror, A Christmas Carol, The 39 Steps, and Tell Me on a Sunday, and starred in The Mystery of Irma Vep and School for Lies. He has performed in many Broadway shows since 1980, including CATS ('Mr. Mistoffelees'), Little Johnny Jones (Standby to Donny Osmond), Me and My Girl (Standby for Jim Dale), Jerome Robbins Broadway, Man of La Mancha ('Barber'), Beauty and the Beast ('LeFou'), and was in the original company of Billy Elliot. Jamie's Regional credits include Drag – The Musical ('Drunk Jerry'), Hamlet, Young Frankenstein ('Igor'), Spamalot ('Patsy'), My Fair Lady ('Alfie Doolittle'), The Producers ('Max Bialistock'), You Can't Take it With You, Tuna Christmas, Man of La Mancha ('Sancho'), and starred in a dozen productions of Me and My Girl. As a Director, Jamie has mounted several productions of The 39 Steps, The Mystery of Irma Vep, My Fair Lady, The Producers, Me and My Girl, How to Succeed…, West Side Story, Life Could Be a Dream, The Andrews Brothers, Kiss Me Kate, The Legend of Georgia McBride, Deathtrap, Matilda, Something Rotten, Tarzan, School of Rock and Beauty and the Beast. He also assisted on both Stuart Little films, starring Geena Davis and Hugh Laurie. He has been a teacher of Musical Theatre and Tap at AMDA, of Comedy Improv at several institutions, and for 2 years, he toured internationally as a backup singer/dancer for Liza Minnelli.

Jonathan Tolins (Playwright) is the showrunner and executive producer of the critically acclaimed CBS drama 'Elsbeth,' which returns for its third season. Tolins has been an executive producer on 'The Good Fight' on Paramount+, co-executive producer on 'Schmigadoon!,' and co-producer on 'Queer as Folk,' along with producer credits on 'East New York,' 'Braindead,' and 'Partners' on the network. Other TV credits include 'The Tony Awards,' 'The Academy Awards,' 'Grease Live!' and 'A Christmas Story Live!'

Additionally, Tolins was a producer and co-writer with Seth E. Bass for the films Martian Child starring John Cusack and The Twilight of the Golds, based on his Broadway play and starring Brendan Fraser and Faye Dunaway. Tolins is best known as the author of one of the 10 most produced plays in America in 2016, Buyer & Cellar, which won the Lucille Lortel Award for Best Solo Show and was named 'Best Unique Theatrical Experience' by the Off-Broadway Alliance during its record-breaking run at the Barrow Street Theatre. The show also enjoyed a London engagement at the Menier Chocolate Factory, a run at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles and was shown on the WNET series 'Theater Close-Up.' Other plays by Tolins include The Last Sunday in June, Secrets of the Trade, If Memory Serves, and The Forgotten Woman. He was also represented on Broadway by additional material written with his husband, Robert Cary, for the revival of On the Town. Together, Jon and Rob also wrote the book for the new musical Take the Lead, which premiered at the Paper Mill Playhouse in the spring of 2025. Tolins is a member of the Dramatists Guild and the Writers Guild of America. He has written articles for Opera News, Opera Monthly, TheaterWeek, Time magazine and the Huffington Post. Tolins resides in Fairfield, Conn., with his husband and their children, Selina and Henry.

Brian McDonald (Alex) reprises his critically acclaimed, award-winning performance as 'Alex' for this production. He currently serves as Artistic Associate and Director of Education for the Ensemble Theatre Company. He is an award-winning actor, director, and educator with a career spanning Broadway national tours, regional theatre, and television. A B.F.A. graduate of Boston Conservatory in Musical Theatre, Brian has worked professionally across multiple theatrical platforms.

As an actor, Brian's credits include the Broadway National Tours of Miss Saigon and Forever Plaid. His regional theatre work includes the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Theatre Virginia, The Lyric Stage, La Mirada Performing Arts Center, Ensemble Theatre Company, Pasadena Playhouse, Thousand Oaks Performing Arts Center, Rubicon Theatre Company, and the Ahmanson Theatre.

In 2002, LA Weekly honored Brian with the Best Supporting Actor Award for his portrayal of Gaveston in the Circle X production of Edward II, directed by Michael Michetti. He received an Independent Award for his performance in the one-man show Buyer and Cellar.

Brian starred in the ABC/PBS Afterschool Special 'In the Shadow of Love: A Teen AIDS Story' and guest-starred on 'Gilmore Girls.' He has appeared in various commercials.

As a director, Brian has helmed productions across regional theatres, working with classical works, contemporary plays, and musicals. He has served as a theatre educator at multiple institutions, teaching acting, directing, and musical theatre at the university level and in professional training programs.

Brian received the Ventura Mayors' Arts Award for his contributions to the arts. He is a member of Actors' Equity Association and the Screen Actors Guild.

The design team includes: Mike Billings (Scenic, Lights, and Projection Design); Danny Fiandaca (Sound Design); Dramaturgy by Ward LeHardy. The Production Stage Manager is Kristal Georgopoulos.

BUYER & CELLAR has a producing team which includes Visionary Producers; The John C. Mithun Foundation, Dana White, and Geof and Laura Wyatt.

ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

BUYER & CELLAR previews on Wednesday, October 7 (Community Pay-What-You-Can Night – tickets on sale two weeks prior to October 7) at 7:30pm, Thursday, October 8 at 7:30pm and Friday, October 9 at 8:00pm; opens on Saturday, October 10 at 8:00pm (press opening) and runs through Sunday, October 25, 2026 at 2:00pm at The New Vic, 33 W. Victoria Street in Santa Barbara.

Performances are Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30pm, Fridays at 8:00pm, Saturdays at 3:00pm & 8:00pm (no performance Saturday, October 10 at 3:00pm), and Sundays at 2:00pm. There will be added performances on Tuesday, October 13 at 7:30pm & Wednesday, October 21 at 2:00pm at The New Vic, 33 W. Victoria Street in Santa Barbara.

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