Renaissance Theaterworks produces BUYER & CELLAR, by Jonathan Tolins
February 20, 2025 (Milwaukee, Wis)- Renaissance Theaterworks (RTW) concludes their 32nd season with a one-actor comedy, BUYER & CELLAR by Jonathan Tolins, March 23rd – April 13th with preview performances on March 21st and 22nd, at the Theater on 255 S Water Street in Milwaukee’s Harbor District. Tickets are available at rtwmke.org 24 hours-a-day, by phone at 414-278-0765 or in person at the box office, 255 S. Water St., from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily and 2 hours before performances. $16 Affordable Cost Tickets (ACT) are available to purchase online or at the box office for Wednesday Matinee, Thursday and Friday Performances.
Ticket prices range from $16 to $49 (including taxes and fees). Full list of performance dates, times and special performances below.
Play Synopsis
Alex, an out-of-work actor, lands a bizarre gig working in the make-believe shopping arcade located in the cellar of Barbra Streisand’s Malibu estate. He spends his days alone dusting the inventory, until one day the Lady Herself comes downstairs ready to play pretend. What follows feels like bonding in the basement but Alex longs to be invited upstairs. BUYER & CELLAR is an irresistible comedy about the price of fame, the cost of living, and the oddest of odd jobs.
Directed by Ray Jivoff and featuring Doug Clemons, this BUYER & CELLAR will be co-produced with Third Avenue PlayWorks in Sturgeon Bay!
The Play’s Inception – from whatsonstage.com
“BUYER AND CELLAR began with a joke. In 2010, my husband brought home a copy of the newly published My Passion for Design by Barbra Streisand from our local library. The two of us flipped through its impeccably art-directed pages in delight and awe. Like many others who stumbled upon this remarkable cultural artifact, we were particularly struck by the shopping mall in Barbra’s basement, that street of shops built to store Barbra’s vast collections of antiques, costumes, and assorted tchotchkes. (Yes, it really does exist.) I said, ‘How’d you like to be the guy who works down there?’ And thus BUYER & CELLAR was born.” – Jonathan Tolins
Cast
ALEX MORE………………………………………..Doug Clemons
U/S ALEX MORE…………………………………..Nate Press
Production Team
DIRECTOR………………………………………….Ray Jivoff
PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER………………Bailey Wegner*
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR………………………….Tony Lyons
SCENIC DESIGN…………………………………..Lisa Schlenker**
LIGHTING DESIGN………………………………..Jimmy Balistreri
COSTUME DESIGN……………………………….Jason Orlenko**
PROJECTION DESIGN……………………………Tony Churchill**
PROP DESIGN………………………………….….Haley Cranstoun
SOUND DESIGN……………………………….…..Brian Grimm
ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER…………………Lillian Hayward
ASSOCIATE SCENIC DESIGNER……………….KyLee Hennes
*Member of Actors’ Equity Association
** Member of the United Scenic Artists of America
Playwright/Director/Cast Biographies
Jonathan Tollins, PLAYWRIGHT
Jonathan Tolins is the author of BUYER & CELLAR, which won the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Solo Show and was named Best Unique Theatrical Experience by the Off-Broadway Alliance. Other plays include THE TWILIGHT OF THE GOLDS (Broadway, Booth Theatre), IF MEMORY SERVES (Promenade), THE LAST SUNDAY IN JUNE (Rattlestick, Century Center), and SECRETS OF THE TRADE (Primary Stages). A collection of his plays has been published by Grove/Atlantic. His film work includes THE TWILIGHT OF THE GOLDS and MARTIAN CHILD. For television, he was a writer for QUEER AS FOLK, The Academy Awards, The Tony Awards, PARTNERS, THE GOOD FIGHT and SCHMIGADOON!. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild and the Writers Guild of America.
Ray Jivoff, DIRECTOR
Ray Jivoff is an actor, director and educator now living in Sturgeon Bay, but is very happy to be back in Milwaukee working with RTW. He was on the staff at Skylight Music Theatre for twenty years, as Education Director then Artistic Director. At Skylight he directed KISS ME KATE, PIPPIN, URINETOWN, HAIR, JACQUES BREL…. And forty school touring shows. Other directing credits include THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE and THE SUM OF US at Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, ANYTHING GOES, LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS and INTO THE WOODS at Marquette University and WEST SIDE STORY at UW-Milwaukee. He has been a Barbra Streisand fan since 1962.
Doug Clemons, ALEX MORE
Doug’s been a Wisconsin actor/director/writer at Northern Sky Theater, First Stage, Skylight Music Theater, Milwaukee Opera Theatre, The Florentine Opera, Fireside Theater, Forward Theater, Children’s Theatre of Madison, Third Avenue PlayWorks and Purse String Productions. Regional/concert credits: NY Musical Theater Festival, NYC’s Cherry Lane Theater, Chicago Musical Theater Festival, Utah Light Opera, Racine Symphony Orchestra, Norwegian Cruise Line and backup for Michael Bublé. DougClemons.com
Performance Schedule & Special Events
Week 1
Friday March 21st, 2025 7:30 p.m. Pay-what-you-can Preview
Saturday March 22nd, 2025 4:00 p.m. Preview
Sunday March 23rd, 2025 5:00 p.m. Opening Night
Week 2
Wednesday March 26th, 2025 7:30 p.m. Wine Wednesday
Thursday March 27th, 2025 7:30 p.m.
Friday March 28th, 2025 7:30 p.m. PRIDE Night & Lobby Drag Show featuring Karen Valentine, Esther Talopram and Lola Rome
Saturday March 29th, 2025 4:00 p.m.
Sunday March 30th, 2025 2:00 p.m. Playclub
Week 3
Wednesday April 2nd, 2025 1:30 p.m. Talkback & Open Captions
Wednesday April 2nd, 2025 7:30 p.m. Wine Wednesday
Thursday April 3rd, 2025 7:30 p.m. ASL Interpreted
Friday April 4th, 2025 7:30 p.m. Pre-show Talk
Saturday April 5th, 2025 4:00 p.m. Open Captions
Sunday April 6th, 2025 2:00 p.m.
Week 4
Wednesday April 9th, 2025 1:30 p.m. Sensory Friendly
Wednesday April 9th, 2025 7:30 p.m. Wine Wednesday
Thursday April 10th, 2025 7:30 p.m.
Friday April 11th, 2025 7:30 p.m. Audio Described
Saturday April 12th, 2025 4:00 p.m.
Sunday April 13th, 2025 2:00 p.m. Closing Performance
Season Sponsors: Laura & Mike Arnow, Jan Serr & John Shannon, UPAF, CAMPAC, Milwaukee Arts Board, Wisconsin Arts Board, Herzfeld Foundation, Shubert Foundation, Bert L. & Patricia S. Steigleder Charitable Trust, Greater Milwaukee Foundation
Show Sponsors: Judges Jean & John DiMotto, Idy Goodman and Vivian Moller.
About Renaissance Theaterworks
RTW is Milwaukee’s first professional theater company founded and led by women and the nation’s second-oldest professional theater devoted to gender equality. RTW is a resident company at 255 South Water St. in Milwaukee’s Harbor District, with increased capacity and improved accessibility.
