Emerson Collins to Star in BUYER AND CELLAR at Laguna Playhouse

Laguna Playhouse Artistic Director Ann E. Wareham is thrilled to announce the sixth and final show in the Laguna Playhouse 2015-2016 season, Emerson Collins starring in BUYER AND CELLAR, written by Jonathan Tolins and directed by Larry Raben.

"To quote Barbra Streisand, "Hello, Gorgeous!" When I first saw this production, I knew that our subscribers and audiences would fall wildly in love with it and am thrilled to welcome Emerson Collins to our Laguna stage with the remarkable writing of Jonathan Tolins," says Wareham.

BUYER AND CELLAR will begin previews on Wednesday, June 1; will open on Saturday, June 4 and will run through Sunday, June 26, 2016 at the Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Road in Laguna Beach.

Alex takes a job working in the Malibu basement "shopping mall" of a beloved "Funny Girl" megastar. One day, the Lady herself comes downstairs to play. It feels like real bonding in the basement, but will their relationship ever make it upstairs. BUYER AND CELLAR is an outrageous comedy about the price of fame the cost of things, and the oddest of odd jobs.

ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM AND CAST:

JONATHAN TOLINS (Playwright) is the author of Buyer & Cellar, which was named "Best Unique Theatrical Experience" by the Off-Broadway Alliance when it premiered at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater. 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, and "Partners." He was the author of "Pushkin 200: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall," acted as script consultant on "Walking with Dinosaurs: The Arena Spectacular," and co-wrote "The Divine Millennium Tour" and "The Showgirl Must Go On for Bette Midler." He has written articles for Opera News, Opera Monthly, TheaterWeek, Time Magazine, and the Huffington Post, and is a panelist on the Metropolitan Opera Radio Quiz. He lives in Fairfield, Connecticut with his husband, the writer and director Robert Cary, and their children, Selina and Henry. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild and the Writers Guild of America.

LARRY RABEN (Director) returns to Laguna Playhouse having previously directed Forever Plaid and having appeared on stage in I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change, and Bright Ideas. He directed the world premiere of Tony winner Joe DiPietro'sFalling For Eve Off-Broadway in New York (York Theatre). He won the LA Ovation Best Direction Award for Singin' In The Rain(Cabrillo ) Recently: When You Wish-the story of Walt Disney (Phoenix Theatre/Freud Theatre), Cinderella (Gateway Playhouse), Nice Work If You Can Get It (Music Theatre Wichita/Ogunquit Playhouse-IRNE Nom.), Buyer & Cellar (Coyote StageWorks-Desert Star Award Best Direction), Catch Me If You Can (Moonlight Amphitheater), Tru, Greater Tuna, A Tuna Christmas (CSW-all Desert Star Awards), La Cage Aux Folles (San Diego Music Theatre), Plaid Tidings (Walnut Street Theatre), Love Makes The World Go Round (Phoenix Theatre), Sunset Blvd., The Wedding Singer, Hairspray, The Thing About Men (Musical Theatre West), The Producers (Gateway Playhouse), Bark! (IE Award), Meet Me In St. Louis, Always Patsy Cline (Welk Theatre). Also this summer: Titanic, the musical Moonlight Amphitheatre) and The Little Mermaid (Cabrillo). A founding member of Coyote StageWorks (Palm Springs) and author of a children's book Ibby Makes A Wish available at Amazon.com.

EMERSON COLLINS returns to Buyer & Cellar with the Laguna Playhouse after winning the Desert Theatre League Award for Best Actor in a Comedy for his performance in the Regional Theatre Premiere with Coyote Stageworks in Palm Springs. Emerson is currently starring in season four of BRAVO's hit The People's Couch and is producing and starring in Del Shores' A Very Sordid Wedding, the sequel to the cult-classic Sordid Lives with Bonnie Bedelia, Leslie Jordan, Dale Dickey and Caroline Rhea. Emerson also writes as a regular contributor to the Dallas Voice and hosts The Del & Emerson Show, UBN Radio's number one weekly show. He produced and starred in Sordid Lives: The Series for LOGO.

BUYER AND CELLAR has assembled the following design team. Set Design is by Josh Clabaugh. Lighting Design is by D. Martyn Bookwalter. Sound Design is by Juan Sanson. Costume Design is by Jim Lapidus. The Stage Manager is Mary K. Klinger.

This production of Buyer & Cellar was originally produced by Coyote StageWorks in Palm Springs, CA on March 27, 2015 (Chuck Yates, Founding Artistic Director).

BUYER AND CELLAR will begin previews on Wednesday, June 1; will open on Saturday, June 4 and will run through Sunday, June 26, 2016 at the Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Road in Laguna Beach.

Performances will be Wednesdays through Saturdays at 7:30pm; Saturdays at 2pm; Sundays at 1pm. There will be additional performances on Thursday, June 2; Thursday, June 16 & Thursday, June 23 at 2:00pm & Sunday, June 5 & Sunday, June 12 at 5:30.

Tickets range from $48 - $61 and can be purchased online at www.lagunaplayhouse.com or by calling (949) 497-ARTS (2787). Group discounts are available by calling 949-497-2787 ext. 229. The box office is open Mondays - Saturdays: 12p.m. to 5 p.m. (open until showtime on performance days); Sundays: 11a.m. - 4p.m.

For more information on all shows and programming visit www.lagunaplayhouse.com. LAGUNA PLAYHOUSE is located at 606 Laguna Canyon Road in Laguna Beach.

To post a comment, you must register and login.