Buyer & Cellar

Brian McDonald 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.

JAMIE TORCELLINI has directed 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 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 Gena 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.

MIKE BILLINGS returns to Ensemble, having previously designed scenery and lighting for A Night with Janis Joplin, The Thanksgiving Play and Million Dollar Quartet. West End credits include DreamWorks’ The Prince of Egypt. Off-Broadway credits include Vanities and Becoming Dr. Ruth.  Mike’s regional credits include productions at Bay Street Theater, Arizona Theatre Company, Rubicon Theatre, Geva Theatre Center, Berkshire Theatre Group, CCAE Theatricals, Laguna Playhouse, Flint Repertory Theatre, Bucks County Playhouse, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, Ebony Repertory Theatre, Guild Hall, Quintessence Theatre Company, Connecticut Repertory Theatre, and Dorset Theatre Festival.  He designed themed attractions at Busch Gardens and Six Flags, and the international touring exhibitions of Harry Potter, Titanic, and Downton Abbey.  Mike holds a B.F.A. from the University of Connecticut and is a proud member of United Scenic Artists Local USA829.  www.mikebillingsdesign.com  IG: @mikebillingsdesign

Kristal Georgopoulos (Resident Stage Manager) is looking forward to an inspiring year at ETC as Production Stage Manager for the 48th season. This will be Kristal’s fifth season with ETC, with previous selected credits including War of the Worlds: The Panic Broadcast, The Shark is Broken, A Night with Janis Joplin, Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors, Million Dollar Quartet, Justice, Hamlet, Parents in Chains, The Thanksgiving Play, The Lehman Trilogy, and Selling Kabul. Other selected regional credits include Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill, It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, Red Herring, Sex and Other Disturbances (Portland Stage), Always… Patsy Cline (Firebrand Theatre), Side Show, Addams Family, Grease, Steel Magnolias, and The Marvelous Wonderettes (Black Hills Playhouse) and Scary Poppins (Great American Melodrama). She is looking forward to another exciting year at Ensemble Theatre Company of Santa Barbara. She would like to thank her friends and family for their continued support.