Cheyenne Jackson, Debra Messing & More Honor Linda Lavin at Vineyard Theatre, 3/12

Stars of both stage and screen are set to join the celebration when the Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning Vineyard Theatre honors Tony Award-winner Linda Lavin at the Off-Broadway company's annual Gala on Monday, March 12 beginning at 6:00pm at the Hudson Theater. Ms. Lavin made her Vineyard Theatre debut earlier this season in the critically acclaimed production of Nicky Silver's play THE LYONS.

A partial list of artists participating in the salute to Ms. Lavin, subject to change, includes Judy Kuhn, Cheyenne Jackson, Debra Messing, Jill Eikenberry, Michael Tucker, Celia Weston, Hope Davis, Tony Roberts, John Guare, Billy Stritch, Will Chase, Veanne Cox, Julia Murney, Colman Domingo, Ann Harada, Jessie Mueller, Jim Caruso and members of the company of The Vineyard's upcoming musical NOW. HERE. THIS. -- Hunter Bell, Susan Blackwell, Heidi Blickenstaff and Jeff Bowen and Larry Pressgrove.

In addition to honoring Ms. Lavin, the Vineyard Gala will feature special salutes to playwright Nicky Silver and City National Bank during the evening's festivities.

Charles Busch and Julie Halston will co-host the Gala. Carl Andress, who recently directed the Vineyard and Actors Fund benefit performance of Kander and Ebb's THE VISIT, will direct the evening.

It has also been announced that show-only tickets to the Gala and premium tickets (including cocktails and hors d'oeuvres) are now on sale.

Linda Lavin recently starred in The Vineyard's world premiere of THE LYONS written by Nicky Silver and directed by Mark Brokaw, earning praise across the board from critics and audiences alike for her landmark portrayal of Rita Lyons, the indomitable matriarch of a fractured family who summons her children to the bedside of their dying father. As well, Ms. Lavin's first CD, "Possibilities" -- featuring a mix of Broadway standards and cabaret songs, with musical arrangements by Billy Stritch -- was recently released, also to critical acclaim, by Ghostlight Records.

One of the most beloved actresses of stage, film and television, Linda Lavin appeared at the Kennedy Center in FOLLIES and at Lincoln Center Theatre in OTHER DESERT CITIES, THE SISTERS ROSENSWEIG (Broadway), and THE NEW CENTURY (Drama Desk Award; Off-Broadway). Broadway: COLLECTED STORIES (Tony nomination), HOLLYWOOD ARMS, THE TALE OF THE ALLERGIST'S WIFE (Tony nom.), THE DIARY OF Anne Frank (Tony nom., Drama Desk Award), GYPSY, BROADWAY BOUND (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Helen Hayes awards), THE LAST OF THE RED HOT LOVERS (Tony nom.), COP OUT, STORY THEATRE, SOMETHING DIFFERENT, IT'S A BIRD…IT'S A PLANE…IT'S SUPERMAN, A FAMILY AFFAIR. Off-Broadway: CAKEWALK; DEATH DEFYING ACTS (Variety Arts Theatre; Obie and Lortel Awards); THE MAD SHOW; OH, KAY! (Theatre World Award), and LITTLE MURDERS (Outer Critics Circle Award). Regional: FINISHING THE PICTURE, COLLECTED STORIES, DOUBT, RABBIT HOLE, DRIVING MISS DAISY. Film: "The Backup Plan," "The Muppets Take Manhattan," "See You in the Morning," "I Want to Go Home." TV: "Alice", "Barney Miller", "Room for Two", "Conrad Bloom". TV films "The $5.20 an Hour Dream", "A Matter of Life and Death", "A Place to Call Home", "Lena: My 100 Children", "Best Friends for Life", "The Ring", "Collected Stories". Cabaret: SONGS AND CONFESSIONS OF A ONE-TIME WAITRESS; national appearances include Birdland, The Metropolitan Room, Wilmington Symphony, NY. Upcoming: the film "Wanderlust."