OTHER DESERT CITIES Hits Broadway 's Booth Theatre Next Season; Lavin Departs for Vineyard's THE LYONS

The New York Times reveals today that Lincoln Center Theater's production of Jon Robin Baitz' OTHER DESERT CITIES, directed by Joe Mantello and ran at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater this winter will make a Broadway transfer next season. Lincoln Center had hoped to move the production to Broadway this Spring, however, was unable to secure a theater for the transfer.

While casting has yet to be announced (the off-Broadway production featured Stockard Channing, Stacy Keach, Linda Lavin, Elizabeth Marvel and Thomas Sadoski), one star not making the move will be Tony winner Linda Lavin, who has instead signed on for a bigger role in the new off Broadway play, The Lyons, at the Vineyard directed by Mark Brokaw and also starring Michael Esper and Gregory Wooddell.

According to press notes, in The Lyons, Nickey Silver's seventh new play to open at The Vineyard -- is a comedy about a family grappling with the death of its patriarch. When Ben Lyon's wife, Rita (Lavin), and their grown children gather to say goodbye, they learn that despite being a family, each of them is utterly isolated. Afraid of closeness and afraid of solitude, Ben's death may be a catalyst that propels them into foreign territory - human connection.

Silver's other plays include seven which have premiered at Vineyard Theatre: PTERODACTYLS (Oppenheimer Award, Kesselring Award, Drama Desk nom, Outer Critics Circle nom), RAISED IN CAPTIVITY (Drama Desk nom, Outer Critics Circle nom), THE EROS TRILOGY, THE MAIDEN'S PRAYER, MY MARRIAGE TO ERNEST BORGNINE, THE ALTRUISTS, and BEAUTIFUL CHILD. Other notable plays include THREE CHANGES (Playwrights Horizons), THE FOOD CHAIN (Broadway, Outer Critics Circle nom), THE AGONY AND THE AGONY (Vineyard Lab Production), FAT MEN IN SKIRTS, FIT TO BE TIED, FREE WILL AND WANTON LUST (Helen Hayes Award), the new book for the Broadway revival of the Rodgers and Hart musical, THE BOYS FROM SYRACUSE, and more.

Lavin is currently starring in Follies at The Kennedy Center, which was also just announced for Broadway in 2011-2012. Due to her commitment to Lyons, Lavin will also not be transferring with the Sondheim classic. Lavin first came on the New York musical comedy scene with roles in Oh, Kay!, It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman and On a Clear Day, You Can See Forever. She also won kudos for her straight acting roles in Little Murders and Last of the Red Hot Lovers. TV beckoned and she soon became a household name as the star of the sitcom "Alice." During the nine seasons it was on the air, Linda nabbed two Golden Globe awards and an Emmy nomination. She even sang "There's a New Girl in Town" over the opening credits of the show. Following this success, she focused her attentions once again on the stage. She earned renewed respect, in addition to critic's awards, for her diversified Broadway work in Gypsy, The Sisters Rosensweig, Collected Stories, Broadway Bound (1987 Tony award), Death Defying Acts (Obie award), The Diary of Anne Frank (Tony nomination) and The Tale of the Allergist's Wife (Tony nomination). She also appeared in Carol Burnett's autobiographical play Hollywood Arms portraying Burnett's grandmother, and in Paul Rudnick's The New Century.

To read the full report in the New York Times, click here.

In Other Desert Cities, Brooke Wyeth (Elizabeth Marvel), a once promising novelist, returns home after a six year absence to celebrate Christmas in Palm Springs with her parents (Stockard Channing and Stacy Keach), former members of the Reagan inner-circle, her brother (Thomas Sadoski), and her aunt (Linda Lavin). When Brooke announces that she is about to publish a memoir focusing on an explosive chapter in the family's history, the holiday reunion is thrown into turmoil and the Wyeths are both bound together and torn apart as they struggle to come to terms with their past.

OTHER DESERT CITIES featured sets by John Lee Beatty, costumes by David Zinn, lighting by Kenneth Posner, sound by Jill BC DuBoff and original music by Justin Ellington.