Stars of both stage and screen joined the celebration when the Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning Vineyard Theatre honored Tony Award-winner Linda Lavin at the Off-Broadway company's annual Gala on Monday, March 12 at the Hudson Theater (145 West 44th Street) in Manhattan. Ms. Lavin made her Vineyard Theatre debut earlier this season in the critically acclaimed production of Nicky Silver's play THE LYONS and will again star in THE LYONS when the play moves to Broadway next month starting April 5 at the Cort Theatre.

In addition to honoring Ms. Lavin, the Vineyard Gala featured special salutes to playwright Nicky Silver and City National Bank during the evening's festivities. Charles Busch and Julie Halston co-hosted the Gala. Carl Andress, who recently directed the Vineyard and Actor's Fund benefit performance of Kander and Ebb's THE VISIT, directed the evening.

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 (The Public); 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."

Nicky Silver is the playwright most produced by The Vineyard: the world premiere of THE LYONS marked his ninth play to debut at The Vineyard, following PTERODACTYLS (Oppenheimer Award, Kesselring Award, Drama Desk nom, Outer Critics Circle nom), RAISED IN CAPTIVITY (Drama Desk nom, Outer Critics Circle nom), MY MARRIAGE TO Ernest Borgnine (Vineyard Lab Production), THE MAIDEN'S PRAYER, THE EROS TRILOGY, THE ALTRUISTS, BEAUTIFUL CHILD and THE AGONY AND THE AGONY (Vineyard Lab Production).

A longtime supporter and industry partner of Vineyard Theatre, City National Bank is the wholly owned subsidiary of City National Corporation (NYSE: CYN) with 79 offices nationwide. City National has a long and successful history of meeting the financial needs of the entertainment industry and currently has two offices in New York and banks about 40% of all Broadway shows.

One of the nation´s leading non-profit theatre companies dedicated to new plays and musicals and bold programming, The Vineyard has consistently premiered provocative, groundbreaking works including the Pulitzer Prize-winning productions of Edward Albee´s THREE TALL WOMEN and Paula Vogel´s HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE, Tarell Alvin McCraney´s WIG OUT!, The Civilians´ THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY, Nicky Silver´s PTERODACTYLS and RAISED IN CAPTIVITY, the Laura Nyro musical ELI´S COMIN´, A BOY AND HIS SOUL, written and performed by Colman Domingo, Adam Rapp´s THE METAL CHILDREN, Will Eno´s MIDDLETOWN, Christopher Shinn's PICKED, and most recently the acclaimed premiere of Zayd Dohrn's OUTSIDE PEOPLE, directed by Evan Cabnet in a co-production with Naked Angels. Following its premiere last fall of THE LYONS, The Vineyard co-produced with The Actors Fund a concert version of John Kander and Fred Ebb's musical THE VISIT -- starring Chita Rivera and John Cullum -- on Broadway. Next up at The Vineyard is the world premiere of NOW.HERE.THIS., from the creators of [title of show], beginning previews March 7. The Vineyard will conclude the 2011-12 season with a developmental lab production of John Kander and Greg Pierce's musical THE LANDING.

The Vineyard produced the world premiere of the musical THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS -- with music and lyrics by John Kander and Fred Ebb, book by David Thompson, and direction and choreography Susan Stroman - in March 2010 and on Broadway. Vineyard Theatre is a recipient of the Tony Award for the musical AVENUE Q and continues as producer of the musical´s current production at New World Stages in New York. The Vineyard also produced the musical [title of show] both off and on Broadway.

Douglas Aibel is Artistic Director of Vineyard Theatre, Jennifer Garvey -Blackwell is Executive Producer, Sarah Stern is Co-Artistic Director and Rebecca Habel is Managing Director.

Photo Coverage: Vineyard Gala Honors Linda Lavin

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