The Lyons, by Nicky Silver, at the Vineyard Theatre

Tony Award-winning actress Linda Lavin (Broadway Bound) will head the cast of Vineyard Theatre's world premiere of Nicky Silver's new play The Lyons, opening at the Vineyard Theatre on 11 Oct 2011, following previews from 21 Sep 2011.

Directed by Mark Brokaw, the show will also feature Michael Esper (American Idiot and The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide...) and Gregory Wooddell (Cymbeline at Lincoln Center Theatre). Additional casting and creative team to be announced.

The Lyons - Silver's seventh new play to open at The Vineyard - is about a family grappling with the death of its patriarch. When Ben Lyon's wife, Rita, 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.

Bios:

Linda Lavin won a Tony Award for her performance in 'Broadway Bound' in 1987. She is a five-time Tony nominee for her roles in 'The Last of the Red Hot Lovers,' 'The Diary of Anne Frank,' 'The Tale of the Allergist's Wife,' and most recently, 'Collected Stories.' She was a two-time Golden Globe winner for her role as "Alice" on the TV show "Alice". Most recently she was seen off-Broadway in 'Other Desert Cities,' for which she earned a Lucille Lortel Award nomination. Her recent film credits include roles in "The Back-Up Plan" and "Wanderlust."

Michael Esper as appeared on Broadway in 'A Man for All Seasons' and 'American Idiot.'He recently starred Off-Broadway in 'The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures.' Other Off-Broadway credits include 'subUrbia' and 'The Agony and the Agony'.

Gregory Wooddell appeared in the world-premiere of Terrence McNally's 'Some Men' at Philadelphia Theatre Center, the American premiere of 'School of Night' at Mark Taper Forum, and the world premiere of 'Miracle at Naples' at Huntington Theatre

Nicky Silver's plays include seven which have premiered at Vineyard Theatre: Pterodactyls, 'Raised in Captivity', '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), 'The Agony and the Agony' (Vineyard Lab Production), 'Fat Men in Skirts,' 'Fit to be Tied,' 'Free Will and Wanton Lust,' the new book for the Broadway revival of the Rodgers and Hart musical, 'The Boys from Syracuse,' and more.

Mark Brokaw directed the Vineyard Theatre's Pulitzer Prize-winning production of Paula Vogel's play 'How I Learned to Drive,' as well as Vogel's 'The Long christmas Drive Home', Craig Lucas' 'The Dying Gaul' and Jeremy Dobrish's 'Eight Days (Backwards)' all at The Vineyard. He directed the musical 'Cry Baby'. Other Off-Broadway credits include AS 'Bees in Honey Drown,' Lisa Kron's '2.5 Minute Ride,' 'The Good Times are Killing Me' and Kenneth Lonergan's 'Lobby Hero.' In July Brokaw is to direct Primary Stages production of Charles Busch's new comedy, 'Olive and the Bitter Herbs,' at 59E59's Theater A.