May 13, 2014
Vineyard Theatre's Evening with Linda Lavin and Steve Bakunas
Kilian Melloy READ TIME: 2 MIN.
"Portrait of an Artist" -- an evening with the Tony Award-winning actress Linda Lavin and her husband Steve Bakunas, a painter, actor and jazz drummer -- will be presented by the Vineyard Theatre (108 E. 15 St.) one-night-only on Monday, June 16 at 7 pm to benefit the company's productions, artistic development initiatives and arts education programs, it has been announced by Douglas Aibel, The Vineyard's artistic director, and Sarah Stern, co-artistic director.
"Portrait of an Artist" features Ms. Lavin and Mr. Bakunas in a 90-minute intimate evening during which Ms. Lavin answers questions about her life and career, posed by her husband while he paints her portrait on stage. An evening of warmth, romance, humor and nostalgia, the couple have previously performed the program at venues around the country.
Mr. Bakunas' finished portrait of Ms. Lavin will be raffled off by The Vineyard at the conclusion of the June 16th event.
On May 8, an exhibition of Mr. Bakunas' multi-media art -- portraits and landscapes -- entitled "Faces and Places" opened at Trent and Company (594 Broadway, suite 901) in Manhattan.
Mr. Bakunas life and travels have taken him from Connecticut to California, from living in cars to joining the circus, and now as a painter, actor and jazz drummer, performing frequently with musical director Billy Stritch and combo, including Ms. Lavin's own concert engagements.
Linda Lavin is presently starring at The Vineyard in Nicky Silver's newest play, "Too Much Sun," in previews now prior to opening May 18. Directed by Mark Brokaw, the cast also features Jennifer Westfeldt, Ken Barnett, Richard Bekins, Matt Dellapina and Matt Dixon. In the play, Ms. Lavin portrays Audrey Langham, a celebrated atress who unravels completely while preparing for a new production of Medea." With nowehere else to go, she descends upon her married daughter for a summer by the sea. She is not, however, greeted with confetti and champagne, and her arrival sets off a chain of events alternately hilarious, harrowing and unforgettable. The play runs through June 22.
The production reunites Ms. Lavin with Messrs. Silver and Brokaw, who worked together on "The Lyons," which debuted at The Vineyard prior to moving to Broadway in 2012, earning Ms. Lavin her 6th Tony nomination.
Tickets to "Portrait of an Artist" are $75. Raffle tickets are $25. VIP tickets -- which include premium seating locations, one raffle ticket and a private reception with Ms. Lavin and Mr. Bakunas following the show -- are $250.
For tickets and performance information visit www.vineyardtheatre.org or call 212 353 0303.
Kilian Melloy serves as EDGE Media Network's Associate Arts Editor and Staff Contributor. His professional memberships include the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association, the Boston Online Film Critics Association, The Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association, and the Boston Theater Critics Association's Elliot Norton Awards Committee.
