Twenty‑five years after Vitello’s became linked to a tragic chapter in his family’s history, Noah Blake is back at the famed Italian restaurant in Studio City to direct and star in an original immersive theater production. The show, titled “A Killer Night in Studio City,” is a noir‑inspired murder mystery set in 1958 and opened on Sept. 15.
Healing Through Art
Blake told Fox News Digital that the project is part of his personal healing journey. “When I was first approached there was a little bit of hesitation, but I realized I should do this,” he said. “This is a chance for me to create a new page, a new connection with this place, with my name, and with my family.”
He added that he hopes his four‑year‑old son will someday enjoy Vitello’s without the shadow of the past. “God willing, as long as Vitello’s is there, I want my son to think of it as the place where daddy did a fun show, not the tragedy,” Blake explained.
Family History and Controversy
The tragedy dates back to 2001, when Robert Blake’s wife, Bonny Lee Bakley, was shot and killed while sitting in his car near Vitello’s after dinner. Robert Blake was acquitted of murder in 2005, but a civil jury later held him liable, ordering a $30 million judgment that was later reduced to $15 million before the parties reached a confidential settlement. Robert Blake died in 2023 at age 89.
Bakley’s daughter, Rose Lenore, expressed strong objections to the production. She told Fox News Digital that Vitello’s remains too painful for her and other family members. “I think him doing it at Vitello’s is upsetting for me and anyone who loved Bonny,” she said, adding that a happy, fun show felt “in poor taste.” Lenore emphasized that she wishes her brother well but feels a moral obligation to speak out.
Blake’s Response
In a statement, Blake acknowledged Lenore’s feelings while reiterating his own reasons for the show. “Vitello’s was a place I loved my entire life. Over time it became the physical embodiment of a larger, devastating chapter of my life—one thing I had nothing to do with, but whose consequences I have endured for years,” he wrote.
He framed the production as a step toward “taking a place that had come to represent something painfully dark and allowing it to represent something else.” Blake said he has reached out to Lenore for a private conversation, which has not yet occurred, but the door remains open.
Personal Reflection
Returning to the restaurant also forced Blake to confront his complicated relationship with his late father. He described wrestling with questions about his father’s character, saying, “There were moments my father could be a very loving, kind, decent, generous human being, and there were times when he could be an absolute monster.” The experience, Blake said, has been both emotionally taxing and ultimately liberating.
Blake hopes the immersive show will give audiences a night of laughter and suspense, while also serving as a personal testament to moving beyond a painful legacy. “I live my life as me,” he concluded.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
