Lantern Theater Company Presents THE TEMPEST By William Shakespeare

Lantern Theater Company continues its record-smashing 24th season with The Tempest by William Shakespeare. Lantern Artistic Director Charles McMahon will direct a cast that includes some of Philadelphia's finest actors: Chris Anthony, Peter DeLaurier, J Hernandez, Dave Johnson, John Lopes, Bi Jean Ngo, Ruby Wolf, and Frank X. Performances run Thursday, March 15 through Sunday, April 29, 2018; a full schedule is included in the fact sheet below. Theater critics and members of the press are invited to request tickets for opening night on Wednesday, March 21 at 7 p.m. by contacting Anne Shuff at ashuff@lanterntheater.org.

The Tempest continues the Lantern's annual commitment to produce the timeless stories of William Shakespeare, both for the general public and local school students. Believed to be his final solo play, The Tempest shows Shakespeare working at an unparalleled level of creativity, psychological complexity, and with a staggering command of his unique poetic gifts. Set on an enchanted island and teeming with poetry that brings the roiling sea to heel, this tale of magic, betrayal, and reconciliation commands us to examine what happens when one ruler is exiled, his successor washed up on shore, and both must choose between conflict and reconciliation. Can old grievances lead to new hope or are we compelled to repeat our past sins? In this great comic fable of his artistic maturity, Shakespeare explores how the choices we make lead to unexpected consequences. Power becomes magic. Exile leads to revenge. Love paves a path to reconciliation, and poetry triumphs over all. By turns frightening, funny, and staggeringly beautiful, The Tempest ranks among the finest plays ever written.

"Shakespeare's great farewell to the theater is a transfixing combination of adventure, comedy, fantasy, and fairy tale," said Lantern Artistic Director Charles McMahon, who will direct the production. "The inner struggle between the forces of vengeance and forgiveness gives rise to some of the most beautiful and memorable language Shakespeare ever wrote. The author embodies himself in the great magician Prospero, investing this story with layers of deep revelations about the human mind and heart, which in the end lead us into still greater mysteries."

Likely written in 1610-11, The Tempest was first performed in 1611 and in 1623 was entered into the Stationer's Register, a record book for printers and publishers. It is believed to be inspired in part by accounts of the Sea Venture, a British ship that wrecked on Bermuda in 1609 while en route to Jamestown. All crew and passengers survived and lived on the island for ten months, and their stories began to reach London by 1610. Like many of Shakespeare's later plays, The Tempest is classified as a "romance," meaning that it is neither comedy nor tragedy - though it contains elements of both. The romances all contain supernatural elements and usually resolve from averted tragedy into forgiveness.

The Lantern will further explore the world of The Tempest on its Lantern Searchlight blog, available online at www.lanterntheater.org/searchlight. Published articles will include a look at the history of British exploration, Shakespeare's transition from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance, The Tempest as early science fiction, the Sea Venture wreck that likely inspired the play, and behind-the-scenes interviews with the artists. New content will be added throughout the production's run.

Tickets for The Tempest are $26 - $43 and are available online at www.lanterntheater.org or by calling the Lantern Box Office at (215) 829-0395. Student tickets are $15 in advance; $10 student rush tickets are available ten minutes before curtain with valid ID. Discounts are also available for theater professionals ($10 in advance or at the door), seniors 65 and up, groups of 10 or more, and U.S. military personnel. Lantern Theater Company is located at St. Stephen's Theater, 10th & Ludlow Sts. in Center City Philadelphia.

About the Cast and Production Team

Longtime Lantern artistic partner Peter DeLaurier will take on the role of the sorcerer Prospero. Now celebrating 50 years as a professional theater artist, DeLaurier has graced the Lantern stage in productions of An Iliad, Underneath the Lintel, QED, The Train Driver, Emma, Heroes, Uncle Vanya, and Skylight. His Lantern directing credits include Red Velvet, 36 Views, The Island, Vigil, Sizwe Bansi Is Dead, and next season's Hapgood. DeLaurier is a seven-time Barrymore Award nominee and has received the award twice: for his role as The Librarian in Underneath the Lintel at the Lantern and as Kent in King Lear at People's Light. He is an artistic associate at People's Light and has been a member of their resident company since 1991.

Longtime Lantern artistic partner Frank X also returns to the Lantern stage in the dual roles of Gonzalo and Stephano. His long list of Lantern stage credits spans more than 20 years, including As You Like It, Romeo & Juliet, Othello, "Master Harold"...and the boys, Death and the King's Horseman, and the title role in King Lear. An eight-time Barrymore Award nominee and one-time recipient, he has performed nationally with Seattle Repertory Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, and the Folger Theatre, and locally with Arden Theatre Company, InterAct Theatre Company, Theatre Exile, and the McCarter Theatre.

Additional cast members returning to the Lantern stage include Chris Anthony (Coriolanus, As You Like It, Photograph 51, and the upcoming Don't Dress for Dinner) as Ferdinand, J Hernandez (As You Like It and The Taming of the Shrew) as Antonio/Caliban, Dave Johnson (The Taming of the Shrew, The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Liar) as Sebastian/Trinculo, John Lopes (Mrs. Warren's Profession) as Alonso, Bi Jean Ngo (36 Views) as Ariel, and Ruby Wolf (As You Like It, Barrymore nomination) as Miranda.

The talented design team that will create The Tempest's physical world includes scenic designer Lance Kniskern (The Gospel According To..., Oscar Wilde: From the Depths, and The Taming of the Shrew, for which he received a Barrymore nomination), costume designer Natalia de la Torre (Copenhagen and An Iliad), lighting designer Shon Causer (many Lantern credits including Barrymore-nominated designs for Oscar Wilde: From the Depths and A Child's Christmas in Wales), sound designer and composer Michael Kiley (An Iliad), and movement director Ben Grinberg (Lantern debut).

About Lantern Theater Company

Founded in 1994, Lantern Theater Company launched its current 2017/18 season with a record number of subscribers and a growing community of theater artists engaged in its productions and audience enrichment events. The Lantern's innovative Theater Artist Fair Pay Initiative was featured in American Theatre magazine as a leading national success story for increasing artist compensation through a combination of fundraising and higher ticket sales. The Lantern seeks to be a vibrant and contributing member of its community, exposing audiences to great theater, inviting participation in dialogue and discussion, engaging audience members on artistic and social issues, and employing theatrical language and techniques to enrich learning in the classroom. Since the inception of the Barrymore Awards for Excellence in Theatre in 1995, the Lantern has been recognized with 96 nominations and 19 awards, including the 2009 Award for Excellence in Theatre Education and Community Service. The Lantern's current season will conclude with the Philadelphia premiere of Don't Dress for Dinner by Marc Camoletti. The company recently announced its upcoming 25th anniversary season, which will include Hapgood by Tom Stoppard, The Heir Apparent by David Ives, Betrayal by Harold Pinter, Measure for Measure by William Shakespeare, and the world premiere of Minors, a new musical by Kittson O'Neill and Robert Kaplowitz, which was commissioned by the Lantern under the auspices of the company's New Works Program. More information is online at www.lanterntheater.org.

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