FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 23, 2009

In honor of William Shakespeare's 445th Birthday, Lantern Theater Company is proud to announce that, for the third year in a row, they will be the recipients of a $25,000 grant to participate in Shakespeare for a New Generation, a major initiative sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts in cooperation with Arts Midwest. In 2010, Lantern Teaching Artists will lead classroom lessons at schools throughout Philadelphia in conjunction with the Lantern's production of Henry IV, Part I. Following the lessons, students will attend matinee performances of Shakespeare's play at the Lantern in April and May 2010. The award supports activities targeting Philadelphia students who would not otherwise have arts exposure in school and provides the entire program, including tickets and transportation to Henry IV, Part 1, at no cost to participating schools or students. The Lantern is one of only 37 theater companies in the nation to receive this prestigious grant and the only company in Philadelphia to participate for three consecutive years.

The Lantern worked with Shakespeare for a New Generation during the company's 2008 production of Othello and the current production of Hamlet to teach a ten-lesson curriculum in ten Philadelphia area schools before bringing more than 600 students to these two plays at the theater, completely free of charge. These students, ranging from 6th through 12th grade, have studied Shakespeare's text, translated scenes into their own words, and performed memorized monologues from Shakespeare's work. In addition to the students participating in the NEA program, over 550 other students will have attended a matinee performance by the conclusion of Hamlet on May 17, 2009, with nearly 1,000 more seeing the show at regularly scheduled public performances.

Shakespeare for a New Generation gives high-school and middle-school students throughout America the opportunity to experience Shakespeare's works through high-quality productions and educational activities. It is the seventh phase of Shakespeare in American Communities, launched in September 2003, which has already reached more than 1,300 communities, 18 military bases, and over 2,200 schools across all 50 states. This is the largest Shakespeare tour in American history. The project combines the presentation of art with arts education through scholastic programs and classroom materials. In addition, educational materials developed by the National Endowment for the Arts and showcasing some of the greatest actors of our day will continue to be distributed, free of charge, to thousands of classrooms.

NEA Acting Chairman Patrice Walker Powell says, "Shakespeare for a New Generation not only enriches the educational experience by bringing live theater performances to new and young audiences – some of whom may grow up to have a career in theater – but it also provides employment for today's theater artists."

The NEA funding extends the work of Illumination, the Lantern's Education Program. This Barrymore-nominated program introduces theater to young people by educating and engaging more than 1,500 local students in the world of theater in three vital ways: matinee performances, outreach in area schools, and city-wide after-school drama programs. The Lantern also offers deeply discounted student prices and post-show discussions for groups of local middle, high school, and university students.

To schedule a visit to a participating school or a student matinee, please call 215.829.9002 x106.

About the National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts is a public agency dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts, both new and established; bringing the arts to all Americans; and providing leadership in arts education. Established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government, the Arts Endowment is the nation's largest annual funder of the arts, bringing great art to all 50 states, including rural areas, inner cities, and military bases.

About Arts Midwest
Arts Midwest connects people throughout the Midwest and the world to meaningful arts opportunities, sharing creativity, knowledge, and understanding across boundaries. Arts Midwest connects the arts to audiences throughout the nine-state region of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. One of six non-profit regional arts organizations in the United States, Arts Midwest's history spans more than 25 years.

About Lantern Theater Company
Founded in 1994 by Charles McMahon and Michael Brophy, Lantern Theater Company has emerged as one of the most successful professional theaters in the Philadelphia region. Lantern Theater Company is committed to an authentic and intimate exploration of the human spirit in its choice of classic, modern and original works. We create an innovative and stimulating theatrical experience that evokes thoughtful reflection and discussion long after the play ends.

The Lantern commits itself to being a vibrant, contributing member of its community. To that end, each season the Lantern produces four mainstage productions, a variety of special events, and Illumination, the Barrymore nominated education program designed to engage local students and adults alike in the world of theater and nurture their own artistic expression. This program reaches the Greater Philadelphia area in four vital ways: outreach in area schools, matinee performances for students, training teaching artists for after school programs, and our audience enrichment series of lectures, discussions, and symposia for each production of our season.

Lantern Theater Company has been in residence at St. Stephen's Theater at 10th & Ludlow Streets in Center City Philadelphia since 1996, managing the performance space and developing it into an affordable multi-purpose performing arts venue. Since the inception of Philadelphia's Barrymore Awards for Excellence in Theatre in 1995, the Lantern has received 12 awards and 54 nominations, including nominations in 2006, 2007, and 2008 for the Excellence in Theatre Education and Community Service Award. Philadelphia Weekly named the Lantern Best Theatre Company for the 2007/08 Season, calling the company's selection of plays "impressively diverse in genre and style" as well as "the city's most consistent producer of the Bard's work." The 2008/09 season at Lantern Theater Company marks the company's 15th year of creating high-quality professional theater in Philadelphia.

For More Information

• Lantern Theater Company, call 215.829.9002 x106 or visit www.lanterntheater.org
• Shakespeare In American Communities, visit www.shakespeareinamericancommunities.org
• National Endowment for the Arts, call 202.682.5570 or visit www.arts.gov
• Arts Midwest, call 612.341.0755 or visit www.artsmidwest.org