FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 27, 2011

Lantern Theater Company is partnering with Center for Advocacy for the Rights and Interests of the Elderly (CARIE) to present a special panel discussion in conjunction with the Lantern's production of Vigil by acclaimed Canadian playwright Morris Panych, on stage through Sunday, June 12. Scheduled for Sunday, June 5 immediately following the 2:00 p.m. performance, "Grace in Dying" will focus on the surprising ways that Vigil explores end-of-life issues, connections with other people, the experience of family and those left behind, and our culture's fascination with "a good death." The panel will include Michele Mathes, Director of Education and Research Programs at CARIE, Vigil director Peter DeLaurier, and Lantern Artistic Director Charles McMahon. Lantern Associate Artistic Director Kathryn MacMillan will moderate.

"A question that has fascinated me since I've been doing this work is the importance we place on how one dies and the idea of 'a good death'," explains panelist Michele Mathes. "In recent years in our culture, we seem to be devoting more attention to what constitutes "a good death" than what constitutes "a good life." Vigil suggests this question - can how one dies balance out the story of a whole life?"

"It's much easier to talk about death in the third person - think about it, turn it over, see the possibilities in it," adds moderator Kathryn MacMillan. "We can have a more thorough, more thoughtful, more meaningful conversation about death when we're not talking about ourselves. We hope our audience will appreciate the opportunity to talk about these issues in this one-step-removed yet still intimate setting."

Presented under the auspices of Lantern Theater Company: In Conversation, the Lantern's audience enrichment series that offers an insider's look at each production, "Grace in Dying" will begin immediately following the 2:00 p.m. performance of Vigil on Sunday, June 5. Additional upcoming events include Pre-Curtain Cocktails on Friday, June 3 at 6:00 p.m. at Marathon (10th & Walnut Streets) and Artistic Director: In Conversation on Friday, June 10 at 7:00 p.m. at the Lantern. All In Conversation events are free for Vigil ticket holders and members of the press. Full information is available at www.lanterntheater.org/inconversation.

About Vigil (Now - Sunday, June 12)
Lantern Theater Company closes its 2010/11 season with Morris Panych's witty, cheeky, and gratifyingly macabre comedy that will touch your heart. Middle-aged curmudgeon Kemp receives a letter from his rich aunt, Grace, who writes him she is "old and dying"... or does it say "yodeling?" It's hard to tell - her handwriting isn't very good. But Kemp quits his job and crosses the country to ready her for death, beginning an outrageous series of missteps and misunderstandings that gives way to a surprising, poignant finish. A hit of the Edinburgh Fringe and London's West End and winner of Vancouver's Jessie Richardson Award for Outstanding Original Play, Vigil has been lauded by Variety as "comic and heartbreaking" and by Backstage as "acerbically funny and sneakily affecting." The Lantern's production was directed by Peter DeLaurier and stars Leonard C. Haas and Ceal Phelan.

Tickets are $20-$36 and are available online at www.lanterntheater.org or by calling the Lantern Box Office at (215) 829-0395. Discounts are available for seniors, students, and groups of 10 or more. Lantern Theater Company is located at St. Stephen's Theater, 10th & Ludlow Streets in Center City Philadelphia.

About CARIE
The Center for Advocacy for the Rights and Interests of the Elderly (CARIE) is a Philadelphia-based non-profit organization that has been dedicated to improving the quality of life for vulnerable older people since 1977. CARIE fulfills its core mission to improve the well being, rights and autonomy of older persons through advocacy, education, and action through a "case to cause" model of advocacy that serves to promote equal access to justice and addresses problems and issues on both the individual and the systemic levels. Programs and services include community education, professional training, and individual advocacy and problem solving. A leader in the field of aging, CARIE is recognized as a vital resource for a wide range of audiences, including older adults, family members and other caregivers, aging and other social service providers, policy makers, and academicians. Its services are provided locally, throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and in some cases nationally. For more information, visit CARIE's website at www.carie.org and its new website specifically for caregivers at www.caregivergps.org.

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. The Lantern commits itself to being a vibrant, contributing member of its neighborhood and region, serving the community through three core programs: Mainstage Productions of classics, modern, and original works that are smart, fun, engaging, and connected to our modern world; Lantern Theater Company: In Conversation, its audience enrichment series that brings together audiences, creative artists, and scholars for lively and insightful conversations; and Illumination, its Barrymore Award-winning education program that engages local students and adults in the world of theater, nurturing their artistic expression through in-school residencies, student matinee performances, and teaching artist training for after-school programs. The Lantern 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. For more information, visit www.lanterntheater.org.