We look forward to welcoming you and your students to the Lantern! Student audiences bring a unique energy and curiosity to live performances, and we know that attending great performances can powerfully shape students' relationship to curricular material and dramatic literature. Your reservation includes discounted tickets, lesson plans, study guides, and post-show talkbacks with the cast. For booking and other information, please contact Talia Speak, Artistic & Education Associate, at tspeak@lanterntheater.org or 215.829.9002 x106.

Benjamin Franklin played many roles: publisher, inventor, political agitator, diplomat – and he wanted his son to follow him into the sciences. When William rebels and becomes the Royal Governor of New Jersey, the stage is set for a father-son conflict of international proportions. Join us for the Philadelphia premiere of Lloyd Suh's endearing and insightful new play of revolutionary consequences, in the city where it happened.

Weekday Matinees @ 10AM
Tuesday 5/19/26
Tuesday 5/26/26
Friday 6/5/26 limited availability
Best Enjoyed By
8th Grade and up

Relevant Class Subjects
American History, Comedy, English Language Arts, History, Theater Arts

Running Time
75 minutes with no intermission

A tight circle of regulars in a small Irish pub on a lonely windswept hillside is joined by Valerie. Just arrived from Dublin, she has moved alone into an old house nearby. Trying to impress the attractive stranger, they tell tall tales of unexplained local events, until one story turns out to be heartbreaking and hauntingly real. From one of Ireland's greatest living playwrights comes an evening of surprises and masterful storytelling.

Weekday Matinees @ 10AM
Tuesday 11/24/26
Tuesday 12/1/26
Best Enjoyed By
11th Grade and up

Relevant Class Subjects
Drama, English Language Arts, Theater Arts

Hamlet finds himself in a world of danger when his father's ghost appears to him charging murder and demanding revenge. Before taking action, Hamlet devises plots to uncover the truth from family and friends obstructing his search for the truth. In this masterpiece of his artistic maturity, Shakespeare gives us magnificent poetry and a searing examination of the human soul put to an impossible test.

Weekday Matinees @ 10AM
Tuesday 2/16/27
Tuesday 2/23/27
Tuesday 3/2/27
Friday 3/5/27
Tuesday 3/9/27
Wednesday 3/10/27
Thursday 3/11/27
Best Enjoyed By
9th Grade and up

Relevant Class Subjects
Classics, Drama, English Language Arts, Theater Arts

Gil has just lost his beloved mother, and he wants to do right by her passing. But his friends Mo and Terry – not to mention his Aunt Glo – bring laughter and joy to his grief, not always intentionally. First produced at The Public Theater in 2012 and written by Philadelphia native and now global megastar Colman Domingo, Wild With Happy explores the comedy in personal tragedy and the joy in saying goodbye to those we love the most.

Weekday Matinees @ 10AM
Tuesday 5/18/27
Tuesday 5/25/27
Tuesday 6/1/27
Friday 6/4/27
Best Enjoyed By
10th Grade and up

Relevant Class Subjects
African American History, Drama, Theater Arts

Pricing
Student tickets for weekday morning matinees are $20 each. One free teacher/chaperone ticket is provided for every 10 student tickets purchased.

Study Guides
Lantern study guides enable you to bring the show into your classroom. Our guides include information about the play and the playwright, thought-provoking questions, and fun classroom activities. Lesson plans meet national and state standards in Reading, Writing, Speaking, Language Arts, and Theater Arts.

Q&A with the Cast
Learn about the making of each play! We hold a talkback following every student matinee performance to give students the opportunity to ask questions of the members of the cast.

Performance Venue & Accessibility
All student matinee performances will take place at St. Stephen's Theater, 923 Ludlow Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107. We regret that access to both the performance space and restrooms at St. Stephen's Theater requires navigating a flight of stairs. Unfortunately, no elevator service is available. If your student group includes individuals with special needs or who would benefit from early seating, please let us know when you inquire about making a reservation so that we may plan on appropriate accommodations.

Health and Safety Policy
Face masks are welcome, but not required.

Join us for any regularly-scheduled mainstage performance and pay just $20 per ticket. This group discount is available for all middle school, high school, and university groups of 10 or more students. To inquire about group tickets, please submit an online inquiry. Questions? Please contact Talia Speak, Artistic & Education Associate, at tspeak@lanterntheater.org or 215.829.9002 x106.