FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 24, 2012

Lantern Theater Company is thrilled to announce that it will honor Ceal Phelan and Gayle Smith with the 2012 Luminary Award at its Annual Benefit on Friday, February 24, 2012, from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. An Evening in Verona will be held at the elegant Down Town Club at 6th & Chestnut Streets in Center City, and will include entertainment, cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, dinner and dessert, plus live music from the Alex Hiele Trio and a Silent Auction featuring exclusive vacations, fine dining, entertainment, adventures, sports, and other unique items. All proceeds will benefit the Lantern's artistic and education programming, which reaches over 16,000 adults and children each year. Ticket prices range from $125-$1,000 and are now on sale at www.lanterntheater.org or (215) 829-9002 x102. Practicing theater artists can purchase Theater Artist Tickets at the steeply discounted rate of $75.

Ceal Phelan, a resident of Malvern, is a beloved and highly-respected member of the Philadelphia theater community. She has appeared at Lantern Theater Company as Madeleine in The Breath of Life (2010; Barrymore Award nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play), Maria in Uncle Vanya (2010), and Grace in Vigil (2011), and she directed the Lantern's 2007 production of The Taming of the Shrew. She will return to the Lantern this spring as the Nurse in Romeo and Juliet, which begins previews on March 1, 2012. Ceal and her husband, actor and director Peter DeLaurier, are two of the co-founders of Wilmington's Delaware Theatre Company and have served as Resident Company Members at People's Light & Theatre for the past 23 years. In addition to acting and directing, Ceal has taught at Temple University, People's Light, Hedgerow Theatre, and other area colleges and high schools.

Gayle R. Smith, a resident of Center City, is a professor, writer, and attorney, as well as one of Philadelphia's most passionate theater advocates. Gayle began her legal career at the City Solicitor's Office before starting her own practice in 1987, eventually concentrating on divorce law. She is a published author, serves as a trustee of the Charlotte Cushman Foundation, teaches courses on theater and social issues for Temple University's Master of Liberal Arts program, is an ambassador to the National New Play Network, is a former Barrymore Awards judge, and has organized fundraising events for many local theater companies, including the Lantern.

An Evening in Verona is co-chaired by Gregory J. Kleiber, who was recently elected Treasurer of the Lantern's Board of Directors, and his wife Harriet Ravdin, who are residents of Narberth; Nina S. Rosenthal of Wynnewood; and Lantern Board Member Rebecca Williams of Haverford.

BENEFIT CO-CHAIRS
Gregory J. Kleiber*
Harriet Ravdin
Nina S. Rosenthal
Rebecca Williams*

BENEFIT COMMITTEE
Madeline Adams
Eileen Baird
Michael Brophy*
Lee & Susan Cassanelli
Joan L. Coale
Nicholas D. Constan*
David Conway* & Helen Hashimi Conway
Angela D'Amato* & Leo Shurtleff
Frank A. Dante*
Stacy Maria Dutton*
Nancy H. Dutton
Janet Embree
Jaimie & David Field
Marvin & Judith Garfinkel
Mark Garvin & Diane Menio
James & Kay Gately
Jay & Maxine Goldberg
Nancy Gussow Gross
Philip Hawkins* & Ronnie Kurchner-Hawkins
Donna Hill & John Wilson
Esther L. Hornik
Betsy Kalish*
Kevin Kleinschmidt*
Lucille Larkin & Paul Macdonald
Fran & Leon L. Levy
Stuart & Heidi Lurie
Howard & Cirel Magen
Charles & Helen McMahon
Charles McMahon*
Stephen Millen & Donna Saul Millen
Michael & Ellen Mulroney
David & Eileen Murphy
Ceal Phelan & Peter DeLaurier
Fred Johnson & Jennifer Pratt Johnson
Lee A. Rosengard & Andrea R. Kramer
Martin & Phyllis Rosenthal
Michael H. Rosenthal*
Aline Roy & Griffin Schrack
Anne Shuff* & Mike Creech
Aaron Smith & Andrea Nasto
David & Gayle Smith
Richard & Anne Umbrecht
Dr. R.J. Wallner
Margie Weingarten
Adam & Sarah* Weinstein
Rhys Williams

*Lantern Board Member

An Evening in Verona
Lantern Theater Company's 2012 Annual Benefit

Event Location:
The Down Town Club
6th & Chestnut Streets
Philadelphia, PA 19106

Event Date:
Friday, February 24, 2012, 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Tickets:
Visit www.lanterntheater.org or call (215) 829-9002 x102
$1,000 Benefactor Ticket ($929 tax deductible)
$500 Sponsor Ticket ($429 tax deductible)
$250 Patron Ticket ($179 tax deductible)
$125 Friend Ticket ($54 tax deductible)
$75 Special Ticket for Practicing Theater Artists ($4 tax deductible)

Press:
Press planning coverage of the event may make reservations for An Evening in Verona by contacting Anne Shuff, Managing Director, at ashuff@lanterntheater.org or (215) 829-9002 x101. Reservations are due by Monday, February 20, 2012 at 6pm. Capacity is limited to 200.

Event photos will be available on or about Wednesday, February 29, 2012.

2011/12 Season
Lantern Theater Company continues its 2011/12 season with a limited engagement of C.S. Lewis' The Great Divorce, adapted and performed by Philadelphia actor/playwright Anthony Lawton (February 7 - 12, 2012); William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, directed Charles McMahon (March 1 - April 1, 2012); and The Island by Athol Fugard, John Kani, and Winston Ntshona, and directed by Peter DeLaurier (May 17 - June 10, 2012).