Philadelphia Premiere
By Athol Fugard, John Kani, and Winston Ntshona
Directed by Peter DeLaurier
January 30 - March 1, 2009

From South Africa's most celebrated playwright comes a drama as powerful today as in its first performance 35 years ago. Styles, an enterprising photographer, has a small storefront in a Port Elizabeth township. When Sizwe, a migrant worker, comes in to have his picture taken, the two explore issues of image and identity under South Africa's oppressive regime. Both soaring and personal, the play's attack on the dehumanizing laws of the apartheid era resonates with surprising humor and uplifting faith in the human spirit.

"The acting is so good and the truth of the political horror so vivid that Lantern's Sizwe Bansi Is Dead is an engrossing and thought-provoking evening, smartly directed by Peter DeLaurier." –Philadelphia Inquirer

"An important piece of theater, very well mounted, performed and directed." –Broad Street Review  [More]

"Sizwe Bansi Is Dead works its magic subtly... If you don't think you're in the mood for an Apartheid drama, think again." –Talkin' Broadway  [More]

"Funny, gripping and immediate... The message resonates, but it's the vividness of the personalities, the genuineness of the performances, that make Sizwe Bansi Is Dead so alive."
–Philadelphia City Paper

"Beautifully directed... lifts even the most jaded theatergoers' spirits." –Philadelphia Weekly

"Timeless...especially as portrayed by Mr. McClendon and Mr. Stallings, who are pitch-perfect in their roles and flawless in their execution of this poetic script." –The Bulletin