By William Shakespeare
Directed by Charles McMahon
March 14 - April 21, 2013

Shakespeare takes us on an epic journey through royal courts and battlefields, conjuring a vast world through the suggestive power of his incomparable language. Following a bloody civil war, charismatic young Henry, England's new king, sets out to repair his fractured nation with a common purpose: war with France. But unprepared and outnumbered, Henry's small army of bumbling country rubes and petty thieves seem to be no match for the slick French war machine. While Henry sets out to secure his crown and reputation, he finds humility, true leadership, and the power to inspire a nation. From the rousing speeches to the dark eve of Agincourt, Henry V is both adventurous and introspective – a tale of raw power punctuated by surprising moments of comedy, brought to you by the region's top producer of Shakespeare's work and featuring Philadelphia theater luminary Ben Dibble in the title role.

Krista Apple-Hodge as Chorus/Ensemble  •  David Bardeen as Canterbury/Ensemble  •  Jake Blouch as Dauphin/Pistol/Ensemble  •  Mark Cairns as Exeter/Williams/Ensemble  •  K. O'Rourke as Katherine/Ensemble  •  Ben Dibble as Henry V  •  Matt Tallman as Bedford/Nym/Orleans/Ensemble  •  Mal Whyte as Fluellen/Ensemble

Meghan Jones, Production Manager & Scenic Designer  •  Mary Folino, Costume Designer  •  Drew Billiau, Lighting Designer  •  Michael Kiley, Composer & Sound Designer  •  J. Alex Cordaro, Fight Director  •  Rebecca Smith, Stage Manager  •  Joshua Browns, Assistant Director

"This play is indeed cinematic in scope. Director Charles McMahon solves any issues of scale with kinetic and fully engaged stagecraft. Theirs is nothing less than an intimate epic. Ben Dibble's Harry is as wily and complex as Shakespeare's greatest flawed heroes. He mines the Hamlet side of the character in doubt and he just nails the soliloquies with such force and poetry. This is an astonishing, heroic and earthy Henry V framed by a production that would be celebrated anywhere in the world." –The Huffington Post

"There are certain signs that annually crop up in this neck of the woods that let us know spring is nigh. For some, it's the botanical bacchanal that is the Philadelphia Flower Show. For others, it's the commencement of the Phillies' spring training camp in Clearwater, Fla. And, in local theater circles, it's the annual presentation of a William Shakespeare play by Center City's Lantern Theater Company." –Philadelphia Daily News

"The Lantern likes to do Shakespeare, and it does it well. This Henry V, under Charles McMahon's vivid, forceful, drivingly paced direction, is one of its best productions. Costumes, lighting, and sound are all richly inventive and splendidly integrated, and J. Alex Cordaro has done his customarily fine job with the fight sequences. This is first-rate Shakespeare, and great fun." –Broad Street Review

"Director Charles McMahon and his cast give us a production that is pared down but vividly alive. The entire ensemble is excellent, with each actor having some especially felicitous assumptions. The production's visual world is equally accomplished. Scenery (by Meghan Jones) and lights (by Drew Billiau) create a beautifully dark, minimalist environment of distressed woods and metals that allows Mary Folino's costumes to provide opulence and help define characters. Most importantly, the apt and elegantly stark style allows the story - a tale of England at war with France in the early 15th century - to unfold clearly. Dibble joins an illustrious group of Philadelphia actors whose Shakespeare performances at Lantern have made for evenings to treasure." –Philadelphia City Paper

"One-woman chorus and powerhouse Krista Apple-Hodge is the perfect floatation device for our ADD-addled, tailored-for-commercial-TV brains to hang on to in this sea of gorgeous language." –Philadelphia Weekly