Philadelphia Premiere
By Tom Stoppard
Adapted from Gérald Sibleyras' Le Vent des Peupliers
Directed by M. Craig Getting
May 16 - June 16, 2013

Gustave, Philippe, and Henri – war heroes, all – are plotting an escape. They've had enough of the tortures of their confinement: dictatorial captors, untrustworthy fellow prisoners, and far too many birthday parties. Indeed, life in a retired soldiers' home is almost unbearable! So, while keeping each other company on the back patio, they hatch a plan to escape to Indochina, or at least to a picnic under the poplars on a nearby hill. Winner of London's prestigious Olivier Award for Best New Comedy, Tom Stoppard's adaptation of this French play is playful, bawdy, and heartbreakingly funny.

Peter DeLaurier as Henri  •  Dan Kern as Gustave  •  Mal Whyte as Philippe

Meghan Jones, Production Manager  •  Nick Embree, Scenic Designer  •  Natalia de la Torre, Costume Designer  •  Janet Embree, Lighting Designer  •  Christopher Colucci, Sound Designer  •  J. Alex Cordaro, Fight Director  •  Rebecca Smith, Stage Manager

"The production is fun, warm and likeable. Peter DeLaurier, Dan Kern, and Mal Whyte are all accomplished actors and their ensemble is tight. Go expecting to laugh out loud with an audience genuinely enjoying itself." –The Philadelphia Inquirer

"Heroes enchants! Never having seen Gerald Sibleyras's Le Vent des Peupliers I'd be hard put to say how much of the considerable charm derives from the original play and how much comes from Tom Stoppard's adaptation. M. Craig Getting [directs] Lantern's winsome production with nimble sensitivity." –CurtainUp

"Forge your own battle plans with Henri, Gustave and Philippe through June 9, and don't forget to fill your backpack with a generous supply of Stoppardian wit. We recommend locking down tickets soon, as the show's preview performances have consistently sold out." –Uwishunu

"Lantern Theater Company concludes its already successful season on a high note with an enchanting production of Tom Stoppard's delightfully warm and surprisingly affecting comedy. Heroes is Stoppard at his most irresistible, penned with an intoxicating combination of grace, goodwill and simplicity. Buoyed by a trio of pitch-perfect performances, Lantern's involving production allows us to be entirely content spending a couple of hours with these proud men who, despite their frailties, are determined that their final years of life are not devoid of adventure or joy." –Philadelphia Weekly

"Stoppard's adaptation gives Sibleyras' script his trademark wit and irony along with English rhythms and Anglicized language. The production around them is exquisite, from Natalia de la Torre's convincing costumes and Janet Embree's delicate lighting to Christopher Colucci's jaunty music." –Philadelphia City Paper

"The Lantern scores a huge victory with Heroes. Funny and profound and fully relatable; it's beautifully staged and brilliantly acted. A production like this reminds audiences and critics alike of why they love going to the theater." –Stage Magazine