FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 23, 2008

In honor of William Shakespeare's 444th birthday, Lantern Theater Company is proud to announce that, for the second year in a row, they will be the recipients of a $25,000 grant to participate in Shakespeare for a New Generation, a major initiative sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts in cooperation with Arts Midwest. In 2009, Lantern Teaching Artists will lead classroom lessons at schools throughout Philadelphia in conjunction with the Lantern's production of Hamlet. Following the lessons, students will attend matinee performances of Shakespeare's play at the Lantern in April and May, 2009. The award supports activities targeting students from schools in the Philadelphia area that would not otherwise have arts exposure in school and provides the entire program, including tickets and transportation to Hamlet, at no cost to participating schools or students. The Lantern is one of only 40 theater companies in the nation to receive this prestigious grant and the first in Philadelphia to participate for two years in a row.

The Lantern worked with Shakespeare for a New Generation during the company's current production of Othello to teach a ten-lesson curriculum in ten Philadelphia area schools before bringing 500 students to the theater free of charge. These students, ranging from 6th through 12th grade, have studied Shakespeare's text, translated scenes into their own words, and performed memorized monologues from Othello. In addition to the students participating in the NEA program, over 1,500 students total will have attended a matinee performance by the conclusion of Othello on May 4, 2008, with hundreds more seeing the show at regularly scheduled public performances.

Shakespeare for a New Generation gives high-school and middle-school students throughout America the opportunity to experience Shakespeare's works through high-quality productions and educational activities. It is the sixth phase of Shakespeare in American Communities, launched in September 2003, which has already reached more than 1,300 communities, 18 military bases, and over 2,200 schools across all 50 states. This is the largest Shakespeare tour in American history. The project combines the presentation of art with arts education through scholastic programs and classroom materials. In addition, educational materials developed by the National Endowment for the Arts and showcasing some of the greatest actors of our day will continue to be distributed, free of charge, to thousands of classrooms.

"The NEA's Shakespeare initiative not only introduces millions of Americans to the English language's greatest writer, but it also brings the experience of professional theater to many students who have never seen it before. I am delighted that through Shakespeare for a New Generation, we have benefited not only students, but also their teachers, as well as provided employment to numerous actors and theater professionals." –Dana Gioia, Chairman, National Endowment for the Arts

The NEA funding extends the work of Illumination, the Lantern's Education Program. This Barrymore-nominated program introduces the next generation of theatergoers by educating and engaging more than 1,500 local students in the world of theater in three vital ways: matinee performances, outreach in area schools, and city-wide after-school drama programs. The Lantern also offers deeply discounted student prices and post-show discussions for groups of local middle, high school and university students.

To schedule a visit to a participating school or a student matinee, please call 215.829.9002 x106.

About the National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts is a public agency dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts, both new and established; bringing the arts to all Americans; and providing leadership in arts education. Established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government, the Arts Endowment is the largest national funder of the arts, bringing great art to all 50 states, including rural areas, inner cities, and military bases.

About Arts Midwest
Based in Minneapolis, Arts Midwest connects people throughout the Midwest and the world to meaningful arts opportunities, sharing creativity, knowledge, and understanding across boundaries. Arts Midwest connects the arts to audiences throughout the nine-state region of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. One of six non-profit regional arts organizations in the United States, Arts Midwest's history spans more than 25 years.

About Lantern Theater Company
Founded in 1994 by Charles McMahon and Michael Brophy, Lantern Theater Company has emerged as one of the most successful professional theaters in the Philadelphia region. Lantern Theater Company is committed to an authentic and intimate exploration of the human spirit in its choice of classic, modern and original works.

The Lantern commits itself to being a vibrant, contributing member of its community. To that end, each season the Lantern produces four main stage productions, a variety of special events, and Illumination, the Barrymore nominated education program designed to engage local students and adults alike in the world of theater and nurture their own artistic expression. This program reaches the Greater Philadelphia area in four vital ways: outreach in area schools, matinee performances for students, training teaching artists for after school programs, and our audience enrichment series of lectures, discussions, and symposia for each production of our season.

Lantern Theater Company has been in residence at St. Stephen's Theater at 10th & Ludlow Streets in Center City Philadelphia since 1996, managing the performance space and developing it into an affordable multi-purpose performing arts venue. Since the inception of Philadelphia's Barrymore Awards for Excellence in Theatre in 1995, the Lantern has received 10 awards and 46 nominations, including nominations in 2006 and 2007 for the Excellence in Theatre Education and Community Service Award. Recent Barrymore wins include Outstanding Overall Production of a Play (for Richard III) and Outstanding Leading Actor in a Play (Peter Pryor in Richard III).

The 2008/09 season at Lantern Theater Company will mark the company's 15th year of creating high-quality professional theater in Philadelphia.

For More Information

• Lantern Theater Company, call 215.829.9002 x106 or visit www.lanterntheater.org
• Shakespeare in American Communities, visit www.shakespeareinamericancommunities.org
• National Endowment for the Arts, call 202.682.5570 or visit www.arts.gov
• Arts Midwest, call 612.341.0755 or visit www.artsmidwest.org