FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 7, 2008

Lantern Theater Company, an expanding not-for-profit professional theater with an annual budget of $860,000, was recognized on August 6, 2008 with eight nominations for the 2008 Barrymore Awards for Excellence in Theater. As one of 22 nominated companies, Lantern Theater Company proves, through its innovative and intimate approach to classics and original works, that it is one of the most vital theater companies in the region. Three of the Lantern's 2007/08 season productions were nominated for the following awards:

Skylight

• Outstanding Overall Production of a Play
• Outstanding Direction of a Play - Dan Kern
• Outstanding Leading Actress in a Play - Geneviève Perrier as Kyra
• Outstanding Set Design - Dirk Durossette
• Outstanding Lighting Design - David O'Connor

Othello

• Outstanding Leading Actor in a Play - Peter Pryor as Iago

The Lonesome West

• Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play - Geneviève Perrier as Girleen

In addition to its production awards, Lantern Theater Company was also honored with a nomination for the Excellence in Theatre Education and Community Service Award, for its in-school residency program Classroom Connections, which reaches 500 middle and high school students in Philadelphia as part of the Illumination Education Program.

Since the inception of Philadelphia's Barrymore Awards for Excellence in Theatre in 1995, the Lantern has received 10 awards and 54 nominations. 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).

About The Barrymore Awards
The Barrymore Awards for Excellence in Theatre are the greater Philadelphia region's comprehensive theatre awards program, produced annually by the Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia. This year's award winners will be announced at the Annual Barrymore Awards Ceremony on Monday, October 6, 2008. For more information and a full list of nominees, visit the Theatre Alliance website at www.theatrealliance.org.

About the Lantern
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. Philadelphia Weekly named the Lantern Best Theatre Company for the 2007/08 Season, calling the company's selection of plays "impressively diverse in genre and style".

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

About the 2008/09 Season
Lantern Theater Company's 15th Anniversary season includes the Philadelphia Premiere of The Hothouse by Harold Pinter (September 12-October 12, 2008); The Government Inspector by Nikolai Gogol (November 21-December 28, 2008); Sizwe Bansi is Dead by Athol Fugard, John Kani and Winston Ntshona (January 30-March 1, 2009); and Hamlet by William Shakespeare (April 3-May 10, 2009). The Lantern is also proud to welcome back by popular demand The Great Divorce based on the novel by C.S. Lewis, for a limited engagement run (December 28, 2008-January 4, 2009).

Four-play subscriptions are available for the 2008/09 season with packages ranging in price from $72-$160. Lantern Theater Company is pleased to offer the flexible A La Carte Subscription - a package of four tickets to be used in any combination for any play - for a limited time only until September 1, 2008. Single tickets for the 2008/09 season are $20-$35, with student, senior and group rates available. The Lantern is proud to introduce a new student rush program, $15 at :15, which provides up to 15 tickets to students with valid ID 15 minutes before the performance for just $15.

For tickets, contact the Lantern box office at 215.829.0395 online at www.lanterntheater.org.