FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 24, 2011

Lantern Theater Company is thrilled to announce that it will honor Lucille Larkin and Ellen Mulroney with the 2011 Luminary Award at its Annual Benefit on Friday, February 18, 2011, from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. A Midwinter Night's Dream will be held at the elegant Down Town Club at 6th & Chestnut Streets in Center City, and will include cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, dinner and dessert, plus live music from the Alex Hiele Trio and a Silent Auction featuring exclusive vacations, fine dining, entertainment, adventures, sports, and other unique items. All proceeds will benefit the Lantern's artistic and educational programming, which reaches over 16,000 adults and children each year. Ticket prices range from $125-$1,000 and are now on sale at www.lanterntheater.org or (215) 829-9002 x102. Practicing theater artists can purchase Theater Artist Tickets at the steeply discounted rate of $75.

Honorees Lucille Larkin and Ellen Mulroney are long-time supporters and dear friends of the Lantern. Lucille has spent a lifetime devoting her talent for start-ups in advancement of women and the arts. After graduating from Marymount College with a BA in French, Theater, and English, she launched her career as a reporter for Time, Inc. and was one of the first women to cover The White House and Capitol Hill. She later founded Women in Cable Telecommunications, which promotes women's leadership in the cable industry. Lucille married Paul Macdonald and relocated to Philadelphia in 1992, becoming engaged in the region's theater scene as both patron and artist, and for ten years brought her remarkable vision, energy, and wit to the Lantern's Board of Directors (2000-2010).

Ellen Mulroney has spent most of her life involved in the theater. After receiving her BA in Theater Arts from the University of Iowa, Ellen earned an acting apprenticeship at the Cleveland Playhouse. She and her husband Michael raised five children in Virginia before moving to Philadelphia in 1990. Ellen has been involved in the local theater community ever since, supporting and performing with emerging companies. Since 2004, she has been touring Year of the Woman, a one-woman show about Jeannette Rankin, America's first Congresswoman, to a variety of Philadelphia and Cape Cod venues, including the Provincetown Fringe Festival. She is passionate that Rankin's voice on the futility of war continues to be heard. Ellen makes her debut on the Lantern stage as Maryjohnny in Martin McDonagh's A Skull in Connemara, which has just been extended through Sunday, February 13.

A Midwinter Night's Dream is co-chaired by Stacy Maria Dutton, who has served as the Lantern's Board President since 2008 and recently moved to the Mt. Airy section of Philadelphia, Nina S. Rosenthal of Villanova, and Sarah F. Weinstein of Narberth. The event is expected to raise over $35,000 in support of Lantern Theater Company's artistic and educational programming.

BENEFIT CO-CHAIRS
Stacy Maria Dutton *
Nina S. Rosenthal
Sarah F. Weinstein *

BENEFIT COMMITTEE
Charlene Aikman
Kathy Z. Anderson
Louis Bluver
Michael Brophy *
Martha E. Candiello * & Peter Gold
Lee & Susan Cassanelli
Joan L. Coale
Nicholas D. Constan *
David* & Helen Conway
Angela D'Amato * & Leo Shurtleff
Frank A. Dante *
Cristian David
Allitia DiBernardo & Matthew Brener
Nancy H. Dutton
Janet Embree
James & Kay Gately
Emma Gibson & Alastair Southwell
Jay * & Maxine Goldberg
Laurel Grady
Philip * & Ronnie Hawkins
Donna Hill & John Wilson
Betsy Kalish
Gregory Kleiber * & Harriet Ravdin
Kevin Kleinschmidt *
Nilmini Klur
Marc & Joan Lapayowker
Lucille Larkin & Paul Macdonald
Willing Madeira
Charles McMahon *
Charles & Helen McMahon
Deb Miller & Ray Costello
Michael & Ellen Mulroney
David & Eileen Murphy
Fred & Jennifer Pratt Johnson
Michael H. Rosenthal *
Aline Roy & Griffin Schrack
Anne Shuff * & Mike Creech
Richard & Anne Umbrecht
Dr. R.J. Wallner
Julia Ward
Dr. Adam Weinstein
Judy Worrell

*Lantern Board Member

A Midwinter Night's Dream
Lantern Theater Company's 2011 Annual Benefit

Event Location:
The Down Town Club
6th & Chestnut Streets
Philadelphia, PA 19106

Event Date:
Friday, February 18, 2011, 6pm to 10pm

Tickets:
Visit www.lanterntheater.org or call (215) 829-9002 x102
$1,000 Benefactor Ticket ($931 tax deductible)
$500 Sponsor Ticket ($431 tax deductible)
$250 Patron Ticket ($181 tax deductible)
$125 Friend Ticket ($56 tax deductible)
$75 Special Ticket for Practicing Theater Artists ($6 tax deductible)

Press:
Press planning coverage of the event may make reservations for A Midwinter Night's Dream by contacting Anne Shuff, Managing Director, at ashuff@lanterntheater.org or (215) 829-9002 x101. Reservations are due by Monday, February 14, 2011 at 6pm. Capacity is limited to 200.

2010/11 Season
Lantern Theater Company continues its 2010/11 season with Martin McDonagh's A Skull in Connemara, which has just been extended through February 13, 2011; William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed Charles McMahon (March 10 - April 10, 2011); and Morris Panych's Vigil, directed by Peter DeLaurier (May 19 - June 12, 2011).

Lantern Theater Company thanks its 2010/11 season corporate partners at Marathon Grill, La Fourno Ristorante Trattoria, and Dunkin' Donuts, and its community partners at St. Stephen's Church.