The Melting Pot

                                           J. Hernandez, Adam Galloway & Adam Pelta- Pauls

Philadelphia Artists’ Collective and Theatre Ariel are jointly producing The Melting Pot in Old City. It can be seen at Arch Street Meeting House, 320 Arch Street, through November 8, 2026. Israel Zangwill first produced his play in 1908, but many tenants of the original manuscript hold true today. David (Adam Galloway) lived with his observant Jewish uncle (J Hernandez) and grandmother. His immediate family were all killed in the Russian pograms and he eagerly emigrated to America, leaving behind his cultural identity. A very talented musician, he composes an orchestral piece that speaks to the immigrants of America, believing all are in one large “crucible”. David is very naïve in his belief as the times are rife with antisemitism. Herr Pappelmeister (Adam Pelta-Pauls) is willing to overlook his background and produce his work as he recognizes its genius. David and Vera (Lexi Thammavong), daughter of a Russian Baron have a complicated relationship. J. Hernandez gives an outstanding performance when he explodes upon hearing that the two of them are “in love.” Yet later, when the Baron argues against the young couple's relationship, and Vera leaves her father and offers to follow David’s people, David pushes her away. David so strongly believes in the universality of one big crucible that is America, that he feels he must push down his individual cultural heritage. This perhaps makes it easer for David and Vera to reunite. Vera’s performance is excellent. Her facial expressions are gripping. She sometimes has her back partially away from the audience and she could be better “miked.” David’s voice is very low and his microphone could be better situated as well.

The Addams Family: The Musical

 

Wednesday Adams (Abbie Parker) saying to her father, Gomez Addams (Damon Bonetti)  

"You promised, Daddy."

Walnut Street Theatre is producing The Adams Family: The Musical through November 1 on its mainstage. This is a delightful experience from the opening moments to the closing bows. Wednesday Addams has fallen in love and wants her parents to meet him and his family and act “normal.”  The  music is “relatable”, the melodies are “catchy” and the talent is mind-boggling. The Addams Family: The Musical has a large ensemble cast. Morticia Addams (Lindsey Bliven), Gomez Addams (Damon Bonetti), Wednesday Adams (Abbie Parker), Pugsley Addams (Kiernan Gallagher), Uncle Fester (Kelly Briggs), Lurch (Aren Duffy), Grandma, (Mary Martello), Mal Beinke (Don Daniels), Alice Beineke (Christina Stroup) and Lucas Beineke (Galen Graham) all have at least one solo. It is unusual to have everyone sing in a large ensemble cast. The choreography is entertaining as well. All the “ghosts “from the Addams family emerge from a family crypt, clad in a variety of white outfits. The dancing is uniquely choreographed behind other members of the cast while they are singing. It is quite an unusual template of color versus white on white.  Lindey Bliven is phenomenal as she occasionally joins the tap routines while wearing Morticia’s long straight black dress. Come for the horror; stay for the laughs. While this is a musical, it is a comedy as well. It is fun for all ages. For tickets or information, visit WalnutStreetTheatre.org or Ticktetmaster.com   or call 215-574-3550.

Summer,1976

McKenna Kerrign and Grace Gonglewski

The Lantern Theater Company, located at St. Stephen’s Theater,10^th and Ludlow Streets, Center City Philadelphia, is presenting Summer, 1976   through October 11, 2026.  Diana, played by McKenna Kerrigan, is a quirky artist when she first meets Alice, portrayed by Grace Gonglerwski.  Her short, clipped sentences are acerbic.   Alice is a laissez-faire academic wife and Grace is a driven artist. They seemingly have little in common but bond over having young children of the same age who immediately become best friends. Grace’s husband, Doug, is sometimes also given voice by Diane.  Playwright David Auburn has provided witty dialogue throughout Summer, 1976. This is not a comedy but rather a chance for the characters to grow and mature through a series of circumstances and for the audience to laugh in appreciation. Grace and McKenna are excellent in their roles. They are both onstage for the entirety of the 90-minute one-act with only a scattered minute here or there when one of them is not in the spotlight …and oh the spotlight! Thanks to Lighting Designer J. Dominic Chacon the spotlight  also deserves title billing. Whenever Alice or Diana speaks to the audience, the spotlight is on her, and the other character is in shadows. This type of scenario happens frequently in the performance and the stage lighting is exquisite. For tickets, call 215-829-0395 or visit online at www.lanterntheater.org

This Should NEVER Be a Musical

1812 Productions, Philadelphia’s All Comedy Theatre Company, is presenting This Should NEVER be Musical through September 27, 2026. Artistic Director Jennifer Childs noted the company is appearing on the Arcadia stage of the Arden Theatre while celebrating its 30^th Anniversary season, the same stage on which a fledgling 1812 Company began its performances 30 years ago. This Should NEVER Be a Musical is an improvised reality show. Four “contestants” react to information provided from audience members prior to the start of the show. Through a series of musical elimination tasks, including spinning a wheel to determine the type of song to sing and being subject to audience voting, one by one the contestants are eliminated. The last one standing presents his musical, aided by other cast members, of course. The winner on opening night was There is No Name. This quickly morphed into a quirky story about a woman who had a “condition” that wouldn’t allow her to remember anyone’s name, even seconds after she heard it. The musical had several songs, a lot of angst and much laughter thanks to the excellent ensemble cast of Mykey Carpenter, David Dritsas, Eliana Fabiyi, Kristin Finger and Kelsey Hebert. You will probably see an entirely different musical if you go, but go you must. The cast  will be the same and they are an improv treasure, able to compose hysterical dialogue, songs, and choreography on the spur of the moment.

She Gets Around

 

Jennifer Child’s is performing in her third solo show, She Gets Around, through May 17, 2026 at 1812 Production’s home, Plays and Players Theater, 1714 Delancey Place. While her other two solo pieces were enjoyable, funny, even memorable, She Gets Around is on a whole new plane. Jen is brilliant as she performs sketch after sketch and dons various items of clothing “from her closet“ that relate to specific times of her life. Each sketch is wildly funny and the entire audience roars with laughter in the 90- minute show. Jen is a whirlwind: she sings; she dances across the stage; she prances up and down a huge ladder to unhook clothes from a clothes pin, and she relates to the audience. One of the most endearing parts of the show is Jen in her girl scout uniform as a second grader in “time-out.” She is on the “time-out” stool several times and in heart-breaking terms she explains how unfair it is.  One of the most gratifying segments is Jen’s tribute to all the female comedians who came before her. I absolutely loved this show. Jennifer Childs is always excellent but this show is outstanding. Contact the box office at 215-592-9560 for information on how to get your tickets today.

Seng's Hair Salon

InterAct Theatre Company is presenting’s Seng’s Hair Salon through May 10, 2026 at The Proscenium Theatre at The Drake, 302 S. Hicks Street, Philadelphia, Pa. InterAct has commissioned three playwrights, with the help of The William Penn Foundation, to write a play about a community in Philadelphia that is under-represented on local or national stages. Seng’s Hair Salon, by Saymoukda Duangphouxay Vongsay, is the second of the three chosen plays which are part of the Philly Cycle. It is set in a neighborhood in South Philly and encompasses the stories of Lao, Vietnamese and Cambodian families. Together the Asian community is a tight-knit group which has found its commonality in the great care they are given and the gossip they share in the chairs of Seng’s Hair Salon. Developers threaten to “buy out” the properties on the block, one by one. The younger generation cannot see Seng giving up her salon and are willing to go door to door to get support. Seng’s best friend Ahn has a new house built in Vietnam with a room added especially for her. She pleads with Seng to retire, sell her salon and move with her. Will Seng’s secret keep her in Philly? The play answers this question as well as developing a wonderful insight into family life and cultural norms in that Asian community. Be sure to get your tickets at https://www.interacttheatre.org/sengs

She Gets Around

                                                                          Jennifer Childs

Actor, playwright, comedian and 1812 Productions’ Producing Artistic Director, Jennifer Childs returns to the stage with a brand-new solo comedy, She Gets Around. It will be running April 24 through May 17, 2026 as part of the Phoebe & Otto Premiere Series at Plays & Players Theatre. In the show, Jennifer Childs is cleaning out her closet and reminisces with every piece of clothing in it. Through a whirlwind of characters, and comedic riffs, she explores the many versions of the “bad girls” and “good girls” she has been in her life. The show introduces many unforgettable personalities from a 7-year old who complains about being put in “time-out” to a variety of female comics who helped shape the landscape of comedy. Together these characters guide Childs as she considers whether she should be more like Doris Day or Tallulah Bankhead. The production will add an element of theatrical spontaneity: the audience will determine the order in which the characters will appear. Tickets are available at 1812productions.org. 

Shucked

Ensemble Arts Philly and The Shubert Organization will be presenting the Philadelphia Premiere of Shucked, the Tony Award-winning new musical comedy, at the Forrest Theatre from April 21- May 3, 2026.  It’s a hilarious show of love, sacrifice and hope, centered around one community’s obsession with corn. The score is written by Grammy Award winners, Tony Award nominees and Nashville superstars Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally. The design teams are helmed by Drama Desk, Tony and Emmy Award nominees and winners. The cast boasts some members of the original Broadway cast (Miki Abraham as Lulu, Quinn VanAntwerp as Gordy) as well as Doylestown, Pa native Mike Nappi as Peanut. To purchase tickets, visit www.ensembleartsphilly.org or Telecharge.com or call Telecharge at 212-239-6200. Group orders may be placed at Broadway Inbound or by calling 866-302-0995. Tickets may also be purchased in person at the Forrest Theatre Box Office, located at 1114 Walnut Street, Monday thru Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Thursday, April 30, 7:30 PM will have the addition of an American Sign Language performance.

Marsha Blovotnick and the Mavelous Magical Chicken Soup

                                                       Ensemble Cast at Shabbat Dinner

Theatre Ariel, Philadelphia’s only theatre dedicated to telling stories about the Jewish experience, is presenting the world premiere of Marsha Blovotnick and the Marvelous Magical Chicken Soup. This very humorous production can be seen through March 22 at The Bluver Theatre @ The Drake, Hicks Street, Philadelphia. Marsha, (Janis Dardaris) a self- proclaimed lesbian, lives in a ramshackle house that was her father’s that also serves as her acting studio. She is angry at the world, her three ex-wives, and particularly at her sister, Janice. Janice, (Susan Riley Stevens) is the antheses of Marsha.  She is well dressed and coiffed, has a home in the country, belongs to the country club, and has a very calm demeanor.  Adam Pelta-Pauls is charming as the Chorus. He both explains Marsha and the other characters to the audience and repeats what is said back to Marsha to the delight of the audience. As Marsha is preparing a Shabbat dinner, she realizes she has forgotten to make chicken soup. A mysterious ancestor arrives with magical chicken soup that will change anyone who eats it. Marsha has great plans for this soup.  Plans sometimes work in unexpected ways. The sound and lighting design are excellent in this production. Kudos to Christopher Colucci and Will Lowry. Tickets may be obtained online at theatreariel.org .

 

A Delicate Balance

                                                          Ensemble Cast (without Julia)
 

Walnut Street Theatre is producing Edward Albee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning A Delicate Balance through March 29. With the living room couch and pillows matching an abstract painting on the wall thanks to  Scenic Designer Roman Tatarowicz, everything on the set looks beautifully balanced.  The characters, however, are not. This drama is, among other things, a picture of familial dysfunction.  Agnes (Alicia Roper) believes that she is the fulcrum, keeping the household in balance, yet she never has a kind word to say to her sister Claire (Grace Gonglewski) or her daughter, Julia (Alanna J. Smith).  Claire does not filter what she says but her harsh words are only for her sister.  Claire is an alcoholic but is encouraged to drink by her brother-in-law Tobias. Julia returns home after a failed fourth marriage and faces her  mother's resentment.  Tobias (Paul J. Nolan) is strangely quiet in the first two acts, although, as his best friends come to the door in a strange panic, he offers them shelter.  He tends bar in the house and makes sure that everyone has something to drink at all times. When Julia is forced to give up her room to her parents’ friends, Edna and Harry, she becomes petulant and has a tantrum. After Edna slaps Julia in the face, and the entire audience gasps, she replies, “somebody had to do it.” It is in the final act that Tobias finally is able to communicate and another theme emerges - “What will one do for the sake of friendship?”  The acting is excellent throughout this drama,  but Paul J. Nolan’s performance at the end of Act Three is magnificent.  For tickets or information, visit WalnutSreetTheatre.org or 
Ticketmaster.com or call 215- 574- 3550.

Blues For An Alabama Sky

                                                         Tariq Kanu & Ebony Pullum

The Lantern Theater Company is presenting the Philadelphia premiere of Pearl Cleage’s Blues For An Alabama Sky through March 15, 2026 at St. Stephen’s Theater, 10^th and Ludlow Streets, Philadelphia, Pa.  The set is marvelous.  With a raised platform on the stage, a second apartment is established.  Angel (Ebony Pullman) and Guy (Cookie Diorio) are staying downstairs while Delia (Taylor J. Mitchell) lives upstairs. Guy’s walls are awash with fabric samples and sketches for designs he hopes to submit to Josephine Baker.  He has cupboards that are filled with bottles of champagne that the friends frequently drink to celebrate a moment or to wish for a better one.  When an uncompromising Southern gentleman, Leland, (Tariq Kanu) arrives on the scene and asks, “Isn’t this the time of prohibition?” Guy responds with, “Not in Harlem.” The acting is excellent. Delia is an outgoing activist, hoping to start her own clinic for women. She’s ‘bubbly’, passionate, and eager to fulfill her dreams. Kash Goins is the enthusiastic doctor who is ready to help her. Guy is an optimist, consistent in his beliefs that any day his designs will be discovered and he will be off to Paris, designing costumes for Josephine Baker. He is willing to enjoy himself with champagne while he is waiting.  Angel’s life falls apart when she loses the love of her life and her job minutes apart. Shortly after, Leland comes into her life and although there are some  obvious pitfalls to a potential relationship with him, she becomes pregnant and foreshadows the rest of the play by ending the first act with- “I can’t stand a man who won’t finish what he’s started."- shortly after she observes the gun he is carrying. The second act has many dramatic moments. While the first act is mainly a series of character studies, the second act yields many “Oh No!” utterances from the audience. This is a serious drama, to be sure, but one immersed in joy and laughter as well. For more information or tickets, call 215-829-0395 or visit online at www.lanterntheater.org

Plantation Black

InterAct Theatre Company is known for producing thought-provoking plays. Plantation Black, which is being performed through March 1, 2026, is another such work. It is outstanding in so many aspects. Set on a plantation in both the present day and the Civil War Era, its 6-member cast seamlessly threads back and forth across the stage while the date is projected on the wall to enlighten the audience. The ensemble cast of DeAnna Suppe, Tymothee Harrell, Hannah Parke, Trevor Wiliam Fyle and Eli Lynn play their dual roles to perfection. Lenny Daniels is a warm and caring Big Momma no matter the century. Descendents of slaves have lived on the land for generations. Intermittent music is played throughout evoking a slave’s life on a plantation.  White siblings arrive who think they have a claim to “The Big House.”  Curiously enough, everyone has the same last name.  One absolutely fascinating point about Plantation Black is that the play can have one of six different starting points.  You can see it more than once for a reduced price and the sequence of events might be more straight-forward, but then you would miss out on having those “aha” moments which give clarity to a scene you have just witnessed. This is definitely must-see production. For more information or tickets, contact the box office at boxofffice@interacttheatre.org  or call 215- 568-8079 between  2-6 PM Monday- Friday.

Sherlock Holmes:The Great Detective

 

The Walnut Street Theatre, located at 825 Walnut Street, is presenting the World Premiere of Sherlock Holmes: The Great Detective. Adapted from short stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the show can be seen on Walnut Street’s main stage through February 15. Dr. Watson (Bill Van Horn) and Sherlock Holmes (Harry Smith) lead the audience on a rollicking, side-splitting laughter-filled adventure across continents in search of the captain of crime Professor Moriarty (Dan Hodge) and his sister Arabella (Anna Bailey). The writing is excellent; the play on words throughout is superb. A 10- minute bit of off-hand remarks about the sandwich family is hysterical. The props are exquisite. A metal train is assembled on stage and a large screen behind it, simulating a window, has the vaguest of objects suggesting movements so that it appears the
train is in motion on the stage. Christopher Colucci has prepared extraordinary sound effects to heighten the mysteries taking place on stage. Act 1 ends in a cloud of smoke as both Sherlock Holmes and Moriarity disappear.  The ending of Act 2 is also clever. This is a very entertaining play. It is funny, mysterious, and a bit of eye candy. For tickets or more information, call 215-574-3550, visit online at WalnutStreetTheatre.org or Ticketmaster.

Beauty and the Beast

 

Ensemble Arts Philly and the Shubert Organization is announcing Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, the first North American touring production of the musical presented by Disney in over 25 years. It will begin performances in Philadelphia, Pa. at the Academy of Music on February 11, 2026, for a limited engagement of 2 weeks through February 22, 2026. Beauty and the Beast, adapted from the 1991 Oscar-winning film, debuted on Broadway in 1994 and remains the 10th longest running show in its history. Nominated for nine Tony Awards, winning best Costume Design, Beauty remains one of the highest grossing Broadway shows of all time. Tickets can be purchased online at www.ensembleartsphilly.org, by calling 215-893-1999 or by visiting in person at the Academy of Music Box Office ( 240 S. Broad Street) from 10 AM- 6 PM. For more information, visit www.ensembmleartsphilly.org.

 

The Lady Hoofers - The Tapcrackers

                                                                Youth Ensemble

 The Lady Hoofers is a group of 40 women tap dancers comprised of first company dancers, apprentice dancers, and a youth ensemble. For one weekend only at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre, they performed their unique interpretation of the Nutcracker Suite on tap shoes rather than ballet or point and it was known as The Tapcracker. After 15 years, the group now has its own portable wood floor which makes the taps resound more profoundly. Although most of the music was Tchaikovsky’s, there were some variations. The story-line of the Tapcracker deviated from the traditional Nutcracker, in that Clara didn’t fall asleep and dream of the March of the Toy Soldiers or the Sugar Plum Fairies but she is taken to Paris by her mother where she sees the march of real soldier guards and a jazz version of the Sugan Plum Fairy done by grey mice with pink ears and long tails. She has adventures in the Eiffel Tower and Versailles with friendly mice. The Waltz of The Flowers was beautifully orchestrated by a snowball fight with cotton “snowballs” thrown. The choreography was outstanding throughout.

Why am I writing about a group whose performance has come and gone? They are just too good to miss. I spoke to the mother of one of the mice. Her daughter is 10 years old and has been with the ensemble for 2 years. When I asked her how long she has been dancing, she said that her daughter has been dancing since she was 3 years old. Hopefully The Tapcracker will return next year, and you can see this marvelous holiday rendition for yourself, but in the meantime, open your 2026 calendar and save the date Saturday, May 9, 2026, for the Spring Concert Series. The Lady Hoofers will be appearing at the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts at 2:00 & 7:00 p.m. Tickets may be purchased at ladyhoofers.org

Clue

Clue, the hilarious murder mystery comedy inspired by the Hasbro board game and adapted from the fan-favorite film, will make its Philadelphia premiere on January 20 through 25 at the Forrest Theatre. Philadelphia area cast member Madeline Raube, from West Chester, Pennsylvania, will star in the role of “Mrs. Peacock,” one of the suspects in the murder mystery.

Murder and blackmail are on the menu when six mysterious guests gather at Boddy Manor for a night they’ll never forget. Was it Mrs. Peacock in the study with a knife? Or was it Colonel Mustard in the library with a wrench? Based on the fan-favorite 1985 Paramount Pictures movie and inspired by the classic Hasbro board game, Clue is the ultimate whodonit that will leave you crying with laughter and guessing until the final twist. Clue is based on the screenplay by Jonathon Lynn. Written by Sandy Rustin with material by Hunter Foster and Eric Price. It features original music by Michael Holland.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.ensembleartsphilly.org or via Telecharge at 800-543-4835.

In-person tickets can be purchased at the Forrest Theatre Box Office, located at 1114 Walnut Street, Monday through Friday from 10: a.m. to 6: p.m. Group orders may be placed by calling Broadway Inbound at 866-302-0995.

For more show information, visit www.clueliveonstage.com

This Is The Week That Is 20th Anniversary Special

 

1812 Productions presents This is The Week That Is 20^th Anniversary Special through December 31, 2025. Every member of the ensemble, Newton Buchanan, Lee Minora, Connor McAndrews, Pax Ressler, Lexi Thammavong, and Robyn Unger adds their own spark of brilliance to this extraordinarily entertaining performance. While the company has been engaging in political humor and social satire for 20 years, this production is the most sophisticated and delightful one ever  presented. Movie Sequels sequences require quick change of costume and videography. Ineffectuals is the least effective of several. It stars Superheroes who are incapable of deciding anything and cannot live up to their name. It is amusing unless you are waiting for health care coverage to be passed. The Twilight Zone brings out several chuckles from the audience. A Congresswoman stops into a Cracker Barrel in dire need of a bathroom but needs reassurance that the bathrooms are assigned to the sex at birth. When it has been discovered that aliens have stolen toilets from the Women’s room, a difficult decision arises. Also popular with the audience is a Back to the Future sequence wherein a teenager and her Grandpa do dance routines and then ride a scooter back to older decades, only to discover that wherever she travels, her parents’ arguments are the same and no one celebrates her birthday. Lee Minora replaces long-time news desk anchor Dave Jadico and she is excellent. Lexi Thammavong is adorable as Lee interviews her as a young TikTok influencer. Patsy (Jen Childs) is on the stoop via video, but I have received feedback that people have missed seeing her read “’T’was the Night Before Christmas” live. Next year Jen. For tickets or more information for this exceptional show call 215-592-9560 or go onlinline at info@1812productions.org. 

A CHRISTMAS STORY The Musical

                                   

                             A triple-dog-dare on the playground results in a frozen tongue

Walnut Street Theatre is presenting its holiday show, A CHRISTMAS STORY The Musical, on its main stage through January 4. Ralphie, played by Tyler Jai Knowles on opening night, leads a talented ensemble of children in this comic musical countdown to Christmas. He is obsessed with getting a RED RYDER CARBINE ACTION BB GUN for Christmas and plots various scenarios to help him get his wish. Of course, he meets obstacles along the way, and a variety of sub-plots grab the audience’s attention. The musical numbers are catchy (“Ralphie to the Rescue’s” choreography is excellent as are the costumes. There are frequent little scene changes in “Ralphie to the Rescue” and they are done seamlessly. The choreography in “A Major Award” is brilliant with false legs interacting with the can-can dancers. “You’ll Shoot Your Eye Out” is a surprise tap routine that is astonishingly breathtaking. John Farrell has designed an excellent set with a two-story house so that Ralphie and his brother Randy (Kieran Gallagher) can go upstairs to their bedrooms. The house can slip back so that other scenes may play on a clear stage in front of it. This is a joyous holiday production on many levels. It is a perfect show for the whole family, particularly upper elementary students and older. For tickets and information, visit WalnutStreetTheatre.org or Ticketmaster or call 215-574-3550.

Walden

                                       Campbell  O'Hare, Alice Yorke  & Newton Buchanan

                                           

                                            

 Interact Theatre Company is presenting the Philadelphia Premier of Walden through November 23, 2025. Set sometime in the not-too distant future, the earth is ravaged by tsunamis followed by news reports of millions of deaths, and earthquakes with comparable results. Scientists are actively trying to discover ways to colonize other habitats and “start over,” being kinder to the climate. Earth Advocates are trying to save this planet, against all odds, by returning to nature, spurning the use of electricity, and growing their own food. Campbell  O'Hare portrays Cassie, a NASA astronaut who has just returned from a moon mission and appears to visit her sister twin sister in a remote cabin. Alice Yorke beautifully  beautifully portray Stella, Cassie's twin, and the confused ex-NASA architect who isn’t sure whether to stay with her simple life or return to work with NASA. Newton Buchanan remains steadfast in his beliefs as Bryan. He is committed to his fiance Stella, but even more committed to his life as an Earth Advocate. All three actors portray believable characters and each one’s point of view presents a valid conundrum. As usual with the plays presented at InterAct, this one ends with a cliff hanger. You must buy a ticket to see this breathtaking performance.

https://ci.ovationtix.com/35072/production/1232767?performanceld=11608142

 

Macbeth

                                                      Karen Peakes -  Lady Macbeth

Lantern Theater Company is presenting William Shakespere’s Macbeth through December7, 2025, at St. Stephen’s Theater at 10^th and Ludlow Streets, Philadelphia, Pa. One of the powerful elements of the Lantern Theater Company is its ability to alter its stage at the theater. The seating is flexible. For this production, seating is on two sides of the stage only. The floor of the stage emulates tiles and barriers are built along the sides of the stage to indicate the sides of castles. Anthony Lawton is one of the most accomplished actors in the Philadelphia region. Casting Karen Peakes against him as Lady Mabeth was brilliant. The two are excellent in their roles; their voices project; you can feel their oncoming madness. Every actor is outstanding in his role as well. Frank X plays the original king who is deposed and he also plays multiple other parts. Jered McLenigan  well-plays the dual roles of McDuff. The weird sisters Rachael Brodeur, Eli Lynn and Amanda Schoonover make several appearances and are fleet of foot as they quickly disappear as the lights go out. The scene changes are numerous and are very tight. As some actors exit from one side of the stage, other actors enter from the other side. There are frequent flashes of light and accompanying sounds thanks to the superb work of Lighting Designer Shon Causer and Sound Designer Christopher Colucci. For tickets to this excellent production, call (215) 829-0395 or visit online at www.lanterntheater.org.