The Lantern Theater Company gets ready to renovate its new location in Mt. Airy. The Lantern, a well-known professional theater troupe based at St Stephen’s Church in downtown Philadelphia, is forging ahead with a fundraising campaign with hopes to begin construction within 6 to 12 months of a new theater space in the former sanctuary of the Mt Airy Presbyterian Church. The Church had downsized and partially repurposed its facilities for condo housing in recent years. Enthusiastic Lantern Executive Director Stacy Maria Dutton shared the Lantern’s expansion plans at the Lantern’s table at the Mt Airy Day community fair on May 3, 2025. Lantern has had longtime connections to northwest Philadelphia; several of the Lantern staff reside here. So when the Mt Airy church opportunity came through after Lantern’s attempt to take on the Arts Bank space of the now defunct University of the Arts fell through, Lantern “grabbed” the Mt Airy option. The St. Stephen’s theater offers a 4 show season mix of classical and modern theater but at the new Mt Airy space, Lantern will be offering, in addition, music, poetry, spoken word and community events. Lantern is not waiting for the renovation to invigorate the community with theater.The company is already producing shows at various venues in Roxborough, Manayunk, Chestnut Hill and Mt Airy. Just the night before it had presented “The Beggars Trio: Songs and Scenes from Brecht, Gay and Duke Ellington” at the Settlement Music School, Germantown Branch. Watch video interview here.
