While the Lantern Theater Company’s new performance space in the former Presbyterian Church at Germantown and Mt. Pleasant avenues won’t open until fall 2026, they’re laying the groundwork with a series of events in the area called “Spotlight Northwest.” 

The Spotlight programs represent a move away from the dramas presented at the Lantern’s Center City home on Ludlow Street at St. Stephen’s Theater. Stacy Dutton, Lantern executive director, explained, “One of the reasons why we're including music-based elements and musical programming in the Spotlight Northwest series is that's something that we wouldn't do at St. Stephen's for lots of reasons, but mainly artistic. There is a great deal of music programming in Center City already, whereas we see that music could be something that draws people to the Mount Airy theater for the first time.” 

Free programming

The series features free programming for communities in Northwest Philadelphia and began in April with a one-man show at the Ebenezer Maxwell Mansion starring Philadelphia actor Brian McCann as Charles Dickens. 

On May 2, the company brought “The Beggar’s Trio” to Settlement Music School. The production was originally a Temple University project featuring music and theater students doing selections from John Gay’s “The Beggar’s Opera,” Bertolt Brecht’s “The Threepenny Opera,” and Duke Ellington’s lost “Beggar’s Holiday.” All three arts groups were pleased with the audience response; Temple developed the show last fall.

Kyle Metzger, the Lantern’s artistic associate of community programming, knew the university’s music program wanted to stage another performance, but he needed a venue.  

“After hearing the description of the performance, we knew our auditorium was a great fit for the staging,” said Micah Jones, director of the Peter A. Benoliel Germantown Branch of Settlement Music School. “I think both parties are open to trying this again in advance of the Lantern’s opening. We also believe there may be opportunities for students of both programs to collaborate in the future.”

The Lantern frequently participates in theater events at venues around the city. On May 17, they conducted a play reading at the Shoe Box Festival at Venice Island Performing Arts Center in Manayunk. (“The 39 Steps” by Patrick Barlow is running at Lantern’s St. Stephen’s Theater mainstage through June 22.) 

When the new theater at 7101 Germantown Avenue opens in 2026, it will have different programming from the Center City location’s subscription season. Spotlight Northwest is a way of testing that approach. 

Dutton said, “I think, even from the beginning, we envisioned this as a very small-scale performing arts center where we could host music, spoken word, poetry, dance, chamber music,” The Lantern’s founder and artistic director, Charles McMahon, is a lifelong resident of Mt. Airy and an alumnus of Germantown Friends School. Both Dutton and Metzger are Mount Airy residents, familiar with the area’s opportunities and expectations. 

Asking for feedback

The approval process for the new building required feedback from local community groups, particularly in East Mount Airy. This proved useful when planning the Spotlight series. The goal was “a broader range of artistic programming than theater,” Dutton said. “That was the origin of us thinking we should have a process for soliciting the community's input. And if we produce a wider variety of artistic programming than we would at St. Stephen's, and ask for feedback, we'll probably learn a lot.” 

Each Spotlight event ends with an audience discussion and survey. “We are trying to rely on our partners to bring in their patrons and their communities. We don't want to rely just on existing Lantern patrons in Northwest Philadelphia. So, we're gathering information on where people live, basically zip code information, and specifically at the end of most, not all of the programs. We have surveys, and we're holding some conversation events. ‘Did you like this? Would you like more of this? Would you like something different?’”

“In September, we're going to partner with Stenton,” said Dutton, referring to the historic mansion at 4601 N. 18th St. “Probably for something more traditional, either a play reading or small-scale staged, maybe solo performer, production. … We've finalized a date, but we haven't finalized the programming for that yet.”

On June 16, the company will present a program on the stage and screen versions of August Wilson’s “The Piano Lesson” at Allens Lane Art Center. June 20 will bring the Lantern to Wyck Gardens for “Philly’s Jazz Legacy: Around the World and Back Again,” in partnership with Young Friends of the Wyck and the Johnson House.

Spotlight Northwest events are free, but reservations are requested. Get tickets at lanterntheater.org.