Word is out – Mark Povinelli as Benjamin Lay “plays the radical activist with verve and vigor!” And we’ve only got a few tickets left — most remaining shows have already sold out! Don’t sleep on this one, folks!

“[Mark] Povinelli balances Lay’s unapologetic radicalism with earnestness and levity; at times breaking the fourth wall like a stand-up comedian and prompting responses from the audience.” From your mouth to God’s ears, @inquirer.com! 📜

📸: @rebeccajmichelson.bsky.social

Take a look at this crew!! 🥰 Our friends, @broadwaybekahchica.bsky.social and @shamrockenroll on IG, joined us Friday night for another fantastic performance by @markpovinelli.bsky.social in The Return of Benjamin Lay.

We are here for this standing O!! 👏 Our strictly limited run of The Return of Benjamin Lay continues through Sunday, May 18 – and tickets are going fast. Don’t miss this, Philly!

We 100% stan artist and activist @quakerpirate.bsky.social. His gorg print honoring Benjamin Lay's radical empathy can be seen IRL before or after a performance of The Return of Benjamin Lay in our companion art exhibition. Don't miss it!

First performance is HERE! Don't be left out. Check out our opening weekend schedule of shows, book signings, and free events below for The Return of Benjamin Lay:

📆 Thurs, May 1– 7pm
📆 Fri, May 2– 7:30pm
📆 Sat, May 3– 2pm
📆 Sat, May 3– 7:30pm
📆 Sun, May 4– 3pm

📸: @rebeccajmichelson.bsky.social

Why not get a jump start on our semiquincentennial with The Return of Benjamin Lay!? Celebrate Philly's history with a story almost no one knows.

Our strictly limited run begins TOMORROW to May 18. Secure your tickets before they run out! Tap here: quintessencetheatre.org/thereturnofbenjaminlay

Philly is all about history, but The Return of Benjamin Lay isn't just for history buffs. 🙅‍♀️ We're Ben fans because he fought injustice, went up against the powers, and ignored all the doubters. Sound like Philly?

📸: @rebeccajmichelson.bsky.social

"Are you... willing to go to jail for conscience?" –The Return of Benjamin Lay

🎟️ Performances: May 1 to May 18

📸: Robert Boulton

The Return of Benjamin Lays stars veteran of the stage and screen, Mark Povinelli. For 70 straight minutes, Mark commands the stage as Benjamin Lay, transporting the audience to his 1700s world.

📸: Robert Boulton

Eager to learn more about our protagonist before you see The Return of Benjamin Lay on our stage? We support local indie booksellers!

📸: @rebeccajmichelson.bsky.social

Who was Benjamin Lay, you ask? He was a 4ft “David” who confronted the “Goliath” of slavery – years before mainstream abolitionists arrived on the historic scene. 📖

📸: Robert Boulton

2025. In the silence of a Quaker meeting house, Benjamin Lay – shepherd, sailor, revolutionary, and the British Empire's first revolutionary abolitionist – returns from the grave almost 300 years after his death, as feisty and unpredictable as ever. 📜

📸: @rebeccajmichelson.bsky.social