Our journey in NYC has officially ended, but the story doesn’t stop there! 🎭 Don’t miss the next iteration of THE RETURN OF BENJAMIN LAY starring Mark Povinelli, playing @quintessencephl.bsky.social in Philadelphia, PA from May 1 to May 18. 📸: @rebeccajmichelson.bsky.social

Our friend Dr. Jennifer Arnold stopped by the Sheen Center last night to see THE RETURN OF BENJAMIN LAY with her friends and family during our final weekend in NYC! Thank you for celebrating the story of Ben Lay with all of us, Dr. Arnold!

“Who should see this? Anybody who wants to feel that they’re watching something that has something important to say. People who want to re–energize their heart to feel that there is important theatre being done in New York…” 📸: @rebeccajmichelson.bsky.social

Only FIVE performances left before the curtain closes in NYC! Don’t miss Mark Povinelli in THE RETURN OF BENJAMIN LAY at the Sheen Center, now through Sunday. Use the code FLASH at checkout to access $39 tickets: sheencenter.org/events/detail/the-return-of-benjamin-lay 📸: Rebecca J. Michelson

Why should you see THE RETURN OF BENJAMIN LAY in NYC? Don’t take our word for it. Hear what audience members and Opening Night guests have to say.

There are only SIX CHANCES left to see Mark Povinelli as Benjamin Lay at the Sheen Center in NYC! Don’t miss this award-winning show about one history-making man. Secure your tickets now, using the code FLASH for $39 tickets: sheencenter.org/events/detail/the-return-of-benjamin-lay

“This is one of the most wonderful theater evenings I’ve had in a very, very long time.” –Emily Mann (Director, Playwright, and Screenwriter) We asked NYC audience members to share what makes THE RETURN OF BENJAMIN LAY so special, timely, and unforgettable — here’s what they had to say.

"Mark Povinelli gives a powerhouse of a performance, absolutely phenomenal.” –@thedisabilityallynyc via Instagram 📸: @rebeccajmichelson.bsky.social

🥂 Mark Povinelli after a sold-out crowd on Opening Night, sharing a laugh with Matthew Jeffers and Jillian Ilana during cocktail hour 📸: @rebeccajmichelson.bsky.social

“I was grateful and pleasantly surprised when every aspect of the performance, script, and production values far exceeded my expectations.” –Damon Evans, Actor (The Jeffersons, Roots: The Next Generation) 📸: Rebecca J. Michelson

Our companion exhibit to THE RETURN OF BENJAMIN LAY at the Sheen Center may be explored before or after performances of the play. Here, discover images from David Lester's graphic novel, PROPHET AGAINST SLAVERY: BENJAMIN LAY. 📸: Rebecca J. Michelson

“If there was ever a play that epitomizes the mission statement of Sheen Center for Thought & Culture, which is proudly ‘a haven for the arts and provides a platform for provocative conversations about diverse and inclusive aspects of humanity…” 📸: Rebecca J. Michelson

THE RETURN OF BENJAMIN LAY co-writer Naomi Wallace stopped by Drama Book Shop to sign copies of her works: THE LIQUID PLAIN, THE TRESTLE AT POPE LICK CREEK, IN THE HEART OF AMERICA, and ONE FLEA SPARE.

Go see this incredible one-man show, based on the book by historian Marcus Rediker, @marcusrediker.bsky.social, playing in New York NOW and heading to Philadelphia in May. It is so timely. You will be deeply moved.

Have you visited our companion exhibition on the Radical Legacy of Benjamin Lay? Don’t miss your chance before or after a performance of THE RETURN OF BENJAMIN LAY to explore this eye-opening exhibit, featuring art by activists like @quakerpirate.bsky.social, seen here.

📸 Opening Night of #BenLayPlay, seen through photographer @rebeccajmichelson.bsky.social’s eyes

This past Monday, our friend, Sydney Cole Alexander – who you will recognize as Natalie on the hit #AppleTV show, #Severance – joined us for Opening Night of THE RETURN OF BENJAMIN LAY. Don’t miss the season finale of #Severance tonight! 📸: @rebeccajmichelson.bsky.social

Shepherd. Sailor. Revolutionary. THE RETURN OF BENJAMIN LAY starring Mark Povinelli is now open at the Sheen Center. 📸: @rebeccajmichelson.bsky.social

@izoldat.bsky.social of Your Creative Mind Podcast spoke with lead producers Arsalan Sattari-Hicks and Joseph W. Rodriguez on what they hope audiences will walk away with upon seeing THE RETURN OF BENJAMIN LAY at the Sheen Center.

Performances of THE RETURN OF BENJAMIN LAY began last night and continue through April 6. Explore our full calendar at the Sheen Center below. 📆 sheencenter.org/events/detail/the-return-of-benjamin-lay

First preview went off without a hitch. 🩸 THE RETURN OF BENJAMIN LAY performances have now begun at the Sheen Center, starring the incomparable Mark Povinelli. Don’t miss this 70-minute look into the life of one remarkable man, now through April 6.

Tonight, performances of THE RETURN OF BENJAMIN LAY begin at the Sheen Center. The true story of abolitionist Ben Lay will take life again 300 years later, right in front of your eyes. Don't miss this intimate, 70-minute exploration of one man's mission to change the world.

The City of New York has officially named Monday, March 17, the day our play opens, as Benjamin Lay Day. Thanks to our producers, Rachel Jackson and the Playhouse Creatures Theatre Company, for making this happen. Please join us Monday for the opening of the play! www.sheencenter.org/events/detai...

Our final day in rehearsals before first previews begin. It's no question — Mark Povinelli is a force in this 70-minute, one-man play, as he transforms into Benjamin Lay.

Did you know? In December of 2024, Mark Povinelli and co-writer @marcusrediker.bsky.social traveled to the University of Hawai’i to present a dramatic reading of Benjamin Lay as part of the Better Tomorrow Lecture Series.

Our friend, @aubreysmalls.bsky.social, stopped by rehearsals this week, chatting with Mark Povinelli and co-writer @marcusrediker.bsky.social. More to come… watch this space for more with Aubrey very soon. 👀

Our preview performance on Sunday, March 16 has officially sold out! Tickets for remaining previews are low – if you're planning to catch a performance during previews, don't delay. Lock in your tickets today: sheencenter.org/events/detail/the-return-of-benjamin-lay

📸 Our Movement Consultant, the legendary and award-winning Bill Irwin, in rehearsals with Mark Povinelli, brushing up on Benjamin Lay’s mannerisms in advance of the show’s first preview this Friday. Bill soon begins work in Christopher Nolan’s upcoming film, 'Odyssey.'

Phenomenal artist and activist @quakerpirate.bsky.social has revealed his next print – one featuring our protagonist, Benjamin Lay, and his well-known call to "practice radical empathy."

Tuesday marked our first day of rehearsals in NYC! The excitement in the air was palpable as Mark Povinelli once again stepped into the shoes of this historic abolitionist. Left to right: Isabelle Zoeller (PSM), Ron Daniels (Director), Mark Povinelli (Benjamin Lay), and Marcus Rediker (Co-Writer)

Performances of THE RETURN OF BENJAMIN LAY begin next Friday! Have you secured your tickets yet? Don't miss your chance to watch this true, empowering story of one man facing impossible odds at the Sheen Center through April 6. 📸: Robert Boulton

We are so thrilled to share that Raven Snook of @tdfnyc.bsky.social has listed THE RETURN OF BENJAMIN LAY as one of the 15 Shows to See Off Broadway This March! Are you a member of TDF? Search our name and save on tickets to see the show! www.tdf.org/on-stage/tdf...

Did you know? Benjamin Lay made his own clothes and refused to consume anything produced by slave labor. He acted on his ideals to create a new, practical, revolutionary way of life, and inspired future generations to fight for freedom and radically live their values.

What about Benjamin Lay's life inspires you the most? Drop your response in the comments below. 📸: Robert Boulton

Thank you for the feature, @broadwayworld.bsky.social! BroadwayWorld announced several upcoming events we invite you to attend after performances of THE RETURN OF BENJAMIN LAY at the Sheen Center.

Mark Povinelli’s passion and true joy onstage as Benjamin Lay are infectious. It's no surprise that this seasoned actor has held well-known roles in beloved films like WATER FOR ELEPHANTS and MIRROR, MIRROR.

On Sunday, March 16 following our matinee performance, join us for “Performing Resistance: A Talkback with the Creative Team,” ft. co-writers Naomi Wallace and @marcusrediker.bsky.social, director Ron Daniels, and actor Mark Povinelli, moderated by Playhouse Creature’s Erica Stevens Abbitt.

Here is info about our play, *The Return of Benjamin Lay*, in New York, Mar. 14-Apr. 6, Playhouse Creatures Theatre Company, at the Sheen Center — an exhibition, a talkback, and “affinity nights” with Quakers, vegans, and Little People of America! Join us! www.broadwayworld.com/off-broadway...

The award-winning London production of THE RETURN OF BENJAMIN LAY premieres at New York City's Sheen Center from March 14 through April 6. Sweeping across the centuries and continents, THE RETURN OF BENJAMIN LAY is a hallucinatory exploration of the life of a radical who became…

Playhouse Creatures Theatre Company’s Associate AD, Erica Stevens Abbitt, traveled to Pittsburgh to support our sister production of THE RETURN OF BEJNAMIN LAY at Quantum Theatre. Pictured: Mark Povinelli, co-writer Naomi Wallace, director Ron Daniels, and co-writer @marcusrediker.bsky.social

If he were alive today, what would you ask Benjamin Lay? Tell us in the comments below. 📸: Robert Boulton

The little-known story of Benjamin Lay, an eighteenth-century Quaker dwarf who fiercely attacked slavery and imagined a new, more humane way of life, will be told for live, theatrical audiences beginning March 14 through April 6.

One of the first ever to demand the total, unconditional emancipation of all enslaved Africans around the world, Benjamin Lay performed public guerrilla theater to shame slave masters, insisting that human bondage violated the fundamental principles of Christianity.

Did you know? A new film featuring our leading man, Mark Povinelli – THE TALLEST DWARF – will world premiere at SXSW in Austin this March, just days before Mark begins performances in THE RETURN OF BENJAMIN LAY.

In the words of co-writer Marcus Rediker, "Benjamin Lay's vegetarianism was part of a broader radical view of the world: he was not only an abolitionist, a vegetarian, and a champion of animal rights, but also..." 📸: Robert Boulton

Benjamin Lay Fast Facts: Did you know? Ben Lay was a fierce animal rights activist. According to co-writer @marcusrediker.bsky.social, "Benjamin Lay was not technically a vegan by modern standards. He apparently drank milk and ate honey (he was a beekeeper among other things)." 📸: Robert Boulton

Benjamin Lay was not only an abolitionist, a vegetarian, and a champion of animal rights, but also a feminist, an opponent of class privilege, and a protector of the earth and its environment.

Here is a five-minute video from the Pittsburgh CBS affiliate KDKA, an inside look at the production of *The Return of Benjamin Lay” that opens Jan. 31 courtesy of Quantum Theatre. Meet our actor Mark Povinelli and hear him deliver a few lines from the play. www.cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/v...

Happy Opening Night to our friends at Quantum Theatre in Pittsburgh! Tonight, they open their own production of THE RETURN OF BENJAMIN LAY. Bravo, and welcome to the Ben Lay family! 📸: Quantum Theatre