Liberty City Arts (LCA) and Prismatic Arts Ensemble will present Gian Carlo Menotti’s “The Consul” on May 20 and May 22, 2026, at Billy Penn Studios in Philadelphia’s Olde Kensington neighborhood.

The production marks the first co-presentation between the two companies and will serve as a fundraiser, with all ticket proceeds directed to Juntos and New Sanctuary Movement of Philadelphia, two local organizations supporting immigrant communities. In keeping with both organizations’ commitments to local artistry, all performers and creative personnel involved in the production are Philadelphia-based.

“The Consul” world premiered in Philadelphia in 1950, going on to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music. The story centers on an immigrant family ensnared by the indifferent machinery of bureaucracy as they seek safety and freedom. The casts includes Ryan Colbert, Marcelle McQuirk, Kevin Patrick, Isabelle Zeledón, Robert Flora, Amanda Staub, Rebecca Sacks, Dicky Dutton, Megnot Toggia, José Luis Vasquez, Laurice Kennel, Paula Rivera, William Lim, Jr., Aaron Scarberry, Tanisha L. Anderson, Rachel DiBlasio, Matthew Maisano, Olivia Broderick, and Greta Groothuis.

Justin Jain directs and Andrea DeVito conducts.

Liberty City Arts, founded by artists for artists, focuses on opera performance across unexpected Philadelphia venues, centering local talent and removing financial and cultural barriers to participation.

Prismatic Arts Ensemble, established in 2020, blends immersive theatre, drag arts, and opera, with a programming philosophy that prioritizes underrepresented voices including Black, Indigenous, and other artists of color, womxn, and LGBTQIA+ artists.

The Consul runs approximately two hours and twenty minutes including intermission.

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