The Lehman Trilogy

Wed., Feb. 5 – Sun., March 2
CRITIC’S PICK: The Lehman Trilogy, Theatrical Outfit - This torrid tale of the Lehman Brothers and their bank’s downfall covers the humble origins, vast successes and subsequent dismal failures that ended up crippling the global economy. According to Artistic Director Matt Torney, it’s a story about brotherhood, economics, immigration and assimilation, and how generations of Lehmans attempted to keep the business afloat through some of the most turbulent moments in American history. The play, written by Stefano Massini, is told from the point of view of Henry, Emanuel, and Mayer Lehman, the three German brothers (played by Brian Kurlander, Eric Mendenhall, and Andrew Benator, respectively) who started a dry goods store in Montgomery, Alabama in 1844; they gradually transitioned to the cotton trade, and in 1899 began offering investment banking services, eventually becoming the fourth-largest such bank in the country. The firm’s bankruptcy in 2008 caused global markets to plummet. - Kevin C. Madigan