Gulfshore Playhouse's production of THE LEHMAN TRILOGY tells the story of the Lehman brothers and the rise and fall of their financial empire. The show is based on the true story of the Lehman brothers and their family, and spans 163 years; the 3 actors play the 3 original Lehman brothers, their other family members, and many other characters.
The production stars Ian Merrill Peakes as Henry Lehman & Others, Geoffrey Cantor as Emanuel Lehman & Others, and Cody Nickell as Mayer Lehman & Others. Each of these actors is terrific. Throughout the show, they all switch between their characters and narrators of the story, and this happens seamlessly. They narrate the actions that are happening, explain the context the audience needs to know, and then jump into their characters, switching accents fluidly. There were masterful performances from all 3 actors, and I was so thoroughly impressed by each of them. This is not an easy show; it's 3 1/2 hours with 2 short intermissions, and for the most part, they are all on stage during the show. It is quite a feat, and they accomplish it with precision and immense talent.
THE LEHMAN TRILOGY is captivating, interesting, unique, thoughtful, and funny. I honestly did not expect to enjoy it as much as I did, but it blew me away. Each detail was done so well. For example, to indicate the passing of time, the actors would use or pick up props that had "The Year is ____" (filled in by whatever year it was in the story), which was a very effective way to tell the audience where we were in the timeline without them having to say it out loud. It was such a subtle but perfect way of doing so. There is also great use of costuming for certain characters; things like a certain pair of glasses, or a green scarf, are used to identify characters. The actors move props in and out of the stage area for each scene, and this was like a choreographed dance, in a way. They had to be precise and know exactly what to do and when to do it, and they absolutely did so.
Jeffrey Binder directed this production, and he did a fabulous job. I thought it was perfectly done. Other creative team members include Scenic Designer Baron E. Pugh, Sound Designer Lindsay Jones, Lighting Designer Graham Sellers, Costume Designer Kirche Zeile, and Movement Coordinator Dann Dunn. The technical and creative aspects of this production were wonderful. The show is playing in Gulfshore Playhouse's Struthers Studio, which could not have been a more perfect space for this show. The set was so innovative and well done. The focal point of it is two brick walls that open as doors, and they frame the actors and sometimes the props in a dynamic and visually stunning way. The lighting and sound added so much to this show. They were both used in such perfect ways, adding to the depth and richness of this production. There were so many incredible visual moments in the show, and I loved watching each one.
Though tickets are very limited, I highly recommend checking out THE LEHMAN TRILOGY at Gulfshore Playhouse if you can. It is a masterful piece of work that is interesting, creative, dynamic, and thoroughly engaging. The length of the show may sound indimidating, but I found myself enjoying every moment of it and believe it is well worth it for this incredible production. For tickets and more information, follow the link below.
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