Review: THE LEHMAN TRILOGY Pays Dividends at Capital Stage

Capital Stage’s twenty-first season has begun with a mesmerizing work from playwright Stefano Massini. The Lehman Trilogy is the 2022 Tony Award winner for Best Play, capturing the public’s admiration with its unique structure and storytelling style. Director Michael Stevenson tackles this ambitious piece with only three actors performing a myriad of characters.

The Lehman Trilogy is a compelling exploration into the rise and fall of an American financial powerhouse. Part American dream docudrama, part cautionary tale of capitalism, the play delves deeply into the drive and chutzpah of the three Lehman brothers as they navigate a new country in pursuit of success. The eldest brother, Hayum Lehmann, arrives in America first and settles in Alabama. After Anglicizing his name to Henry Lehman, he opens a store selling fabric. His brother Emanuel joins him, followed shortly by their youngest brother, Mayer. As the political and societal landscape changes around them, they must evolve; first to include suits, then cotton, then coffee, and finally as an investment bank.

The story is set in three acts with two intermissions. As the brothers and their company grow, so do their families. The second and third acts show how their sons become involved in the business and how the new generations get further from old traditions and values. Ian Wallace has produced a wonderfully creative set-- the background is a wall of bankers’ boxes highlighted by projections illuminating the time periods featured. The three actors portraying the brothers are commanding and share a natural chemistry, which is key to the success of the piece. Matt K. Miller, Jackson Goldberg, and Andrew Fridae convincingly evoke the hubris needed to build an empire while tempering it with religious devotion and a deep respect for their homeland. They deliver the third-person narration in a way that invites the audience into an intimate look at their characters and makes us care about the story. Stevenson ensures that we are equally invested in each character and provokes reflection upon the real human experiences shared and the impact of the eventual financial collapse. I wish the playwright had included more of the 2008 events, but he did interest me enough to research further.  

The Lehman Trilogy is a must-see for any aficionado of history, finance, or rags-to-riches stories. It’s a three-hour experience that feels shorter because of the pacing and breaks. It plays at Capital Stage through September 28th. More information and tickets may be found online at Capstage.org, by telephone at (916) 995-5464, or in person at the Box Office at 2215 J Street in Sacramento.

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