Review: THE LEHMAN TRILOGY at Loretto-Hilton Center

The Repertory Theatre of St Louis’ 57th season opener, The Lehman Trilogy, is a Tony Award-winning epic that chronicles a family’s striving for the American Dream, only to find it tainted over time by greed and power as they grow wealthier and consolidate their empire.

Spanning 1844-2008, The Lehman Trilogy (based on Stefano Massini’s 2020 novel and adapted for the stage by Ken Power) follows the adventures of three brothers who arrive in their new land with nothing and build a massive global fortune. 

Arriving from Bavaria with just one suitcase, Heyum Lehman arrived in his new land with drive, determination, and a knack for making the most of the right opportunity. After having his name anglicized to Henry, he makes his way to Montgomery, Alabama where he opens a fabric business. The next to arrive was his brother, Emanuel, followed a few years later by the youngest brother, Mayer, who is the most pragmatic of the bunch.

Residing in a land where cotton is king, the brothers shape their business around the needs of the plantation communities of the antebellum South. Pivoting their business time and time again, they eventually become supply magnates. Lining their pockets with the money of slave owners they ship their cotton and grow their business.

From there, the drama intensifies over two centuries as the Lehman brothers and their descendants skirt moral, legal, and ethical standards to maintain their dominance and increase their affluence. While Emmanuel’s ruthless son Philip Lehman seizes every opportunity to solidify his power, Mayer’s son Herbie, who has problems with many aspects of the family business, becomes a governor and senator.

Eventually, the empire falls into the lap of Philip’s son Robert Lehman, a lover of horses, art, and innovation. Under his watch, the company delves into stock trading, film, radio, television, and eventually, computers. His business acumen brings in unimaginable wealth. While his success gives him a lust for power that unwittingly sets a chain of events in motion that leads to bankruptcy in 2008.

Although The Lehman Trilogy prominently accounts how a family of financiers shaped the economic progress of America for generations, it is also a cautionary tale of the dangers of unbridled capitalism.

Director Carey Perloff uses this theme to great effect as she emphasizes the Lehman’s rise and fall from the Civil War to westward expansion, the Great Depression, two World Wars, and technological advancements of the twenty-first century.

Utilizing projections, a sparse set, and a cast of three who play fifty roles between them, her epic production is perfectly paced. The three-and-a-half hours fly by without dragging, and the relentless drama outlasts anything on reality TV.

Framing the happenings onstage is Joe LaRocca, a multi-instrumentalist who bobs and weaves around the antics onstage. His sublime scoring perfectly encapsulates the eras depicted onstage without being intrusive or heavy-handed.

Sara Brown’s set designs provide a sense of place that doesn’t interfere with the actors onstage, allowing them to roam free as they unfurl a multitude of characters. The tone of the production also benefits from Robert Wierzel’s exceptional lighting design. Never overpowering, his use of brightness and shadows enhances the production’s emotional resonance.

As for the cast, you could not ask for a finer trio of performers. Shifting between several smaller roles and moments of narration, each actor delivers a powerful performance that shines individually while coalescing as a unit. These performances give the play emotional depth as it travels through the pratfalls of America’s financial history.

Scott Wentworth is terrific. He carries the first act as the affable Henry before shifting gears in act two as the ruthless go-getter Philip. Along the way, he gives audiences excellent turns as a Greek restaurant owner, a highwire walker, a demur wife, and a morally bankrupt corporate schemer.

Joshua David Robinson’s Emmanuel is at times flashy and restrained. His performance is the perfect counterbalance for Wentworth. In addition to acting as a compass for social change as Herbie, he also sheds several layers as he morphs into the roles of several children. After giving audiences these two intriguing personae, his performance goes up a notch in act three as he brings the loathsome Lewis Gicksman to life.

Mixing funny and furious, Firdous Bamji begins the production as the demure Mayer before transforming himself into the last family member to head the company, the complex and ruthless Robert Lehman. 

Charged with energy from electrifying performances, the Rep’s The Lehman Trilogy is a stunning starter for the 2023/2024 season. Compelling from start to finish, the production infuses the company with a vibrancy that oftentimes was lacking in previous seasons. The result is the first must-see production of the fall theater season.

The Lehman Trilogy runs through September 24th at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the campus of Webster University. For more information visit: Click Here, or call 314-968-4925.

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