Everything seems to come in threes in The Lehman Trilogy at Florida Studio Theater. Exception: 164 years covered from the family’s first economic hope entering America,1844, to utter despair in 2008’s Depression. Three brothers who start all are played by three actors for three acts set in three major socioeconomic, geographic, and morally-changed eras. Everything and everyone works remarkably well for three hours that audiences should not soon forget.
The action starts as eldest Lehman brother (Howard Kaye’s exhilarated soon-to-be-called Henry, who remains open to everything in various times and situations) is on Ellis Island. He will eagerly assimilate, notably by moving to Alabama and starting a store specializing in dry goods.
Emmanuel Lehman (likeable Beethoven Oden) happily joins Henry. He’s a born shopkeeper and likes clothes. He’s usually ready and able to do what’s presented as “must be done.”
As Mayer Lehman, the youngest, Rod Brogan is also the smoothest. He’s always attracted to “the latest” and seems to be the most attractive to women, notably those who can help the brothers succeed.
The importance of cotton is paramount to all other factors in the growth of control of wealth, it is learned. So is the ugly contribution of slavery, although it is not presented in a harping manner. The Civil War is appropriately treated.
All three actors nicely take on needed additional bit parts and easily win audience acceptance doing so. The entire show is a mixture of their dramatizations and narration. Their success at both speaks exceptionally well of their superb direction by Richard Hopkins, much assisted by Kate Alexander. Directorial blocking is also noteworthy.
Jim Prosser’s music enhances FST’s take on the story of multi-faceted failure that usually came on like success. Projections of the physical places and weather changes aid in transitions of time. Lights surrounding the big scenes distinguish mood by their varying colors.
A highly decorated wide table with chairs on a central platform can move, thanks to a Janitor. Still and surrounded by boxes, it makes fine scenery. It’s an apt scenic metaphor for a center of financial administration, commodity distribution, and constantly moving economic situation in America and even the entire world.
Seldom does revelation of moral failure come as “naturally” yet strongly as in the Lehmans’ story. Their moral turpitude long precedes the financial type they suffer from. Their every ambition—whether in merchandising, banking, stock exchange power, industrial investment— is revealed as absolute. Understanding and wanting to avoid things that led to Lehmans’ bankruptcies are a bonus for attending FST’s presentation of them.
