Two centuries of global financial history will unfold on stage once again, with The Lehman Trilogy resuming performances on Broadway September 25 at the Nederlander Theatre ahead of an October 14 opening night. Stage and screen favorite Adrian Lester will make his Broadway debut in the play; he replaces Ben Miles as Emanuel Lehman, with original company members Simon Russell Beale as Henry Lehman and Adam Godley as Mayer Lehman reprising their roles. (Miles is slated to star in the RSC stage adaptation of Hilary Mantel's The Mirror and the Light this fall.)
“[Lester] was the first person I offered the role to, way back when we first mounted the production in London at the National Theatre, so on some level it feels like destiny,” says Tony and Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes, who directed the star to an Olivier Award for his performance as Bobby in the 1996 Donmar Warehouse production of Company.
“Years after Sam and I first discussed my involvement in this incredible project, I am now so pleased the ups and downs of actors’ availabilities has finally offered me the chance to be a part of this fantastic production,” says Lester. “The Lehman Trilogy asks a lot of the three actors. I’m very excited and really looking forward to starting rehearsals.”
Tickets for the Broadway staging will go on sale June 9. In accordance with New York State, New York City, and CDC guidelines, the theatre and producers will use applicable health protocols, such as face coverings, health screening, enhanced air filtration and ventilation, and rigorous cleaning and disinfection.
Following a limited run on Broadway, the play will be seen in West Coast engagements at Center Theatre Group’s Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles (March 3–April 10, 2022) and American Conservatory Theater’s Geary Theater in San Francisco (April 20– May 22), with casting to be announced.
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Written by Stefano Massini and adapted by Ben Power, The Lehman Trilogy weaves nearly two centuries of family history to chart the humble beginnings, outrageous successes, and devastating failure of the financial institution that would ultimately bring the global economy to its knees.
The design team for The Lehman Trilogy includes scenic designer Es Devlin, costume designer Katrina Lindsay, video designer Luke Halls, lighting designer Jon Clark, composer and sound designer Nick Powell, co-sound designer Dominic Bilkey, music director Candida Caldicot, and associate director Zoé Ford Burnett with movement by Polly Bennett.
The Broadway staging follows its English premiere at London’s National Theatre in 2018, a North American debut at the Park Avenue Armory in 2019, and a subsequent West End engagement. The Lehman Trilogy is presented on Broadway by the National Theatre and Neal Street Productions.
