Lehman Trilogy
Written by Stefano Massine
Adapted by Ben Power
Directed by Sam Mendes
Nederlander Theatre
January 1, 2022
Production website
💉💉💉💉💉 out of 5.

This was simply perfect!  It was a true story; an important story and told with the utmost economy of language, movement, and scenic support.  The story of the Lehman’s is a story of American industry and wealth.  The story starts with the great immigration from Europe, takes us through cotton and the anti-bellum South.  It leads us through Civil War and its aftermath.  Soon after, they create the middleman -the man who has nothing – but makes the connection between the creator and the buyer. It moves us from the fields to the city – New York City – – as the stock market is invented and creates new wealth and the sees the birth of the railroad, television, and even computers – finally addressing the ultimate wealth maker: the ability to convince people to spend money they don’t have on things that they do not need.  Perfect wealth!  The Lehman brothers also dealt poignantly with the stock market crash of the 29 and the market reset in the 1980’s.  All this while telling the story of three very Orthodox Jews who work to maintain their beliefs in a world that constantly challenges faith.

Dana H
Written by Lucas Hnayh
Directed by Les Waters
Lyceum Theatre
October 15, 2021
Production website
💉💉💉💉💉 out of 5.

This play took me on an amazing journey. On its surface, it is a true-life experience of a woman from Florida who works as a chaplain for a hospice. One day she is asked to tend to a prisoner who has tried multiple times to kill himself. As she visits him, she is drawn into his web of charm and threats – – so much so that he is soon able to abduct her and take her on the road with him traveling throughout Florida and neighboring states on a rampage of killings, bombings and fights. And, as member of the Arian Nation there is no shortage of evil to be done. Throughout the story the audience asks how is this man able to keep the woman from escaping. She tries but is often denied protection from police.

Pass Over
Written by Antoinette Chinonye Nwandu
Directed by Dana Taymor
August Wilson Theatre
October 10, 2021
Production website
💉💉💉💉💉 out of 5

This play was perfection.  There was not a single word or gesture that was extraneous.  Visually the play made sense on the bare stage to a stage full of smoke and affects.  Very seldom have been so moved by a play.

In many ways Pass Over uses the play, Waiting for Godot and applies this story and its absurdist rules to an urban black culture.  Gogo and Didi have been replaced with Moses and Kitch.  The bare stage with a single tree has been replaced with a concrete median with a single imposing streetlight.  Even the classic bowler hats of the hobos Gogo and Didi are replaced by baseball caps that become treasured props to them.  I could go on and on with the comparisons and revaluations made in seeing Godot through this new lense – it was brilliant.