Broadway Downtown: Band of Brothers 

The Lehman Trilogy, which not even two years ago won five Tony Awards for drama including Best Play, is set to make its Santa Barbara debut at Ensemble Theatre Company from April 6- 21. The play explores the human drama behind the Lehman brothers’ empire, tracing the family’s humble beginnings from their immigration from Bavaria to Alabama in the mid-19th century to their stunning success as their eponymous company became the fourth-largest investment bank in the United States, with about 25,000 employees worldwide. The last act delves into the historic collapse of Lehman Brothers that exacerbated the 2008 financial crisis – with Stefano Massini’s play ultimately offering the audience both a riveting piece of theater and a deeper understanding of the forces that shape our world. Troy Blendell, Chris Butler, and Leo Marks star, with Oánh Nguyen directing. “The narrative leads us to question the essence of the American Dream and how it might easily turn into the American Nightmare?” Nguyen said in a press release. “When does ambition cross the line? And how do we confront the unsettling reality that those we cheer for may unwittingly become part of the problem?” 

ETC has also announced its 2024-25 season “Legends and Legacies,” featuring modern works and historical plays spanning more than 400 years. The recent Off-Broadway hit comedy Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors is followed by the popular jukebox musical Million Dollar Quartet, Shakespeare’s Hamlet, and Hershey Felder performing his one-man show George Gershwin Alone. The season closes with Justice, about the first female Supreme Court justices. Visit www.etcsb.org.