[Milwaukee] – Milwaukee Repertory Theater continues its record-breaking season in the new Associated Bank Theater Center with the upcoming production of The Lehman Trilogy running January 13 – February 8, 2026, in the Ellen & Joe Checota Powerhouse Theater. Winner of five Tony Awards, including Best Play, The Lehman Trilogy is a riveting tour-de-force tale of one family’s passionate pursuit of the American Dream and the piercing cost of greed, excess and unbridled power.
With three extraordinary actors portraying over 50 characters, The Lehman Trilogy begins in 1844, where a young man from Germany stands on a New York dockside dreaming of a new life in the new world. He is joined by his two brothers, and an American epic begins. Over the next 163 years, the Lehmans transformed a small storefront into an unstoppable investment superpower – until a collapse that pushed the global economy to the brink of destruction. Named a “Must-see event. Epic in every conceivable way. You dare not miss it” by the New York Post, and “a triumph. Exhilarating and sublime” by the Washington Post, The Lehman Trilogy isa universally acclaimed play that tests the bounds of the American dream and the limits of epic theatricality with a one-of-a-kind event.
The three person cast of The Lehman Trilogy includes:
Edward Gero as Henry Lehman the eldest brother, resourceful and tenacious; also plays Philip Lehman, Pete Peterson, and other. Edward is a Lunt-Fontanne Ten Chimneys Fellow and a 16-time nominee and four-time Helen Hayes Award winner for acting in the DC area where he is the George Mason University School of Theater head of performance professor.
William Sturdivant as Emanuel Lehman the middle brother, hot-headed and decisive; also plays Herbert Lehman, Lewis Glucksman, and others. William earned his BFA in acting from the University of Minnesota/Guthrie Theater and has performed in over 40 Shakespeare productions across the country.
Max Wolkowitz as Mayer Lehman the youngest brother, level-headed and a charming mediator; also plays Bobby Lehman and others. Max got his start with an MFA from Brown University’s Trinity Rep acting program. He’s performed in classics such as Indecent, Waiting for Godot, The Chosen, My Name is Asher Lev and Cabaret in many renowned regional theaters.
The Lehman Trilogy by Stefano Massini and adapted by Ben Power with original direction by Arin Arbus is a transfer from Guthrie Theater (Minneapolis, MN) in association with Shakespeare Theatre Company (Washington, DC). This production is directed by Dan Hasse who assistant directed the original production with set design by Marsha Ginsberg (Primary Trust, Broadway), lighting design by Yi Zhoa (Purple Rain, Broadway bound), costume design by Anita Yavich (Floyd Collins, Broadway), sound design by Michael Costagliola (The Reservoir, Geffen Playhouse), projection design by Hannah Wasileski (John Proctor is the Villian, Broadway), voice and dialect coach Jill Walmsley-Zager and stage managed by Kira Neighbors.
The Lehman Trilogy has been translated into 24 languages and has received international acclaim from both critics and audiences. This Tony Award-winning play first premiered in France in 2013 and in Italy in 2015, before the English adaptation debuted at London’s National Theatre in 2018, then played the New York Park Avenue Armory in spring of 2019. After pandemic delays, the National Theatre production had a limited run on Broadway (Sept 2021 – Jan 2022) where it won 5 Tony Awards including Best Play. Stefano Massini also adapted the play into a novel which was translated into English by Richard Dixon and published in 2020.
The Lehman Trilogy is presented by Ellen and Joe Checota with Associate Producer Dr. Carol C. Pohl.
To purchase tickets to The Lehamn Trilogy go to www.MilwaukeeRep.com, call the Ticket Office at 414-224-9490 or visit in-person at 108 E Wells Street in downtown Milwaukee.
For more information, please visit www.MilwaukeeRep.com
::Fact Sheet::
The Lehman Trilogy
By Stefano Massini
Adapted by Ben Power
Original Direction by Arin Arbus
Directed by Dan Hasse
January 13 – February 8, 2026
Running time: Approximately 3 hours and 40 minutes with two intermissions.
Download The Lehman Trilogy Press Kit with photos and logos.
Community Nights:
Teen Night: Tuesday, January 27– For only $15 enjoy the show and a pre-show dinner with the Teen Council
Post-Show Experiences:
Dinner Dialogue: Sunday, February 1 at 4:45pm in the Herzfeld Foundation Education & Engagement Center. Join fellow community members for a shared meal and a guided conversation exploring the themes of current productions. Enjoy meaningful dialogue over delicious food and drink in a welcoming setting.
Workshops:
Financial Literacy Workshop: Wednesdays January 7 and 28, 6pm – 7:30pm in the Herzfeld Foundation Education & Engagement Center Classrooms.
Access Services
Audio-Described Performance: Tuesday, January 27 at 6:30pm – the show will be described for patrons who are blind or have low vision.
ASL Performance: Friday, January 30 at 7pm – the show will be signed for the deaf or hard of hearing.
Open-Captioned Performances with GalaPro, a real-time closed caption app
Wednesday, January 21, 12:30pm
Thursday, January 29, 7pm
Sunday, February 8, 12:30pm
Ticket Information
Tickets: www.MilwaukeeRep.com, by phone at 414-224-9490, or Ticket Office at 108 E Wells Street, Milwaukee.
Hours: 12noon – 6pm; on performance days the Ticket Office remains open until 15 minutes past curtain.
Student Discounts: Students 18 and under can purchase $20 tickets for select seating areas.
25 & Under: Select $20 tickets available for patrons 25 & Under. (Select 25 & Under price at checkout online)
Group Sales: Discounted tickets for parties of 10+. Call 414-290-5340.
The Associated Bank Theater Center
Designed by EUA and theater consultants Fisher Dachs Associates (FDA), the $80.1 million complex connects Milwaukee Rep’s historic, completely renovated building with a newly built 30,000-square-foot glass structure that creates a welcoming main entrance to the Center. The transformed space allows Milwaukee Rep to push artistic boundaries with three flexible performance spaces; a 220-seat flexible black box, an 186-seat cabaret space, and a 671-seat theater with a transformable stage configuration and cutting-edge technology to create productions that can easily transfer to any stage in the country, including Broadway. The updated Center also includes the new Herzfeld Foundation Education & Engagement Center; 100-person donor lounge and event space, three revamped rehearsal halls, prop and costume shops, and administrative spaces; and the cascading Sandra & William Haack Galleria, unifying and creating streamlined circulation across the building’s theaters and public spaces.
Milwaukee Rep’s enlarged downtown footprint encompasses the completely gutted and reimagined 1898 Oneida Street Station, a national historic landmark former powerplant that has been home to the theater since 1987, and a newly constructed glass building situated between the former powerplant and the historic Pabst Theater, another historic building constructed in 1895. The elegant glass volume, which sits above a newly enhanced main entrance on Wells Street, connects—for the first time—all public spaces in the complex to the shared multi-level lobby. Engaging and activating the street, the transparent façade offers passersby a glimpse into the activity taking place inside the Center as patrons make their way to performances in the three theaters.
Milwaukee Rep’s capital project provides critical infrastructure updates to the theater’s more than a century old space, as well as updates to back-of-house and production technology to support increased performance capacity. The mainstage performance space, the Ellen & Joe Checota Powerhouse Theater, is reconfigured for improved sightlines with a new flexible stage that converts from a thrust to a proscenium, seating 568-671 patrons depending on the production’s configuration. The facility also accommodates increased accessibility within the space, including bariatric seating, quiet rooms, audio description, wheelchair accessibility in all seating zones, and hearing loop technology in order to welcome and inspire the many diverse populations of the region. Finally, the mainstage theater also includes updated, cutting-edge technology with an advanced digital sound system, a laser projection system, scenic automation systems for the newly created fly loft, programmable intelligent lighting, and livestreaming capabilities.
The Herro-Franke Studio Theater, Milwaukee Rep’s black box space for intimate productions, is reimagined with new modular platforms and seating that allows for audiences of 182 to 224 patrons, staging plays with larger casts, and greater production flexibility. The Stackner Cabaret, which was renovated in 2018 by Uihlein-Wilson Architects in advance of the larger transformation project, also has state-of-the-art production capabilities, updated front- and back-of-house amenities including a full bar and kitchen for a pre-show dining experience, and increased seating capacity for audiences of up to 186 patrons.
The theaters can be accessed via the skylit three-floor Sandra & William Haack Galleria that occupies the space in the glass building. The open lobby includes inviting pre- and post-show gathering spaces, The Lubar Lounge, which can hold up to 100 people, restrooms, a gift shop, coat check, and bars with food and beverage offerings. It also offers access to the new 2,700-square-foot Herzfeld Foundation Education & Engagement Center, which includes classroom, rehearsal, and performance spaces, as well as an outdoor patio lounge. The dedicated education facility allows Milwaukee Rep to grow programming that deepens audience engagement; increases accessibility; and improves literacy, supports social-emotional growth, and creates school-to-career pipelines for more than 30,000 students each year. New programming enabled by the Center includes Connections, an audience engagement series with post-show TalkBacks and community nights, and the launch of a School of Theater that offers classes, workshops, seminars, and camps. Milwaukee Rep will also continue its successful student programs such as in-school workshops, the national Next Narrative Monologue Competition, and apprenticeships for the next generation of artists.
As part of the capital project, the theater’s production shop was relocated off-site and expanded to a 35,000-square-foot facility that employs nearly 100 local artisans, advancing Milwaukee Rep’s role in supporting the region’s arts economy. Following the flooding earlier this year, the shop has to be completely rebuilt. The new Herzfeld Foundation Education & Engagement Center is housed in the space previously occupied by the shop.
The expansion of Milwaukee Rep reflects the theater’s tremendous growth over the past five years, at a time when the industry at large has been impacted by financial challenges due to declining audience attendance and increased production costs. Since 2020, Milwaukee Rep’s operating budget has increased more than 85% from roughly $9 million to $17 million, driven in part by a 40% increase in ticket sales and 41% Subscription revenue increase, with operating surpluses annually. In addition, over the last decade, Milwaukee Rep’s net assets have increased from $16 million to $108 million including multi-million dollar funds for new play development, education, engagement and artistic enhancement, making Milwaukee Rep one of the best capitalized theaters in the United States presenting exciting work including recent world and American premieres by Lloyd Suh, Dael Orlandersmith, Idris Goodwin, Andrew Bovell, Craig Lucas, Rick Cleveland, and Joanna Murray-Smith.
The fundraising campaign to expand and renovate Milwaukee Rep’s Associated Bank Theater Center has raised $80.1 million to date. Lead campaign funders include the Associated Bank, an anonymous donor, Ellen and Joe Checota, David & Julia Uihlein, The Richard and Ethel Herzfeld Foundation, and David Herro and Jay Franke.
About Milwaukee Repertory Theater
Milwaukee Rep is the largest performing arts organization in Wisconsin with its new artistic home in the Associated Bank Theater Center opening Fall 2025 with three unique performance venues—the Ellen & Joe Checota Powerhouse Theater, Herro-Franke Studio Theater, and Stackner Cabaret. For over seven decades, Milwaukee Rep has been a centerpiece of Milwaukee’s vibrant arts and cultural scene with productions ranging from Broadway musicals to Shakespeare to American Classics and New Works that are entertaining, inclusive and impactful. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Mark Clements and Executive Director Chad Bauman, Milwaukee Repertory Theater ignites positive change in the cultural, social and economic vitality of its community by creating world-class theater experiences that entertain, provoke and inspire meaningful dialogue among an audience representative of Milwaukee’s rich diversity. More information visit www.MilwaukeeRep.com