The Lehman Trilogy Symposium
FEB 25, 10am
The Forum at Harman Hall
Join us for a symposium to discuss the many themes within The Lehman Trilogy with prominent experts from many fields.
The Lehman Trilogy is a unique hybrid – a Shakespearean history play, an American family drama, and a Greek tragedy – that sheds light on recent events in our history. It tells the story of the Lehman Brothers’ business empire and its bankruptcy, but it also illuminates the 2008 crash and ensuing global economic crisis by tracing a line back deep into history.
The play also raises complex questions for its audience, which need to be explored with care and respect: What is the American Dream? And who is the American Dream for? Is it one of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”? Or is it one of equality, justice, and democracy for all?
At The Lehman Trilogy Symposium experts will discuss the issues represented in the play with prominent experts from many fields. Light refreshments will be provided.
Keynote Address on The Lehman Trilogy and the Financial Fallout
Michael J. Hsu, Acting Comptroller of the Currency
Mr. Hsu became Acting Comptroller of the Currency on May 10, 2021. As Acting Comptroller of the Currency, Mr. Hsu is the administrator of the federal banking system and chief executive officer of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). Prior to joining the OCC, Mr. Hsu served as an Associate Director in the Division of Supervision and Regulation at the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. In that role, he chaired the Large Institution Supervision Coordinating Committee Operating Committee, which has responsibility for supervising the global systemically important banking companies operating in the United States. His career also has included serving as a Financial Sector Expert at the International Monetary Fund, Financial Economist at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, and Financial Economist at the Securities and Exchange Commission. Mr. Hsu holds a Bachelor of Arts from Brown University, a Master of Science in Finance from George Washington University, and Juris Doctor degree from New York University School of Law.
Panel 1: The Lehman Trilogy and the Original American Dream
This panel will discuss the events depicted in the play in its first two acts and the period from 1844 up to 1944. There will be time for questions at the end.
Panelists:
Daniel Schulman, Deputy Editor of Mother Jones; New York Times best-selling author
Pamela Nadell, Historian at American University, former President of the Association for Jewish Studies
Soyica Colbert, Professor of African American Studies and Performing Arts at Georgetown University, Associate Director, STC
Moderator:
Drew Lichtenberg, Associate Director, STC
Panel 2: The Lehman Trilogy and the Evolution of the American Dream
In this panel, we will discuss the second half of the history covered in The Lehman Trilogy and the increasing complexity of the American Dream in the late 20th and early 21st century.
Panelists:
William E. Cain, Mary Jewett Gaiser Professor of English at Wellesley College
Yolanda Savage-Narva, Assistant Vice President of Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion for the Union for Reform Judaism
Peter Marks, Former longtime theatre critic of The Washington Post
Moderator:
LeeAnét Noble, Director of Equity and Belonging, STC