UH School of Theatre and Dance opened its season with Caryl Churchill’s “Serious Money,” a relevant depiction of greed run amok in a financial sector.
Directed by Christopher Owens, “Serious Money” is a snapshot into the infant stages of globalization and the possible perils that follow. Though the story starts in Britain in 1987, it eventually spreads to the U.S. with the conniving Marylou Baines and has tentacles in Africa and Peru.
Audiences take a front row seat to the world of shady, leveraged buyouts through the journey of Scilla Todd as she investigates the death of her brother, Jim.
Scilla untangles a world where corporations use shell companies, deception and underhanded deals to accrue the capital and stock necessary to gain an ownership stake in another organization.
The setting of “Serious Money” is placed in a world where the absence of greed and presence of compassion can immediately remove competency, and life on Wall Street — or its British counterpart — is antithetical to life on Main Street.
Billy Corman, a ruthless CEO, exemplifies the difference.
“Being in debt is the best way to get rich,” he said.
Corman encourages employees to cheat and lie. He also personally and illegally woos investors with promises of cash and stock in his other corporations.
Others are playing both sides of the fence. Jim Todd, Jacinta Condor, the Peruvian millionaire and Baines all work for or against Cormin, depending on the greenbacks.
It’s a world where double-crossing should be expected and one that the older generation can’t accept.
Rex Koontz, the director of the School of Art said the play will teach the audience about how history can repeat itself.
“We’re still living with a lot of those problems, and I don’t think (Thatcher) solved them, and I don’t think we’ve solved them yet so it’s good to think about. I’m proud of these guys for putting this on.”
“Serious Money” will be hosted at 8 p.m. Oct. 3 through 6, and at 2 p.m. Oct. 7, in the Jose Quintero Theatre.
