Stereophonic (play)

''Stereophonic'' is a dramatic stage play with music, written by American playwright David Adjmi. Music written for the play was composed by Will Butler from the indie rock band Arcade Fire. The play follows a fictional rock band on the cusp of superstardom as they struggle through recording their new album set from 1976 to 1977. The production debuted at Playwrights Horizons off-Broadway in 2023 before transferring to Broadway at the John Golden Theatre in 2024.

The production received critical acclaim, with critics comparing the material to the real life band Fleetwood Mac and its 1977 album '' Rumours.''

The production made history as the play holding the record for the most Tony Award nominations; it received 13 nominations, breaking the record previously held by the Jeremy O. Harris play ''Slave Play'' (2020), which received 12 Tony Award nominations. At the 77th Tony Awards, the play won five awards: Best Play, Best Direction of a Play, Best Featured Actor in a Play (for Will Brill; Eli Gelb and Tom Pecinka also received nominations for the award), Best Sound Design of a Play, and Best Scenic Design of a Play. Juliana Canfield and Sarah Pidgeon both received nominations for Best Featured Actress in a Play.

''Stereophonic'' also received the Drama Desk Award, the Drama League Award, the Outer Critics Circle Award, and the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Play of the 2023/2024 season.

Synopsis

In 1976, a famous British-American rock band composed of drummer Simon, married couple bassist Reg and keyboardist/vocalist Holly, and longtime partners guitarist/vocalist Peter and vocalist/tambourinist Diana are in the early stages of recording their next album in a recording studio in Sausalito, California. They are assisted by two sound engineers, Grover and Charlie. Despite the significant studio support, the members' individual conflicts coupled with mounting tensions among the group causes the recording process to take over a year.

Plot

Act I: July 1976, Sausalito, CA

An unnamed British-American rock band gathers at a recording studio in Sausalito to record their second album, assisted by sound engineers Grover and Charlie. Drummer and founder Simon, whose wife and children still live in England, attempts to keep the peace as the marriage between bassist Reg and keyboardist/vocalist Holly crumbles, largely due to Reg's drug and alcohol addiction. The band begins rehearsing new songs; guitarist/vocalist Peter, who is also producing the album, makes frequent changes and vocalist/tambourinist Diana, Peter's girlfriend, struggles with self-confidence while performing. Grover confesses to Charlie that he lied about working with the Eagles in order to get the engineering job. Simon reveals that one of Diana's songs from their debut album has entered the Billboard Top Ten, with the album re-entering the Top Forty, and that Columbia has tripled their budget for the second album. Diana performs the beginnings of her new song, "Bright." Reg laments the state of his marriage and discusses his recent fascination with the Sausalito Houseboat Wars with Simon and Peter. Though Peter attempts to bond with Simon and Reg, his hypercritical nature prevents them from connecting.

Holly tells Diana that she has bought a condo and is moving out of the band's shared home. Reg is upset, but Holly refuses to be responsible for his addiction any longer and chides Simon for enabling Reg. The band argues while recording Holly's song "Drive," with Holly scolding Grover for his apathy toward the creative process.

Act II: September 1976

While recording "Seven Roads," Simon is frustrated by a ringing in the snare drums and becomes obsessive about fixing them, to the band and engineers' chagrin. Reg is now sober and taking better care of himself, healing tensions between him and Holly. Diana and Holly discuss the strangeness of the band's new fame, with Diana worrying about her lack of expertise with musical instruments and Holly musing on the compromises necessary within romantic relationships.

The band records different arrangements of "Bright," though Peter publicly pressures Diana to remove verses. The two fight about Peter's critical nature and Diana's need for encouragement, eventually bringing up past arguments, Peter's fraught relationship with his father, and Diana's reluctance to have a child.

Grover frequently corrects issues while recording "Masquerade," and convinces a reluctant Simon to use a click track to stay on tempo. The song's 37th take is perfect, and the band and engineers celebrate.

Act III

Late December 1976

Diana struggles to hit a climactic high note while recording "East of Eden." Peter coldly criticizes her for her inability to do so, berating her further for growing flustered. Diana insists on speaking with Peter privately, with Grover and Charlie listening in on their fight until Diana ends their relationship. A heartbroken Diana returns to the booth and is able to hit the note.

March 1977

Grover, distraught, reveals to Charlie that Holly and Reg have broken up as well, and laments the all-consuming task that recording the album has become. Simon tells Holly that his wife is leaving him. After Grover records over a take at Peter's request, Peter verbally and physically assaults him until Simon intervenes.

Peter later apologizes, but Grover has grown disillusioned with managing the band members' egos. Reg discusses the group's upcoming move to a recording studio in Los Angeles and his new relationship; Holly overhears and the two argue about rejection. Afterward, Holly and Grover discuss the love scenes in '' Don't Look Now'' and ''Last Tango in Paris'', particularly the former film's expression of grief.

Act IV: First week of June 1977, Los Angeles, CA

Diana, Peter, and Holly record backing vocals for "Drive" at four in the morning, with Diana and Peter viciously arguing with and insulting each other throughout. Later that day, ahead of a band meeting, Reg gets upset after Peter re-records his bass lines; Simon confronts Peter about his controlling nature and gradual alienation of his bandmates. Rattled, Peter begs Diana for reconciliation, which she rebuffs. Reg congratulates Grover on being promoted to a producer on the album, which Grover responds to cynically, unwilling to find joy in such a painful process. Reg admits that while he has relapsed with alcohol, he still ultimately views life as good and worthwhile. The band and the engineers gather to discuss how to trim the runtime of the record; Diana refuses to remove verses from her songs, preferring to cut "Bright" entirely. Diana confesses to Holly that Columbia is giving her a solo album, which Holly reacts to with ambivalence. Grover consoles Diana, but while he views the recording process as "a nightmare," Diana tells him that recording the album, despite its emotional toll, was "the best thing that's ever happened to er. She also reveals that the entire band knew Grover had lied about his prior engineering experience, but Peter had pushed to hire him anyway. Grover stays in the studio alone, editing "Drive" at the mixing console.

Background

Adjmi and Butler began working on the piece in 2014, with the project being workshopped in 2018 at the Sundance Institute Theatre Lab. Adjmi wanted to create a piece of theatre that felt like the audience was watching a documentary unfolding on stage, while avoiding the piece becoming a full-blown musical. The set design includes real music recording equipment. As cast member Eli Gelb said, "It’s all recorded live. The entire band, every instrument, every audio signal ... every night. Every audio signal that you hear is routed to a mixer."

Production history

Off-Broadway (2023)

The play premiered Off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons on October 6, 2023, with an official opening of October 26, directed by Daniel Aukin. It was named Best Play of the Year by the ''Washington Post'', and "hands-down the best American play since the pandemic" by former ''New York Times'' critic Ben Brantley. ''Stereophonic'' was named Best of 2023 by numerous publications, including the ''New Yorker'', ''New York Magazine'', ''The New York Times'', ''The Wrap'', and ''Time Out New York''. After multiple extensions, the play closed on December 17, 2023.

Broadway (2024–2025)

In January 2024, it was announced the play would transfer to Broadway in early 2024 for a limited engagement. The show began previews on April 2, 2024, and officially opened on Broadway on April 19 at the John Golden Theatre. The production was scheduled to run until July 7, 2024 before being extended multiple times due to popular demand. The production received acclaim from critics, earning 5 wins and 13 nominations at the 77th Tony Awards. The show won Best Play, Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play (Will Brill), Best Direction of a Play (Daniel Aukin), Best Scenic Design of a Play (David Zinn), and Best Sound Design of a Play (Ryan Rumery). It tied with the jukebox musical ''Hell's Kitchen'' as the two most nominated shows at the ceremony. ''Stereophonic'' now holds the record for the most Tony nominations by a play, surpassing the record previously held by ''Slave Play''. Sarah Pidgeon, Juliana Canfield, and Tom Pecinka departed the production on September 29 with Amy Forsyth, Rebecca Naomi Jones, and Benjamin Anthony Anderson replacing their respective roles as Diana, Holly, and Peter respectively.

The production closed on January 12, 2025.

West End (2025)

In January 2025, it was announced that the show would transfer to the West End at the Duke of York’s Theatre, with performances scheduled to begin in May 2025. Eli Gelb, Andrew R. Butler, and Chris Stack are set to reprise their roles from the previous two productions. Joining the cast are Zachary Hart, Lucy Karczewski, Jack Riddiford and Nia Towle.

US Tour (2025–2026)

A US tour is scheduled to begin in October 2025 at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle. It will also visit the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles from December 9, 2025 to January 2, 2026.

Original cast and characters

Notable replacements

Broadway (2024–2025)

* Diana: Amy Forsyth
* Holly: Rebecca Naomi Jones

Musical numbers

Although the play is not a musical, several 1970s inspired original songs are played live in the set's "studio" as the play depicts the recording of the album. In the Off-Broadway and Broadway version, the actors themselves supply all the vocals and play all the music, though many in the cast had to learn to play their instrument for this production. Will Brill had never even held a bass before being cast as the band's bassist.

An original cast recording of the music from ''Stereophonic'' was released digitally on May 10, 2024, and became available on CD on June 14, 2024.

;Track listing
* "Seven Roads"
* "Bright v1"
* "Masquerade"
* "Bright (Fast)"
* "Drive"
* "Champagne"
* "East of Eden"
* "Domino"
* "'It's made of teak'"
* "In Your Arms"
* "BVs"
* "Exorcist II"
* "Campfire Masquerade"
* "Bright (Take 22)"

Copyright lawsuit

In October 2024, a lawsuit was filed, alleging that the play Stereophonic infringes on the memoir ''Making Rumours: The Inside Story of the Classic Fleetwood Mac Album'' by Ken Caillat and Steven Stiefel. The lawsuit claimed the play is an unauthorized adaptation of the book, detailing events similar to those in Caillat’s experience as a sound engineer and co-producer of Fleetwood Mac's 1977 album '' Rumours''. In December 2024, the lawsuit was settled out of court.

Awards and nominations

2023 Off-Broadway production

2024 Broadway production

References

External links

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{{DramaDesk Play
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American plays
Plays set in California
Plays set in the 1970s
Off-Broadway plays
2023 plays
Broadway plays
Tony Award–winning plays