Stereophonic (play) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Stereophonic
Broadway promotional poster
Written by	David Adjmi
Date of premiere	October 29, 2023
Place of premiere	Playwrights Horizons
Original language	English
Genre	Drama
Setting	Sausalito, California, 1976

Stereophonic is an exciting play with music. It was written by American playwright David Adjmi. The music for the play was created by Will Butler, who is known from the indie rock band Arcade Fire.

This play won the top prize, the 2024 Tony Award for Best Play. The story is about a made-up rock band. They are almost famous, but they face many challenges. The play shows them trying to record their new album. This happens between 1976 and 1977.

Stereophonic first opened off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons in 2023. Later, it moved to Broadway at the John Golden Theatre in 2024. Critics really loved the play. Some even compared it to the real band Fleetwood Mac. They thought it was like their famous 1977 album, Rumours.

The play made history at the Tony Awards. It received 13 nominations, which is the most for any play ever. It won awards for Best Play and Best Direction of a Play. Several actors also received nominations. Will Brill won for Best Featured Actor in a Play. Stereophonic also won other major awards. These include the Drama League Award and the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award.

Creating the Play

The writer, David Adjmi, and the musician, Will Butler, started working on Stereophonic in 2014. They developed the project in 2018. This happened at the Sundance Institute Theatre Lab.

Adjmi wanted the audience to feel like they were watching a real documentary. He wanted the play to show what it's like behind the scenes. But he did not want it to be a full musical. The stage set even includes real music recording equipment. This helps make it feel very authentic.

Play Performances

Off-Broadway Shows (2023)

The play first opened off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons. This was on October 6, 2023. The official opening night was October 26. Daniel Aukin directed the play.

Many important newspapers and magazines praised the show. The Washington Post called it the Best Play of the Year. A former New York Times critic said it was the best American play since the pandemic. The play was so popular that its run was extended many times. It finally closed on December 17, 2023.

Broadway Shows (2024)

In January 2024, it was announced that Stereophonic would move to Broadway. It started preview performances on April 2, 2024. The official Broadway opening was on April 19. This happened at the John Golden Theatre.

The show was first planned to run until July 7, 2024. But because it was so popular, it was extended. First, it was extended to August 18, 2024. Then, it was extended again until January 5, 2025.

The Broadway production also received great reviews. It won 5 awards at the 77th Tony Awards. It also received 13 nominations. The play won Best Play. Other wins included Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play for Will Brill. Daniel Aukin won for Best Direction of a Play. The play also won for its amazing set design and sound design. Stereophonic now holds the record for the most Tony nominations for a play.

Main Characters and Actors

The actors in Stereophonic played their roles in both the Off-Broadway and Broadway productions.

Music in the Play

Even though Stereophonic is a play and not a musical, it has original songs. These songs are inspired by the 1970s. They are played live on stage in the "studio" set. The play shows the band recording their album.

The actors themselves sing and play all the music. Many of them had to learn new instruments for their roles. For example, Will Brill had never played a bass guitar before he was cast as the band's bassist!

An album of the music from Stereophonic was released. It came out digitally on May 10, 2024. A CD version was available on June 14, 2024.

Songs from the play

• "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)"

Awards and Nominations

Stereophonic has won many awards. It has also been nominated for many others.

2023 Off-Broadway Awards

2024 Broadway Awards