In 2024, Stereophonic became the most Tony-nominated play in history, receiving 13 award nominations and 5 wins. Written by David Adjmi, directed by Daniel Aukin, and featuring original music by Arcade Fire’s Will Butler, this play has garnered acclaim, if not hysteria, from critics and fans alike. It was hailed by The New York Times as “a must-see American classic,” while The Washington Post called it “the best play of the year.” Oozing with intimacy, intrigue, and rock ’n’ roll panache, the national tour of Stereophonic now playing at DC’s National Theatre proves tenfold: the hype is real.
Like Fleetwood Mac’s romantic drama or John Fogerty’s “iron-fisted control” over songwriting, Stereophonic brings a music tabloid scandal off the page with this humanistic study of what happens when a band blows up but crashes out. While parallels could certainly be drawn to real-life musicians, this band and these characters are entirely fictional (though it did incite a lawsuit in 2024 for too closely paralleling the story behind the making of Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours). Aukin stages the play as if it were a documentary, though it is still imbued with a spontaneous, pulse-like energy possible only on stage. The play is slightly cut for time from the Broadway production to meet the demands of a national tour, but it excels in storytelling nonetheless.
We open on a recording studio in July 1976, Sausalito, California. Itching for a cigarette and a cup of coffee, dreamy singer-songwriter Diana (Claire DeJean) cozies up to her bandmate Simon (Cornelius McMoyler), who casually but confidently drops the fact that her song just broke Billboard’s Top 40. With invigorating vocal chops and serious main-character energy, DeJean proves Diana’s worth as a performer, but she remains insecure and undercut by her more success-oriented boyfriend Peter (Denver Milord). Bandmates and lovers at the same time, Peter and Diana steer the play’s conflict, but Adjmi’s script is delicate and authentic, embracing the multitudes of each character and the complexities of their relative entanglements.
Emilie Kouatchou plays Holly, the ultimate girl-next-door who greets her bandmates with breezy familiarity. Jake Regensburg plays her hippie-dippie soon-to-be ex-husband Reg, who less gracefully descends the studio stairs three sheets to the wind. Their “will they, won’t they” divorce story disturbs the band’s synchronicity sometimes; other times, it fuels their creative passion. The same goes for Peter and Diana, who bicker as frequently over songwriting as they do over parenthood. Peter wants to relegate Diana to “wifey” status, while Diana boils beneath the surface — the partner with more natural talent but more reckless abandon than her commandeering counterpart. Feeding off booze and cocaine, every moment between characters is heated with the potential to become hotter.
Jack Barrett and Steven Lee Johnson play the youthful sound engineers Grover (who lied about engineering for The Eagles) and Charlie (who is cousins with a Doobie Brother — “a Doobie cousin,” if you will). They establish a comically voyeuristic tone for the production, all of which takes place inside a recording studio. The play operates through Grover’s eyes as he negotiates the demands of the band while at the same time musing on the pop-cultural magnitude of what is taking place. He approaches every one of the band’s insults, outbursts, and affections with professionalism — and with earnest delirium.
With each character costumed by Enver Chakartash in chic ’70s flair, the play’s sultry, smoky vibe is alluring in and of itself. Scenic designer David Zinn keeps the action in one location, interiorly lit by Jiyoun Chang to evoke the passage of time — in both hours and seasons. The hot and heavy nights of July are angered by the isolation of winter, and, when 3 months in the recording studio turns into 12, bandmates begin to lose sight of themselves and lose grip on one another. They are, as the script reminds us at every moment, on the cusp of unimaginable greatness.
Not quite a musical, not quite a concert, nor even a traditionally staged play — it’s the music that makes Stereophonic a genre-blending triumph. Interspersed with quick-paced dialog and cut-throat conflict, songbreaks are necessary and deeply welcomed. Butler’s “Bright” and “Masquerade” sound as close to true classics as imaginable, while still sounding original. Diana’s singing alone is transcendent. The best part: it’s all recorded live.
There is no villain to Stereophonic; there are no heroes either. It is a meticulous, fly-on-the-wall snapshot of what happens when artistic creation is pushed to its limits. Reveling in their own adrenaline, these characters live on the brink of climactic revelation — aching, wanting, and vying for the pinnacle of some unknown discovery. While its warnings about ambition ring clear, Stereophonic is nevertheless intensely galvanizing and extremely satisfying.
Running Time: Two hours and 50 minutes, including one intermission.
Stereophonic plays through March 1, 2026, at The National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC. Purchase tickets online or at the National Theatre box office.
You can save on tickets with code GUITAR for Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday evening performances. The code should be entered before selecting your seats by clicking the “unlock” button on the Ticketmaster page.
The national tour cast and creative credits are online here.
