Broadway Backstory
Dear Season Subscribers and Broadway Fans:
Reno is one of the earliest cities to present the brand-new National Tour of Stereophonic, the Most Tony-nominated Play of all time and 2024 Winner of “Best Play.” This show promises a different kind of experience for Broadway Comes to Reno audiences – a full-length “play with music” that is usually reserved only for New York audiences and rarely goes out on the road. After our team saw the show on Broadway, we immediately knew our patrons would be on the edge of their seats, engulfed in the dramatic tension, just as we were. Stereophonic makes you feel cool just to be in the same room with the rock band! We are honored to bring the show to the historic Pioneer Center and northern Nevada for the first time.
The Broadway Backstory Newsletter is created by Pioneer Center Education to help you learn more about the shows in our Broadway Comes to Reno series. Below you will find information and links [in blue] to websites, videos, and articles about the history and creators of the show. Don’t forget to forward this email to the other subscribers and Broadway lovers in your party.
Your tickets to Stereophonic were emailed to you as a PDF attachment on November 26th. Look for the subject line “Confirmation of Order Number.” We look forward to seeing you at the Pioneer Center soon!
Get the backstory on Broadway’s Stereophonic
The playwright is David Adjmi who set out to write a play with music set in a real recording studio, while avoiding creation of a full-blown musical He wanted it to feel like watching a documentary unfold live. Adjmi has had other works produced at Lincoln Center and The Royal Shakespeare Company, but Stereophonic is his Broadway debut.
The characters in the play perform live, original music written by Will Butler, best known for his Grammywinning work with the band he created with his brother, Arcade Fire. Fun fact: Though he was raised in Texas, Butler was born in Truckee, CA!
Daniel Aukin serves as the play’s director. He won the Tony and Drama Desk Awards for this work, previously directed Fool for Love by Sam Shephard on Broadway, and was the Artistic Director of SoHo Rep in NYC for 8 years.
The writing of the play began in 2014 prior to a developmental workshop at Utah’s now closed Sundance Institute Theatre Lab in 2018
Stereophonic had its world premiere off-Broadway at New York’s Playwright’s Horizons, opening in October 2023 It received several Drama Desk and Lortel Awards. A Broadway transfer with a predetermined limited run was soon announced.
Stereophonic opened on Broadway at the John Golden Theatre on April 19, 2024, where it ran for 321 performances, closing in January 2025. The play received 11 Tony nominations, the most ever for a nonmusical. It won 5 Tonys, including “Best Play ”
All recording studio equipment seen on stage is real and the music is produced and mixed in real time each night. Scenic design is by David Zinn (Tony Award), costumes are by Enver Chakartash, lighting is by Jiyoun Chang, and sound design is by Ryan Rumery (Tony Award).
Stereophonic opened in London’s West End at the Duke of York’s Theatre in June 2025 and will conclude its run at the end of this year.
The First U.S. National Tour playing the Pioneer Center just launched in October 2025 at Seattle’s Paramount Theatre, making Reno one of the first cities to receive this theatrical experience. Stereophonic moves on to Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington DC, Boston, and other major cities after playing the Pioneer Center.
Visit the tour’s official site HERE.
Learn more about the cultural significance of Stereophonic
Audiences for Stereophonic will experience a 3-hour dramatic “play with music.” Learn more about the collaborative writing process. Read the article HERE.
Singer/songwriter Will Butler shares more about his creative process and personal connection to Stereophonic. Read the article HERE.
The music recording industry was revolutionized in the 1970s as technology for recording and listening saw many advancements. Read more HERE. Stereophonic restored this journalist’s faith in live theatre. Learn more in this Freakanomics podcast HERE. Listen to the Original Broadway Cast Recording on Spotify HERE.
To learn more about the historic Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts, please visit www.pioneercenter.com
