Now at The National Theatre the Multi Tony Award-Winning Play Stereophonic Reflects the Personal Struggles of a Band Who Made Some of the Most Beloved Iconic Music of Its Day
Broadway at the National
Jordan Wright
February 12, 2026
Jack Barrett (Grover) in the First National Tour of Stereophonic. (Photo/Julieta Cervantes)
Let’s just get this one particular misconception about this production out of the way. Stereophonic is not a rock concert per se. As many, myself included, have envisioned it to be. The producers call it “a play”. Nevertheless, it most assuredly has gorgeous original music by composer Will Butler (formerly of the band Arcade Fire) and an emotional story based on Fleetwood Mac’s years’ long effort to complete their iconic album “Rumours”. And, just to clear up one more thing, the show, Stereophonic, is in no way related to the Welsh band of the same name.
Writer David Adjmi’s story recalls 70’s era music production and that period’s notorious reputation of drugs, booze and Rock and Roll. Divided into four acts, the story focuses on a dysfunctional five-member band and two studio engineers, Grover (Jack Barrett), “We’ll just give them coke and booze.” and Charlie (Steven Lee Johnson), his assistant engineer and gofer, both young men trying futilely to keep the band’s massive egos under control. Lead singer and producer of the album Peter (Denver Milord) and the beautiful lead singer Diana (Claire Dejean) are an on-again-off-again couple, and, for a time, so are bass player, coke head and philanderer Reg (Christopher Mowod) and his wife keyboardist and vocalist Holly (Emilie Kouatchou), who seems to be the only band member who is sober and neatly grounded. Simon (Cornelius McMoyler), the drummer, the group’s manager and resident control freak, pines for his wife and kids back in England, who sadly never reunite with him in California. Despite their feuds, gaslighting and drama the group lays down beautiful music and gorgeous harmonies.
Claire DeJean (Diana), Emilie Kouatchou (Holly), and Denver Milord (Peter). (Photo/ Julieta Cervantes)
Set Designer David Zinn’s two-story set is remarkable. The lower half is a control room with a large mixing board cum lounge where the band hangs out, freaks out and disses each other, and listens to their playbacks. The upper half is the ‘live room’ where the group performs and is separated from the control room by glass walls so that the cast is always within our view and where we can hear them. In their chats they reference 70’s pop culture, debating the movie, Don’t Look Back, which starred filmdom’s “It Girl”, Julie Christie, and her co-star Donald Sutherland and mentioning Carlos Casteneda, a Peruvian shaman whose books on magical realism were all the rage at the time.
In the fourth and final act the band moves to a studio in Los Angeles where the album at last comes to fruition. Expect mental breakdowns and mind games in this searing psychodrama as the unlikely group rises to the top of the charts in this wildly successful, five-time Tony Award-winning production. What sets this story apart from other “rock musicals” is the candor and intimacy between the group members and how, despite all odds, they are able to produce incredibly harmonious music.
In April 2024, Stereophonic became the most Tony-nominated play in history receiving 13 Award nominations. It then became the most Tony Award-winning show of the 2024 season, winning 5 Tony Awards including “Best Play”.
Denver Milord (Peter), Christopher Mowod (Reg), Claire DeJean as (Diana), and Emilie Kouatchou (Holly). (Photo/Julieta Cervantes)
Directed by Tony Award winner, Daniel Aukin, it’s a stunner with a terrific cast!
Costume Design by Enver Chakartash; Lighting Design by Jiyoun Chang; Sound Design by Ryan Rumery; Orchestrations by Will Butler & Justin Craig; Music Direction by Justin Craig.
Through March 1st at The National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC 20004. For tickets and information call the box office at 202.628.6161 or visit www.BroadwayatTheNational.com