If you’ve been privy to any of the marketing for the national tour of “Stereophonic,” you’re already well aware that the show is “the most Tony Award-nominated play of all time,” as this accolade is plastered so prominently on every bit of promotional material that it might as well become the show’s official tagline. And yet, on the opening night of “Stereophonic” at Playhouse Square, many audience members abandoned their seats at intermission.
How did a show so lauded by critics garner such a lukewarm – even downright cold – response from Playhouse Square audiences? The problem is not with the play or the production, both of which are exquisite, but instead lies with expectations garnered by the performance space.
“Stereophonic” follows an unnamed British-American rock band in 1976. Drummer Simon acts as the manager for this up-and-coming group, which is also composed of guitarist Peter, vocalist Diana, keyboardist Holly and bassist Reg. When they enter a studio in Sausalito to record their second album with the help of sound engineers Grover and Charlie, they are on the brink of fame. Over the course of nearly a year, the band experiences the extreme highs and lows of the creative process while trying to overcome rapidly deteriorating intrapersonal relationships.
The entirety of the show takes place in a gorgeous, multi-tiered recording studio designed by David Zinn. Although the cast is really playing instruments and the show has drawn numerous parallels to Fleetwood Mac (enough to spark a lawsuit), playwright David Adjmi’s show is not about music, per se. While it features snippets of original, `70s-era music by Arcade Fire’s Will Butler, “Stereophonic” is more about the creative process of making music, much to many audience members’ chagrin.
Adjmi’s script is masterful: the characters are rich, the dialogue is authentic, the dynamics are complex and the interactions are realistic. Adjmi allows audiences a glimpse into the creative process, showcasing the often dichotic emotions experienced while creating art, be it frustration, elation, discomfort, excitement, obsession or enthusiasm. Multiply these emotions by seven, then place them in the pressure cooker brought about by fame, shaky relationships and lots and lots of drugs, and you have a robust, substantive play.
Denver Milord plays Peter, the de facto leader of the band, who becomes increasingly obsessed with every element of the album. Milord can be commended for his authentic portrayal of the controlling character, who becomes more and more unsavory as the show progresses. Peter’s longtime partner, Diana, is played by Claire DeJean. DeJean’s voice is utterly captivating, and although the musical performances are not the focus of the show, her prowess makes it difficult not to want to hear more.
Holly, played by Emilie Kouatchou, also has a wonderful voice, but Kouatchou’s rambling monologues are where she really shines. Christopher Mowod is cast as Holly’s husband, Reg. Mowod is terribly convincing as he stumbles and bumbles about in drug-addled states, yet he still maintains a sort of sweet lovability.
Cornelius McMoyler as Simon is the most level-headed, likable member of the band, and he delivers an endearing and charming performance. Much welcome comedic relief is supplied by Jack Barrett as Grover and Steven Lee Johnson as Charlie, who are trying their damnedest to engineer an album while navigating the drama, egos and volatility of their very unstable clients.
Jiyoun Chang’s lighting design is well-suited for the studio space while Ryan Rumery’s sound design is so convincing that you could truly believe that the sound board at the center of the set design is controlling the audio. Enver Chakartash’s flowy, pattern-heavy costume design is from the `70s head-to-toe.
This is a show that doesn’t just call for realism, it relies on it. While the play might have stunned on Broadway and impressed this reviewer, the meandering script and subtle staging that lends the show its realism are the very elements that do not translate effectively in Playhouse Square’s 2,800-seat Connor Palace theater.
Director Daniel Aukin employs plenty of pregnant pauses that help sell the script’s authentic dialogue, and the stellar cast at the heart of the show conveys gobs of emotions through their facial expressions alone – if you are seated close enough to see them.
Not only does subtlety lose its effectiveness in such a large house, but it is not what audiences of Playhouse Square have come to expect from the KeyBank Broadway Series. The 2025-26 season consists of “The Notebook,” “Hell’s Kitchen,” “Stereophonic,” “Suffs,” “Water for Elephants,” “The Outsiders” and “The Great Gatsby.” It’s fairly obvious that one of these titles is not like the others.
Playhouse Square’s 40,000-plus annual season ticket holders – more than any other touring Broadway venue in North America – expect to be dazzled with sweeping music, complex choreography and larger-than-life production designs that translate all the way to the very last row of seats. “Stereophonic” is simply not built to live up to these expectations.
It certainly doesn’t help that the touring “Stereophonic” is composed of four acts that clock in at almost three hours, leaving audiences antsy and yawning.
“Stereophonic” is exceptionally written and performed, but it does not feel as at home at Playhouse Square as it would in one of Northeast Ohio’s many professional, regional theaters. While some audiences will still appreciate the gentle artistry of the play, if the tepid reception on opening night is any indication, most will leave the performance with dashed expectations born from the play’s Tony Award-heavy marketing and the energetic caliber of shows they’ve come to expect from Playhouse Square. And they can hardly be blamed, for this is a case of the right play, the wrong place.
“Stereophonic” runs through Jan. 25, 2026, at Playhouse Square,1501 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland. Visit playhousesquare.org or call (216) 241-6000 for tickets, $35-$135.
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