Inside the Celebratory Night with the ‘Stereophonic’ Team After Their Triumphant Tony Awards Victory
Celebrating the ‘Stereophonic’ Team’s Triumphant Tony Awards Night
The cast and crew behind Broadway’s hottest play, Stereophonic, celebrated late into the night after winning five Tony Awards.
As the Tony Awards prepared to announce the final award of the night (Best Musical, which went to The Outsiders), the team behind Stereophonic was already celebrating at P.J. Clarke’s, across from the Lincoln Center. This new play, chronicling a Seventies band on the brink of fame, was nominated for 13 awards, the most ever for a play. Unlike previous record-holder Slave Play, Stereophonic won big, taking home five trophies, including Best Play.
Will Butler, the former Arcade Fire member who composed the play’s original songs, was among the first to arrive at Clarke’s. Though he didn’t win for Best Score or Best Orchestrations, his spirits were high. “It felt great, then I was tired, then it felt weird, then it felt great. Then I ate a little, and now I feel really good,” he said.
The show represents over a decade of work by Butler, director Daniel Aukin (Best Director winner), and playwright David Adjmi (Best Play winner). Butler praised the collaborative nature of the team, likening it to his experiences with Arcade Fire and his current band.
Amid the celebrations, Adjmi was still reeling from his acceptance speech, admitting that the beta blocker his agent gave him didn’t quite work. “I thought I was going to have to be hospitalized on that stage. When I was walking up the stairs, I said to my director, ‘I can’t do this. I want to go back to my seat.’ It was terrifying!” he said.
Since its April opening, Stereophonic has received rave reviews and sold-out performances, extending its run until January. The play’s soundtrack has also gained popularity, with more Spotify listeners than Merrily We Roll Along.
Reflecting on the show’s success, Adjmi said, “As soon as I get used to some new thing happening, everything gets broken open again. It’s both the show growing into itself and the public and critics responding in an overwhelming way. People are coming back 10 times.”
The unique concept of the play, with the audience watching the drama from behind a recording studio soundboard, initially garnered buzz at Playwrights Horizon, where hardcore theater fans filled the smaller venue nightly.
Jeb Brill, who plays the troubled bassist Reg, described the role as both challenging and rewarding. “I feel very lucky to play him. He’s such a sweet entity. Shows like this make me wonder if I have the capacity for this life. So much has been asked of us by David, and we all love it.”
With Tony season behind them, the team looks forward to new projects. Butler’s band, Will Butler + Sister Squares, plans a summer tour featuring songs from the show, and he and Adjmi are planning a rock opera. Adjmi has also been fielding calls about adapting Stereophonic into a movie or TV series.
P.J. Clarke’s was just the first stop. The team also attended the must-see party at The Carlyle, hosted by their publicity firm O&M. The event featured French fries, Moët, and a star-studded guest list, including Sarah Paulson and Billy Porter near the entrance, and Eddie Redmayne by the Bemelman’s bar.
Butler was one of the first to arrive, followed by the show’s female leads, Sarah Pidgeon and Juliana Canfield, who were quickly pulled into photo ops. Brill, basking in the praise, moved from room to room, while Eli Gelb, who plays the band’s engineer, arrived around 3 a.m., drawing his own crowd.
On stage, Adjmi emphasized the importance of casting fresh faces, but by the end of the night, the Stereophonic team had become the biggest stars in the room.
