Broadway audiences made the Stereophonic cast feel like rock stars April 2 when the show (written by David Adjmi) had its first preview performance, where all tickets were $40 and were completely sold out. After the show's three hours were over, the audience leapt to their feet and gave the cast a standing ovation, which continued for over two minutes after everyone left the stage.
On social media, the show's playwright Adjmi reacted with: "This was my first ever preview on Broadway and it was pure electricity. Once the actors left, the audience applauded a bare stage for something like two minutes. It was so moving."
Standing ovations are common on Broadway, but one that keeps on going after the cast have left the stage is still rare. Such applause usually encourages the cast to come out for a second bow, though that did not happen last night. Instead, the applause died down when one of the actors, Tom Pecinka, came out and told the crowd that the show was over. According to a representative from the show, because all (save one) of the cast members had made their Broadway debuts last night, the actors didn't know they were supposed to come back out for an encore bow.
Well, it seems the cast will know for next time. See the photos from Stereophonic's first preview below.
Company of Stereophonic
Company of Stereophonic
Company of Stereophonic
Chris Stack
Eli Gelb
Juliana Canfield
Sarah Pidgeon
Will Brill
Andrew R. Butler
Tom Pecinka
Marquee for Stereophonic
The Golden Theatre
Stereophonic, which transfers from its Off-Broadway world premiere via Playwrights Horizons, is set to open April 19 at the Golden Theatre. Featuring original songs by former Arcade Fire member Will Butler, the work invites audiences to be a fly on the wall in a 1976 music studio as an up-and-coming rock band records a new album that could catapult them to superstar status. The sold-out Playwrights Horizons world premiere ran late last year and made several "Best of 2023" theatre lists.
As Adjmi told Playbill in a previous interview: “I definitely knew from the beginning that I wanted it to feel very granular. I wanted them to talk about very mundane things, because that is what a collaborative process is like. And even though people look really glamorous and really blown out on stage, I can channel this profound energy of when they're living their lives—doing laundry and frying an egg. I'm really interested in that duality. And I just didn't want to do a boilerplate depiction of rock stars.”
READ: How the Company Cast Recording Documentary Inspired Stereophonic
The full Off-Broadway cast reprises their performances from the premiere, including Will Brill as Reg, Andrew R. Butler as Charlie, Juliana Canfield as Holly, Eli Gelb as Grover, Tom Pecinka as Peter, Sarah Pidgeon as Diana, and Chris Stack as Simon.
The production is supported by understudies Cornelius McMoyler, Benjamin Anthony Anderson, Sofia Deler, and Lily Ganser. Casting is by Alaine Alldaffer and Taylor Williams.
Also back from the Off-Broadway premiere: director Daniel Aukin and his entire creative team, including costume designer Enver Chakartash, lighting designer Jiyoun Chang, sound designer Ryan Rumery, and music director Justin Craig.
The Broadway run is produced by Sue Wagner, John Johnson, Seaview, Sonia Friedman Productions, Linden Productions, and Ashley Melone & Nick Mills.
Visit StereophonicPlay.com.
