A band recording what will become their follow up smash album in a Sausalito studio in 1976 has been fodder for rock and roll history ever since it occurred. Fictionalizing the story of what certainly seems to be Fleetwood Mac has fueled not only a pretty decent mini-series on Amazon Prime (Daisy Jones and The Six) but the most nominated play in Broadway history. Stereophonic Is an enjoyable romp through the foibles and volatile personalities of a band spilling over with talent and emotion. At the Pantages, the cast acquitted themselves admirably in what playwright David Adjmi described as “the radio edit.” Trimmed from its original 3+ hour run time, the current iteration is still performed in four acts.
Without much backstory, we are dropped into the studio and over time the personalities become clearer, they dynamics among the band begin to take focus.
The parallels with Fleetwood Mac are evident: a five piece band, two women, three men, two Yanks, three Brits, intra-band intimate relationships, a headstrong leader on guitar, a drummer who also manages the band and drinks a bit too much. Diana (Claire DeJean) is the Stevie Nicks of the band, complaining she doesn’t know what to do with her hands while onstage; the rest of the band play instruments. Diana has an obvious talent in songwriting, which her boyfriend Peter (Denver Milord), the Lindsey Buckingham of the band, both nurtures and fears.
Bassist Reg and keyboardist Holly are stand ins for the married couple John and Christine McVie. Their relationship is physically manifested as they stand physically furthest apart in the studio, but seemed to drift in and out of intimacy during the course of the play.
When a song from the prior album released months earlier hits the charts, newfound vigor hits the band. That was indeed the case while Rumours was being recorded.
Claire DeJean as ‘Diana’ and Denver Milord as ‘Peter’
Strictly speaking, Stereophonic is not a musical. The music written for the play was composed by Will Butler from the indie rock band Arcade Fire, and captures quite well the vibe of the era portrayed. Director Daniel Aukin generally keeps the pace flowing, but even with the radio edit version on offer, a few sequences lag.
For music fans, Stereophonic is a treat. For those looking for well-drawn characters in a Petri dish of creativity, the play delivers.
Fleetwood Mac shipped many albums and has clearly been the catalyst for several storylines. With rumo[u]rs again swirling about a reunion, the band can take comfort that it is not only their music that continues to inspire.
Playing through January 2, 2026. tickets available at BroadwayInHollywood.com or Ticketmaster.com
Photos by Julieta Cervantes
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