“Stereophonic” is the most celebrated Broadway show that nobody has heard of. Kansas City is lucky to have this gem brought to us thanks to the PNC Broadway in Kansas City series.

The show, which played 305 performances on Broadway in 2024 and 2025, features original songs from Arcade Fire alumnus Will Butler. It showcases the behind-the-scenes euphoria and angst of a 1970’s recording studio session by a band about to get its big break. It’s sometimes seen as a veiled reference to the tension behind real-life chart-toppers Fleetwood Mac.

The show made history by receiving 13 Tony nominations, the most any show has ever received. It won five Tonies, including best play and best director, a very impressive haul given the caliber of shows in the New York Broadway scene.

Take a bow Ryan Rumery! The sound design for “Stereophonic” is pure imagination on a stage. He weaves the complexities of microscopic, precision, Billboard Top 40 songs and albums with five musicians that are self destructing and personally destructing each other. His attention to each note of music plays off of this cast of seven and coaxes each sound from their mouths and turns it into impossible perfection.

Director Daniel Aukin has taken on a very challenging task with this production. It is a small cast of seven, and all have equal roles.

There is as much silent subtext as there is active interaction and this tone is set from the very beginning. There are long pauses between dialogue, but the pauses are intentionally part of the character interaction. Over the course of the show, the pauses are funny, then they’re awkward, and finally sad.

This is all done with a sense of finesse and complete knowledge of how the person playing the character is able to give to the moment. It is difficult timing to master as a director and Aukin plays it like a fiddle.

The show runs through Sunday, Apr. 12 at the Kauffman Center. Tickets are available through https://BroadwayinKC.com.