Hit Play, Stereophonic, Sings To Writers

 

I just saw a new Broadway play with a record number of Tony nominations, and it certainly is certainly worthy of a ticket. It offers multiple story lines of interest, but the one I relate to most as a writer, is the question that is repeatedly raised: How much is one willing to sacrifice — of their time, heart, relationships, and even self-respect — to produce the best of their potential while still being able to have a life of enjoyment and balanced fulfillment?

Stereophonic, a play that explores what happens behind the scenes to the members of a mythical band of the 1970s as it rises to surprising fame, is up for 13 Tonys, including some for its music, is not considered a musical. The music is quite good and reveals some real talent, especially by the lead female singer, played by Sarah Pidgeon.

Though this unduly long drama is badly in need of an edit, this three-and-a-half-hour Broadway play is powerful, entertaining, and enlightening. It peels away, layer by layer, and dissects everything down to the bone marrow, the very aspects of creativity and the pursuit of fame — and the high, often self-inflicted, toll that it exacts on the mind, body, and sprit of its pursuers. The show will stay with you long after the stage is quieted and the lights go dark.

The predictable elements are there for any story about a band of that time period — excessive drugs and booze, hookups within the band, late-night arguments, and in-house debates on the creative flow of the music. Big egos can even choke the smoke out of the hazy recording studio air. Ever present is a plausible tension that can lead to breakthrough creativity — or the band’s breakup.

Writers, like musicians, battle many challenges, and often their personal health and relationships suffer for it. They also must deal with their own insecurities, fears, upbringing, and goals. They may seemingly compete with others, but it is often with themselves, inwardly, that they rage their fiercest battles.

 

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Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, with over 3.9 million page views, can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com  He is available to help authors promote their story, sell their book, and grow their brand. He has over 30 years of experience in successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres. Let him be your advocate, teacher, and motivator!

 

About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2024. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This award-winning blog has generated over 3.9 million pageviews. With 4,900+ posts over the past dozen years, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs  and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” For the past three decades, including 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and director of publicity positions at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and has spoken at ASJA, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, Morgan James Publishing, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. His first published book was The Florida Homeowner, Condo, & Co-Op Association Handbook.  It was featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.