For years, the playwright David Adjmi was considered “polarizing and difficult.” But creating Stereophonic seems to have healed him. Stephen Dubner gets the story — and sorts out what Adjmi has in common with Richard Wagner.

• SOURCES:
  • David Adjmi, author and playwright.

• RESOURCES:
  • "The West End is enjoying a theatre revival. Can Broadway keep up?" by Daniel Thomas (Financial Times, 2025).
  • Lot Six: A Memoir, by David Adjmi (2020).
  • Stereophonic, (2023).

• EXTRAS:
  • "How Is Live Theater Still Alive?" by Freakonomics Radio (2025).
  • "How to Make the Coolest Show on Broadway," by Freakonomics Radio (2024).