Didn’t see anyone report this but here’s the new Be More Chill artwork for broadway.
https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/BE-MORE-CHILL-Gets-an-Image-Upgrade-20181126
Any ideas as to why they changed it?
Wow, I really do not like that. The red/green/blue was fine.
EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW.
I don't hate it, but I don't understand why they felt they had to ditch the Off-Broadway artwork. Sure, it's standard for shows to get refreshes when they come to Broadway, but this feels very regional-theater-y.
Also - who the hell is on that poster? It sure isn't either of the Wills - it looks almost like Gideon Glick or Chris McCarell lol. Maybe just a model or stock image.
Update: I’m 99% confident now that it’s Will Roland, but like highly vectorized.
I guess they want to play up a vaporwave/80s cyberpunk aesthetic?
Stand-by Joined: 8/24/12
That has to be some of the ugliest artwork I've ever seen. I don't understand why you would take something that went viral and change anything about it.....While I know it was more the music and some b roll that went viral and not necessarily the art itself, the art is still part of the whole. Why couldn't they have ENHANCED the original artwork.
This (like most Joe Iconis work) looks like College Musical Theater. YIKES!
*Also love how they justify the changes in the video...that was weird.
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/11/16
I don't mind the colors or the image. It's that font that's terrible.
Broadway Star Joined: 11/22/16
Eh, I might be in the minority here, but I see it as an improvement. I was never a fan of the off broadway artwork, the covered head with the blocks and logo always seemed odd to me. This feels more vibrant, a bit younger, which fits with their target audience, doesn’t it?
Also, the font is the same as before, it’s just presented in a neon-sign kinda way now.
Understudy Joined: 2/5/15
not sure it feels like the artwork for a major Broadway musical (maybe a cyber-FOOTLOOSE?) but I like it a lot more than the original, which was very off-putting (for middle-agers like me, maybe....but we do buy a lot of those tickets). And that font? Doesn't work large or small....oh, and I guess that's a little 'chill pill' built into the title treatment? How's THAT going to work when the title needs to be small?
Anyway, in marketing any show/series/film these days you need to ensure that it'll register when it's a small tile on the TKTS or TODAY TIX app....or in a thumbnail on a site..,..at least the old artwork 'worked' the same way in all sizes.
I think it is pretty cool! Prefer it over the original.
If the show takes place in the 80s then it makes sense, but I’m pretty sure it doesn’t (I haven’t seen it). I like the grapic of the guy and the pill, but the colors and the font screams retro-. If that doesn’t watch the aesthetic and timeframe of the show then that’s confusing. It does echo 80’s arcade video game or new wave album cover fonts so maybe that is what they were going for? It just makes it look like a one dimensional graphic which I assume isn’t what they want people to think of the show.
Update: It’s kind of growing on me, but still curious to hear from others regarding whether the artwork mirrors the aesthetic of the show itself. I just watched The Hal Prince documentary over the weekend and it certainly doesn’t measure up against the classic artwork for many of his shows, but then again what does?
MilesGo2, I got the 80's vibe too. The first thing that crossed my mind when I saw it was Footloose, for some reason.
Understudy Joined: 5/27/18
Doesn't it just show a guy whose brain is disintegrating into pixels? As someone who knows very little about the show, I find it intriguing.
Broadway Star Joined: 11/22/16
They updated the logo on audience rewards and if you look on mobile it looks great actually. I haven’t seen the musical so I can’t comment on that, but graphic wise they are doing a great job.
It’s bugging me trying to figure out what eighties album cover or video game it reminds me of. Lol
Miles2Go2 said: "It’s bugging me trying to figure out what eighties album cover or video game it reminds me of. Lol"
FOOTLOOSE was my first tbought. After your above post, Alan Parsons Project I ROBOT album cover came to mind.
The blue and hot pink of the 80's seems to be what the cool kids are doing. Take a look at Muse's new album cover.

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Warbucks2 said: "The blue and hot pink of the 80's seems to be what the cool kids are doing. Take a look at Muse's new album cover.
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If they are going for the 80s theme, I feel like they should've gone all out, more like that Muse album cover. Honestly, I'm not for or against this change, it just seemed a bit random, I must say, but whatever. The only thing is I feel like its too many bright colors all at once, the magenta, the hot pink, the neon blue; I feel like there should be more black.
"Mr. Stark, I don't feel so good..."
BroadwayConcierge said: ""Mr. Stark, I don't feel so good..."
LOL! YES!
I like what the creatives at Be More Chill called the new look on facebook: retro/futuristic. Similar to what I think Muse was going for. The pixel head and tshirt concept aren't 80's -- so it's some sort of purposeful fusion of the new and old.
For those who haven't seen the show, one of the characters is into 80's/retro things, but I don't think it's strong enough to fully justify an 80's theme for the whole show. But there is at least SOME tie in and not entirely random.
BroadwayConcierge said: ""Mr. Stark, I don't feel so good..."
The feels!
The 80s is totally my era and that artwork really doesn't give off that much of an 80s vibe other than maybe his t-shirt and the font that's trying way too hard. The Muse album cover is stylistically closer to emulating 80s movie posters. If Be More Chill was going for an 80s vibe, it must be in some sort of superficial misunderstood way that translates to those who aren't really connected to the era. Anyway, if they just fix that font, it would be fine.
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