Off-Broadway Playbill Question

#1

Off-Broadway Playbill Question

Posted: 12/8/04 at 7:19pm

Does anyone know why some off-broadway shows have PLAYBILLS and some just have programs? I would think there would be some kind of reason for this. I know the shows at Dodger Stages use Playbills, as does the York Theatre Co -- and I would assume MTC and Roundabout's off-broadway houses use playbill. However, when I saw "Bug" recently and "Sarah Jones Bridge and Tunnel", there were just regular playbills.

A random question, I know.

#2

re: Off-Broadway Playbill Question

Posted: 12/8/04 at 7:25pm

Playbills are rather expensive (especially color ones), so for off-Broadway shows that are trying to keep down weekly running costs (as well as all off-off-Broadway shows), they'll often go with a less expensive program service (or simply xerox their own).

---

"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie [http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/] "The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney

#3

re: Off-Broadway Playbill Question

Posted: 12/9/04 at 9:16pm

Do all Broadway Shows have to have Playbills?

#4

re: Off-Broadway Playbill Question

Posted: 12/9/04 at 9:18pm

Disney has their own programs for their shows, I believe, but everyone else subscribes to Playbill.

---

"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie [http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/] "The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney

#5

re: Off-Broadway Playbill Question

Posted: 12/9/04 at 9:18pm

Disney still uses a Playbillformat.

#6

re: Off-Broadway Playbill Question

Posted: 12/9/04 at 9:26pm

I know The Lion King didn't at one point.

---

"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie [http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/] "The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney

#7

re: Off-Broadway Playbill Question

Posted: 12/9/04 at 9:32pm

Yes. The Lion King had "Stagebill"

---

"One no longer loves one's insight enough once one communicates it."

The opposite of creation isn't war, it's stagnation.

#8

re: Off-Broadway Playbill Question

Posted: 12/9/04 at 9:40pm

Back in the Cabaret days, they switched to Stagebills, but then they switched back to Playbills. Never could figure out why.

---

"What a mystery this world. One day you love them and the next day you want to kill them a thousand times over." The Masked Bandit in THE FALL

#9

re: Off-Broadway Playbill Question

Posted: 12/9/04 at 9:43pm

I mean Lion King uses a Showbill but isn't it made by Playbill?

#10

re: Off-Broadway Playbill Question

Posted: 12/9/04 at 10:48pm

My friend and I went hunting for Playbills one day: Aida gave us Playbills, Lion King gave Showbills. The Showbills were exactly the same (same ads and everything), except slightly bigger.

And yes, it was made by Playbill

#11

re: Off-Broadway Playbill Question

Posted: 12/9/04 at 10:52pm

Just like Dreamworks is Disney...

---

"I've often said I should put sweets in my chair - they'd spend less time on my a** that way....." ~F.W.B.

#12

re: Off-Broadway Playbill Question

Posted: 12/10/04 at 3:42am

Yes, THE LION KING and 42ND STREET use ShowBills - they're the same as playbills, except they don't have any of the articles in them - they only have articles about that show in them.

What someone said was that THE LION KING (when it first opened) and CABARET used to use Stage Bills, which look NOTHING like playbills - I have them each from those shows, and they are a bit strange.

---

"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy." -Charlie Manson

#13

re: Off-Broadway Playbill Question

Posted: 12/22/04 at 7:30pm

42nd street uses playbill...

#14

re: Off-Broadway Playbill Question

Posted: 12/24/04 at 7:46am

42nd Street uses another format because they are at the Ford Center. So there Playbill's probably don't advertise for like Lexus and Disney Has articles about Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, and dud have Aids

#15

re: Off-Broadway Playbill Question

Posted: 1/17/05 at 12:25am

Thought I would pull this thread up rather than start a new one -- what are off-broadway shows doing now as far as playbills? I saw "Souvenir", "White Chocolate", and "The Baltimore Waltz" recently and they all had Playbills...does anyone know what shows like A Number, Spelling Bee, and HurlyBurly are using?

#16

re: Off-Broadway Playbill Question

Posted: 1/17/05 at 12:31am

Spelling Bee is using Playbill.
A Number is using New York Theatre Workshop's standard program (a nice, but inexpensive pamphlet listing production bios and theatre sponsors and donors -- about 20 pages with no ads or articles).

---

"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie [http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/] "The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney

#17

re: Off-Broadway Playbill Question

Posted: 1/17/05 at 12:47am

Showbill and Playbill are by the same company, it just depends on the car ads (I believe Ford sponsers Showbill and Cadillac sponsers Playbill)