Old Playbill Question

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 4/13/11 at 10:16am

Here's hoping someone can answer this:
I collect Playbills, partially b/c I like them and partially for the database I run. (Shameless plug? Of course)

Anyhow, I recently got an Oh Captain! one, that has no date. Obviously, I know it's from 1958, and my only clue to anything for it is that the box on the cover that says "Playbill" is in a pale blue. I know during 1958 they did some color changes with that box. Did they change the color month to month, or was it show to show? I'd really love to know what the date on it is, and am hoping that the color bar will tell me.

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 4/13/11 at 11:17am

I don't know the answer to that question, I'm afraid, but I would be interested in the answer myself. Also, would you mind posting a link to your database? I saw it here somewhere awhile back, and thought it was pretty comprehensive (though you still have a few wrinkles to iron out). I'd meant to bookmark it, but screwed it up somehow.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 4/13/11 at 11:42am

Gladly!

It's sharpened up a lot, and information is starting to explode out.

Database of Awesome

Updated On: 4/13/11 at 11:42 AM

[After Eight]

Posted: 1/26/12 at 11:13am

Huskcharmer,

Your question about the color changes intrigued me, but it's taken me a long time to plough through my playbills to try to find the answer. I finally dug up a few from 1958, as listed below.

In that year, playbills were published weekly, and billed themselves on the cover, "a weekly magazine for theatregoers." You can probably find the date of your Oh, Captain! playbill on one of the first inside covers.

As fo the colors of the band saying "Playbill," here's what I found:

Interlock. Anta. Grey. Feb. 3, 1958.
Miss Isobel. Royale. Grey. Feb. 3, 1958
Say, Darling. Anta. Light blue. April 14, 1958.
Love Me Little.  Helen Hayes. Light blue. April 14, 1958.
Look Back in Anger. John Golden.  Red. May 5, 1958.
Howie. 46th St. Purple. Sep.15, 1958.
Handful of Fire. Martin Beck. Green. Sep. 29, 1958.
The Night Circus. John Golden. Purple. Dec. 1, 1958.

As you can see, the colors seem to have changed according to the date, and not the show or the theatre.

One interesting curio here, both the Interlock and Miss Isobel playbills have the date printed in the upper left corner square where the theatre name is usually placed. I wonder how many weeks that took place.

In any case, I hope this is of help.