SHOWBILL/PLAYBILL

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 9/19/12 at 1:43pm

I was looking at old programs with one of my daughters and noticed that "Mary Poppins" said SHOWBILL instead of PLAYBILL. My daughter and I thought that was due to Disney owning the New Amsterdam theatre but were not positive. Anybody know for sure why it is different. Thanks in advance.

Updated On: 9/19/12 at 01:43 PM

[loliveve]

Posted: 9/19/12 at 2:50pm

Showbill is actually printed by Playbill. However, using the name "Showbill" allows the show producer (such as Disney) more control over the content of the advertisements, rather than the Playbills, in which the content is the same.
Official Playbill explanation

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 9/19/12 at 2:50pm

http://www.playbill.com/features/article/112023-ASK-PLAYBILLCOM-Playbill-and-Showbill

EDIT: Too slow.

Updated On: 9/19/12 at 02:50 PM

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 9/19/12 at 6:14pm

Thanks for the explanation.

[tphiliboy152]

Posted: 9/19/12 at 6:43pm

Disney uses PLAYBILL for Lion King, Newsies, and they did for Little Mermaid, and Beauty and the Beast.. so why is it only for Poppins?

[bobs3]

Posted: 9/19/12 at 6:47pm

Didn't Disney start using Showbill with BEAUTY AND THE BEAST because Playbill's policy does not allow company logos on the cover and Disney wanted the "Walt Disney" logo on cover and masthead?

[bdn223]

Posted: 9/19/12 at 7:27pm

Its up to the theater owner to choose Playbill or Showbill, and snce Disney only owns the New Amsterdam they can only use it for shows i that theater, hence it has only been used for The Lion King and Mary Poppins.

[winston89]

Posted: 9/19/12 at 8:37pm

Bobs,

I don't know where you're getting the information that Playbill wouldn't allow company logos. Newsies, for example, is a show that does use a playbill. And, the Disney logo is above the logo for Newsies on the playbill.

[bobs3]

Posted: 9/19/12 at 10:36pm

Perhaps, PLAYBILL has changed their policy since the days BEAUTY AND THE BEAST and THE LION KING opened.

[winston89]

Posted: 9/19/12 at 11:09pm

As you can see, the opening night playbill for Beauty clearly has the Disney logo on it. So, it looks as if you're mistaken.

[winston89]

Posted: 9/19/12 at 11:10pm

And, The Lion King opened with a stagebill that still had the Disney logo on it.

[bobs3]

Posted: 9/20/12 at 6:53am

That is not a Playbill. It is a Stagebill. Are you dyslexic?

[Fosse76]

Posted: 9/20/12 at 7:40am

Playbill owns Stagebill.

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 9/20/12 at 7:50am

LOL

[winston89]

Posted: 9/20/12 at 9:57am

Bobs3, just because you were proven wrong, doesn't mean that you need to resort to childish insults.