Why does Playbill cover art go from color to black and white?
Why does Playbill cover art go from color to black and white?
Robos89
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/20/06
#1Why does Playbill cover art go from color to black and white?
Posted: 1/15/08 at 10:51pmBasically what the subject heading says. I've gotten Playbills with color cover art and then gotten some in b&w. I'm guessing it's much cheaper, but is there any other reason?
#2re: Why does Playbill cover art go from color to black and white?
Posted: 1/15/08 at 10:52pm
Yes, it's cheaper.
The only reason.
-Kad
"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)
#2re: Why does Playbill cover art go from color to black and white?
Posted: 1/15/08 at 10:54pm$
henryt
Broadway Star Joined: 7/26/07
#3re: Why does Playbill cover art go from color to black and white?
Posted: 1/15/08 at 10:55pmT Updated On: 3/7/08 at 10:55 PM
Joshua488
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/29/04
#4re: Why does Playbill cover art go from color to black and white?
Posted: 1/15/08 at 10:56pmThanks, henryt... I was just about to post that same quote!
#5re: Why does Playbill cover art go from color to black and white?
Posted: 1/15/08 at 10:59pmI thought that all shows started with color, but if they can choose, do some choose to start off in black and white from the beginning?
henryt
Broadway Star Joined: 7/26/07
#6re: Why does Playbill cover art go from color to black and white?
Posted: 1/15/08 at 11:00pmUpdated On: 3/7/08 at 11:00 PM
#7re: Why does Playbill cover art go from color to black and white?
Posted: 1/15/08 at 11:01pmUpdated On: 1/16/08 at 11:01 PM
#8re: Why does Playbill cover art go from color to black and white?
Posted: 1/15/08 at 11:05pmIs He Dead? had color Playbills during at least part of the preview period, but someone mentioned that the Playbills were B&W by the Saturday after the Sunday opening (six days after opening). Does anyone know the exact date the changeover took place, and does anyone know of any other examples of extremely rapid changes from color to B&W?
#9re: Why does Playbill cover art go from color to black and white?
Posted: 1/15/08 at 11:05pm
Because RENT had no $ to begin with.
No need to add color after that...
"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana." GMarx
ashbash1990
Broadway Star Joined: 10/15/06
#10re: Why does Playbill cover art go from color to black and white?
Posted: 1/15/08 at 11:08pmSEARCH!!!
#11re: Why does Playbill cover art go from color to black and white?
Posted: 1/15/08 at 11:15pmI have a RENT Playbill from 1998. It's in color and features pictures on the cover very similar to those on the CD.
#12re: Why does Playbill cover art go from color to black and white?
Posted: 1/15/08 at 11:15pmReally? That's cool. Considering I was 6 in 1998 I wouldn't know that.
ohjustjake
Leading Actor Joined: 4/18/06
#13re: Why does Playbill cover art go from color to black and white?
Posted: 1/15/08 at 11:46pm
"Also, the reason why they might switch in the middle of a run is because if a show is struggling to meet their weekly nut, it is a superfluous part of the budget that can be easily eliminated."
hm that's weird - because my Mamma Mia playbill was black and white when I saw it, and I'm pretty sure that they aren't struggling haha.
henryt
Broadway Star Joined: 7/26/07
#14re: Why does Playbill cover art go from color to black and white?
Posted: 1/15/08 at 11:58pmUpdated On: 3/7/08 at 11:58 PM
#15re: Why does Playbill cover art go from color to black and white?
Posted: 1/16/08 at 12:09am
"And RENT I'm sure only has ever done B&W...There's no need for color"
I have a Rent playbill in full color, with the logo in the middle, surrounded by a bunch of pictures of cast members. Lots of red. Kind of ugly, actually.
myManCape
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/26/05
#16re: Why does Playbill cover art go from color to black and white?
Posted: 1/16/08 at 1:07am
"And RENT I'm sure only has ever done B&W...There's no need for color"
I love when people make dumb comments.
Robos89
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/20/06
#17re: Why does Playbill cover art go from color to black and white?
Posted: 1/16/08 at 1:43amSorry AshBash...but it appears other people learned from this question as well. Thanks for the concern though :)
#18re: Why does Playbill cover art go from color to black and white?
Posted: 12/27/08 at 4:30pm
this is a picture of Rent's closing Playbill it is probobly the same as the one it had when it opened and it probably changed after 9/11 because it went from selling out to only selling 30% of its seats and never really bounced back only selling approximatly 60%-85% of its seats.
#19re: Why does Playbill cover art go from color to black and white?
Posted: 12/27/08 at 4:38pm
That is the Playbill Rent had for a long time after the show opened.
I just assumed that they switched to the black and white logo after all the OBC left since those then would be pictures of people not in the show anymore.
#20re: Why does Playbill cover art go from color to black and white?
Posted: 12/27/08 at 5:26pmWould that be why they kept all those same pictures on the marquee for the entire run ... after the OBC left?
ThankstoPhantom
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/13/05
#21re: Why does Playbill cover art go from color to black and white?
Posted: 12/27/08 at 5:54pm
It certainly does change to black and white to save money...even big hits may want to save money (most don't...most keep color). Roundabout is always black and white, I believe...
On a note...I was pleasantly surprised when I attended Gypsy this month and received a color Playbill!
BlackCabbiTabbi
Stand-by Joined: 5/9/09
#22re: Why does Playbill cover art go from color to black and white?
Posted: 5/10/09 at 9:33pmdo yall know which shows playsbills are in black and white that r playing now?
#23re: Why does Playbill cover art go from color to black and white?
Posted: 5/11/09 at 9:06pm
black and white:
39 steps
Mama Mia
Waitingfor Goodot
Accent on Youth
Philanthropist
irenas vow
33 Variations
Reasons to Be pretty
willep
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/20/08
#24re: Why does Playbill cover art go from color to black and white?
Posted: 5/11/09 at 9:42pmi believe Billy Elliot switched over to black and white a couple months ago (so glad I saw it before they did...). I am not sure why, as I am sure they can't be hurting too bad for money...
Videos