Playbill Is Going Retro to Celebrate Our 140th Anniversary in October
Find out more about the special collectibles that will be handed out across Broadway next month.
Graphic by Vi Dang
Playbill is getting ready to celebrate our 140th anniversary in style—retro style. Playbill, the leading theatre resource and memento since our founding in 1884, has worked with every Broadway show to create a special set of Playbill Legacy Covers that will be handed out to theatregoers throughout the month of October. Attendees will get one of four special, commemorative Legacy covers, each paying tribute to the different historical eras of Playbill and Broadway. The custom artwork will be a separate wrap-around to the show’s regular Playbill, giving theatregoers and collectors a two-for-one memento.
The covers themselves will be unveiled October 1 here at Playbill.com. Stay tuned.
The Playbill design eras used for inspiration on the retro covers include 1934’s Merrily We Roll Along (the play that inspired the Stephen Sondheim-George Furth musical), 1955’s Damn Yankees, 1966’s Mame, and 1973’s A Little Night Music. Playbill has worked closely with each show to develop four new custom covers, each that imagines what its Playbill might have looked like had the show played the Main Stem decades ago.
“We are exceedingly proud of Playbill’s 140-year legacy and status as the most enduring symbol of Broadway show-going,” says Playbill President and Chairman Philip S. Birsh. “This is a way for us to celebrate all that history, while giving Broadway fans something extra special to hold onto.”
“We could not have done this without the help of so many members of our community; the producers of these great shows, the marketing agencies and their design teams, and the ushers who hand them out to the public,” adds Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Alex Birsh. “My family and I are so appreciative of all the players in this project, with special thanks to the Playbill staff who worked tirelessly on making this dream a reality.”
Playbill is encouraging audience members to take one special Playbill per visit, and to strike up conversations with seat neighbors to share their own Broadway history and trade covers. We will also be selling Legacy Cover Posters via The Playbill Store (also beginning in October), with a percentage of proceeds benefiting Broadway Cares. Each poster will celebrate one specific production and showcase all four of the show’s Playbill Legacy Covers.
