Playbills signed by established or upcoming stars fetch a lot of money from collectors.
Playbills are free informational booklets given to audience members upon entering a theater to familiarize themselves with the details of the performance they are about to see. Though there is no set formula for the length or layout of a playbill, as that is determined by the size of the cast and crew, certain details must be present in all playbills to give everyone involved their deserved credit. Afterward, playbills are often cherished keepsakes for members of the cast and crew as well as their families.
Instructions
1. Create an eye-catching cover page. Feature the words "Playbill" across the top, followed by the title of the musical, and some kind of cover art, such as the lead actors in costume. Credit may be given to the director, composer/musical director and, if applicable, a choreographer on the cover page in smaller text beneath the musical's title. In a footer at the bottom, list the venue's name, website and phone number, and the dates of the musical's run at the venue.
2. List the entire cast and crew on the second page. Begin with the venue or the sponsor's logo at the top. Follow it with "Presents" and the title of the play. Begin the credits with the same names from the cover page: the director, composer/musical director and choreographer. Follow that with a list of the lead actors, the dancers and the live band, if applicable. List the stage crew below. Any leftover space may be dedicated to "Director's Notes" or a welcome from the venue management or a member of the sponsoring company.
3. Begin the next page with the heading "Musical Numbers." List the names of the songs in chronological order and the name of the actor or actors who sing each song. Indicate when the intermission occurs as a part of this list as well.
4. Start a new section headlined "Featured Singers" either on the same page as the listing of musical numbers or the following page. Introduce each singer/actor with a short paragraph bio, including past performances the singer has had a part in. Singers usually write and submit these bios themselves. Include a thumbnail image of a black-and-white headshot next to the singer's name if you like.
5. List the dancers under the "Dancers" headline, if applicable, and follow with bios in the same format as the singers.
6. Headline a final section with "The Creative Team." This follows the same format as the previous two steps, but features paragraph bios on the director, musical arranger, choreographer and those who work behind the scenes in props and stage management.
7. Design a colorful back cover. It could possibly feature upcoming plays at the venue. You could also sell the back cover space to local businesses offering "after theater" dining that would be of interest to audience members. This would help offset the costs of design and printing the playbill.
