Playbill Collectors

[shannonod]

i have a question.
when you get a playbill.
are they authentic?
or pre print?

[TheScarletPimpernel]

Always authentic. There is no such thing as a "PrePrint" playbill, and it's in extremely extremely rare cases when someone like Antonio Banderas (or Daniel Radcliffe in the future) may have saved playbills that are since he does APs are autopenned, years after. Otherwise, you're are getting an authentic playbill 99.9% of the time, whether you're writing Brandi Burkhardt or Leigh Ann Larkin or Sutton Foster or Daniel Radcliffe.

Enjoy!

[timeman]

I have a question. Who do I make my letter to if I want a signed playbill of the cast of a certain play like "All My Sons" and "Equus." I heard you use the stage maganger, or do you say the cast of ____________? I'm am sort of new to collecting Broadway. Any help would be nice .

-Matthew

[TheScarletPimpernel]

Hello Matthew!

You address you're envelope to the STAGE MANAGER, for instance:

Stage Manager of 'Equus'
c/o the Broadhurst Theatre
(I've been there FOUR times but I do not know the address!..it's on here & on Playbill.com though!)
New York, NY 10036
USA

And you can address your letter to "Dear Cast & Crew," and write something nice/memorable, yet brief, and then request a cast-signed playbill!

Good luck! Any other questions let me know!

[aamir]

What's playbill?

[wheniam6]

Are clay aikens autographs authentic on palybills for spamalot?

[Selise]

Are clay aikens autographs authentic on palybills for spamalot?

yes!

Here's a link that can help you decide: http://www.fanmail.biz/mboard/viewtopic ... 5&t=110391

Selise

[TheScarletPimpernel]

What is a playbill!! A ghast!

No just kidding .

A Playbill is a booklet which is also a magazine which is 6x9 inches-ish in size, which list articles relating to BROADWAY, "OFF-BROADWAY," and some other New York Events. It also lists other Broadway shows, restuarant recomendations made by the actors themselves (2 or 4 per month), advertisments, and of course it's main reason is to credit the people in a given production. It lists everyone from the main cast to the chorus to the orchestra to the creators to the producers to who does the payroll for the show.

Playbills are really a US only thing. They are complimentary when you see a show. In London, they just have "Show Programmes" which cost money and serve the same purpose, but are often larger, sometimes show photos from the show, and are often in colour.

Generally the playbill displays the show's logo, but will sometimes incorporate the main actors (if they're stars) into it, or sometimes the stars are the logo ! They all begin in colour (except Roundabout shows which are never in colour), where they are most valueable, but many switch to Black/White due to other costs which need to be met within the show.

Examples of what a playbill looks likes:

The 2008 Broadway Revival of the straight play "ALL MY SONS," starring John Lithgow, Diane Weist, Patrick Wilson and, of course, Katie Holmes.


The 2008 Broadway Production of Jill Santoriello's musical "A TALE OF TWO CITIES," one of Broadway's largest flops , which closed, extremely fast about a month ago. As you can see, simply the logo.


Sometimes after the original starring cast leaves they may change the playbill design, such as Jekyll & HYDE: The Musical did in Jan. 1999 when Robert Cucioli had left (after Linda Eder was already gone in August of '98). Although they altered it a little more by adding the "Jekyll & HYDE" signature title in there, it did change to this from what it previously was.


People collect playbills for many reasons! "Documentation," fun to read, fun to look at,...so many reasons. You can get them at auctions, ebay, Playbill.com (Opening Night ones are generally the only ones they have, or special closings), at the theatre themselves. They're fun to look for too. As you can see, many of mine were purchased, traded, through the mail, in person...yadah yadah!

Hope I answered your question!

[TheScarletPimpernel]

Are clay aikens autographs authentic on palybills for spamalot?

Yes, they are. All playbills are almost 99% of the time guarentee'd to be authentic. In fact the only times I have ever seen an AUTOPENNED playbill was when Antonio Banderas a few years back was in the musical revival of 'NINE.' Someone had either sent the playbill or he had an extra (his agency) and they received an AP on the playbill, but the show had been closed for three or four years by that time! If you write to a star at the theatre, they are more than likely have to have SOME contact with it, and Playbills are not made to be AP'd or PP'd. Broadway shows have enough trouble trying to keep running to buy/manage an AP machine or anything like that! Also, many of the playbills we get through the mail are later (or currently) used for charity purposes!

Good luck if you're going to write!