Theater Memorabilia

Even after the curtain closes and the magic of a theatrical performance begins to fade, theater memorabilia has the power to keep the spirit of the stage alive. From grand debuts to memorable revivals, theater posters and playbills chronicle important theatrical moments for future generations to appreciate and enjoy.

The association between theater performances and posters promoting them can be traced to the Middle Ages, when members of theatrical troupes would parade around town either sporting a banner or verbally announcing an upcoming show. This tradition grew in scope over the subsequent years, with placards and playbills announcing approaching performances incorporating increasingly-catchy prose and images.

The advent of lithography in the field of poster art allowed for multicolor and more dynamic poster and playbill designs by the end of the 19th century. Growth in the advertising industry gave rise to the multi-page program now customary in theaters. Though the World Wars dampened enthusiasm for theater and increasingly-lavish promotional materials, the tradition of theatrical poster and playbill design continues to captivate theatergoers and theater historians today.

Quick Facts

• The earliest English playbills date to the late 1580s. French poster designers created the first two color playbills (black and red) in the late 1670s
• The immense popularity of some plays and performances led to the creation of stock posters in the early 1900s, wherein theater promoters simply had to add the pertinent text to an predesigned poster
• The iconic playbill, immediately recognizable by its black text on a yellow banner across many prominent theaters' programs, began production in 1885 and continues more than 130 years later