my 42nd street, Lion King, and Mary poppins playbills are showbills, but everything else is a playbill. LK, MP, and 42nd street were bway shows, though....i'm confused lol
The answer is simple, Showbills are made by disney for use only at the New Amsterdam theatre. This is so that they can create a program that has info only bout the show that is playing there (now it would be Poppins in past years it was Lion King). Disney could do that because they own the New Amsterdam. They made the outside look like a playbill because they didn't want the outside to be different. TLK, Tarzan, and Beauty and the beast are all playing at theatres that are owned by the Nederlanders. It is because of this that they are using regular playbills. Every theatre on broadway uses playbills. The only one that doesn't is the New Amsterdam for said reasons.
"If you try to shag my husband while I am still alive, I will shove the art of motorcycle maintenance up your rancid little Cu**. That's a good dear"
Tom Stoppard's Rock N Roll
Everyone here is close but not quite right... The reason that some playbills have showbill in the title is due to that shows connection with some sort of special advertisor. Like when 42nd street was at the FORD theatre (now known as the Hilton), Ford Motors did not want there to be any other ads but theirs in the playbill. Playbill who owns showbill (aka its the same damn thing) renamed it showbill due to the fact that if it was named playbill all of the advertisers that regularly show up in a playbill would expect their ads to be there. Therefore showbill was made to keep confusion and legal issues to a halt. So when typically you go to a disney owned theatre they can control the type of products out there such as the playbill, which is specially made due to their wanting only specific ads, and Tarzan does not more than likely due to the connection that the theatre is owned by the nederlanders and are probably required to use playbill.
I just did my History of Theatre research paper on Playbill Incorporated and this is some of the research I found on Playbill vs. Showbill:
“The two central players [in theatre publication], Playbill and Stagebill […] had enjoyed a decades-long truce over their respective stage turfs until approaching war erupted several weeks ago over who’d get Walt Disney’s business on Broadway. Stagebill won..” (Tharp 31).
“In past decades, the two magazines had distinct territories in the performing arts. Stagebill took symphonies, opera and dance- with contracts at big locations such as Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall – while Playbill controlled Broadway’s theaters and many Off-Broadway theaters” (Tharp 31).
In 1997, Stagebill was providing programs for 66 theatres, while Playbill was providing for 69 (Tharp 31).
"And suddenly I'm flying flying like a bird, like electricity, electricity, sparks inside of me, and I'm free, I'm free" -Billy Elliot
i hate how the ads in all playbills are the exact same.
"I mean, sitting side by side with another man watching Patti LuPone play Rose in GYPSY on Broadway is essentially the equivalent of having hardcore sex." -Wanna Be A Foster.
"Say 'Goody.' Say 'Bubbi.'" ... "That's it. Exactly as if it were 'Goody.' Now I know you're gonna sing 'Goody' this time, but nevertheless..."
Neil Patrick Harris to Star in HEDWIG on Bway in Spring 2014!
INTO THE WOODS Film to Hit Theaters Christmas Day 2014!
Bullock in Talks to Play 'Miss Hannigan' in ANNIE Film
NBC Reveals SMASH For Your Consideration Emmy Bids
MISS SAIGON Revival to Open in London in 2014
Netflix Orders Second Season of Gothic Thriller HEMLOCK GROVE
Shailene Woodley Cut from AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2; Marc Webb to Recast Mary Jane?
Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana Sentenced to 20 Months in Prison for Tax Evasion
BWW CD Reviews: Andrea McArdle's 70'S AND SUNNY - LIVE AT 54 BELOW is a Fabulous Throwback to the 70s
That's a Lot of iPads - Apple Awarded $30 Million iPad Deal From LA Unified School District
STAGE TUBE: First Look at Highlights of BECOMING TRAVIATA Starring Natalie Dessay
BWW Blog: Claire van Bever - The Auditions Tips You HAVEN'T Heard
STAGE TUBE: Russell Brand Takes Over at MORNING JOE
joined:3/25/05
Posted: 12/29/06 at 09:03pm