Broadway Poster Artist David Edward Byrd Passes Away at 83

BroadwayWorld is saddened to report the passing of graphic artist David Edward Byrd, who died yesterday, February 3, 2025, according to reports from family and friends.

Byrd atteneded Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he received a BFA in Painting and Design in 1964 and an MFA in Painting and Printmaking in 1966. From 1970 to 1979, Byrd taught at the Pratt Institute and the School of Visual Arts. After receiving his BFA, Byrd moved to Pittsburgh to work at WQED-TV, where he did design for the Mister Rogers' Neighborhood show. 

In teh 1970s, he designed the iconic posters for notable stage musicals including  Follies,  Godspell, The Robber Bridegroom, The Grand Tour, The Survival of St. Joan, Jesus Christ Superstar, Little Shop of Horrors, and others.

Byrd's autobiography POSTER CHILD: The Psychedelic Art & Technicolor Life of David Edward Byrd, written with co-author Robert von Goeben, was released in 2023 by Abrams Books.