Works of B'way Poster Designer 'Fraver' on Display at Lincoln Center Thru 4/30

The enormous bright yellow poster for THE LION KING that extends across the Minskoff Theatre and tops hundreds of taxicabs is one of hundreds of Broadway posters designed by Frank Verlizzo, who is known professionally as "Fraver" (a combination of his first and last name). Over the past 30 years, Verlizzo has designed the artwork for over 300 Broadway and off-Broadway shows which have been displayed in New York and around the world.  A retrospective of his work is currently on display at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center through April 30.

The New York native began his career in 1975 and has seen many changes in the business over the years, including the transition from creating art by hand to using digital technology. With the coming of the Internet, Verlizzo realized that images had to be designed in such a way that they be recognizable on a small web browser.

Another big change that the artist has had to adjust to is the number of people involved in getting final approval on his works.  "...until the late 1980s, every show I worked on had three producers at the most." Verlizzo told stagerush.com.  "Now, there are 20 something producers, and they all have input on the poster".

Verlizzo explains that unlike movie posters, images from a Broadway poster tend to live on indefinitely .  Even when a show is long gone from the stage, its poster remains an iconic image which can potentially turn up anywhere in the world.

After 30 years in the industry, Verlizzo tells stagerush.com that he still loves what he does. "It's the combination of posters, which I adore, and the theater, which I love.  It's a perfect combination". 

The Library's exhibit will feature 44 examples of posters and window cards, as well as sketches, notes, and unpublished images that bring the artist's process to life. For further information, please visit: http://www.nypl.org/events/exhibitions/design-fraver-four-decades-theatre-poster-art