Graphic Design, Marketing, and Playbills - Directing Thesis

For Directing Theses, Columbia provides a graphic designer for generation of key imagery, and a digital marketing campaign run by the SOA Communications Office.

The SOA Communications Office handles:

  • The creation of key art for each show.
  • The creation and distribution of email marketing based on the marketing copy provided by the show.
  • The creation of the Lenfest ticketing website page for the show.

The playbill for each theatre production is created in-house by the Theatre Admin Office, based on the information provided by the show.

  1. Approximate 11 weeks before opening, each Directing Thesis will have a Graphic Design Meeting scheduled with the graphic designer from SOA Communications and production management. At this meeting, concepts for the key art for the show will be discussed. A creative brief will be sent out in advance of this meeting for the creative team of the show to share inspirations, ideas, etc.
  2. Based on that meeting, the graphic designer will create a few different concepts of the key art for the show. The creative team responds with notes within 48 hours.
  3. Based on the notes from the creative team the graphic design creatives either a refined version of one of the options or a completely new option. The creative team responds with notes within 48 hours.
  4. The Graphic Designer will use this round of notes to create the final poster and all digital assets.

Note: The timeline to provide notes on the graphic design is tight specifically because if this part of the process falls behind, it can significantly delay a whole host of other marketing efforts. 

Each production will be given access to show-specific documents called Marketing Copy and Playbill Copy. The Company Manager, supported by the Producer and Director, will collect and submit all the information in these documents:

1. Marketing Copy Document
The basic marketing information will have the earliest due date, as it is used to generate the website and marketing emails. Basic Marketing Information Includes:

  • Title of the Show
  • Marketing Blurb
  • The Performance Schedule
  • Approximate Run Time
  • Cast
  • Creative Team and Crew
  • The bio for the director
  • Any requirements for billing, advertising, etc. that are part of the rights/licensing agreement

2. Playbill Information Document:
Due later than the Basic Marketing Information, the Playbill Information includes:

  • Bios for the Cast and Creative Teams
  • Headshots (both physical and digital) for the cast
  • Note(s) from the Director and/or Dramaturg(s)
  • Special Thanks

Once the SOA Communications Office receives the final key art and the Basic Marketing information document, they will build the ticketing website and eblasts for the show. Each production will have 3 eblasts go out to the Columbia Theatre Program’s internal email lists, which include industry invites, press releases, and the greater Columbia community. The schedule for eblasts is:

  1. When tickets go on sale to the general public (approximate 4 weeks before opening).
  2. The week of the show opening.
  3. Mid-run of the show.

If a production wishes to create a larger marketing plan (e.g. digital ad purchases, direct reach outs to specific individuals, etc.), they are welcome to do so provided that any stipulations in the rights agreement and/or union contracts are followed. Any additional costs would come from the production’s discretionary budget. 

The key art created by the Graphic Designer will be turned into the show poster.

If the production desires additional printed posters, the cost of these would come from the discretionary budget for the show. The most common size of posters is 11”x17”. Production Management can place the order for additional posters on behalf of the show, if they are wanted. 

The printer the Columbia Theatre Program uses most often is Village Copier on Amsterdam. As of May 2024, there is no minimum run when placing an order through that vendor.

The Theatre Admin Office will create playbills for each production based on the information in the Marketing and Playbill Copy. There is a standard template for all Columbia Theatre Program thesis playbills.

After the playbill is created, it is the responsibility of the Company Manager to verify with the cast and creative team that all their information is correct. This is typically easiest done either just before or during one of the first tech rehearsals. 

A full-color digital copy of the playbill will be linked to a QR code printed on each ticket for the show. By default, 25 black and white playbills will be printed at Dodge for the run. It is the Company Manager's responsibility to coordinate bringing and folding those playbills from Dodge to Lenfest before opening night.

If a production wishes to have more playbills printed, that can certainly be done. Black and white playbills can be printed at Dodge at no additional cost to the show. Color playbills will need to be ordered from an outside printer, and any associated costs would come from the production’s discretionary budget. 

A small number of large-print programs will be printed for any patrons who request one. These can be printed at either Dodge or Lenfest.

The approved Theatre Program billing order for the title page is:

For Plays:

  • Playwright
  • Director
  • Dramaturg
  • Producer
  • PSM
  • ASMs
  • Company Manager
  • Composer
  • Music Director
  • Choreographer
  • Assistant/Associate Director
  • Scenic
  • Costumes
  • Props
  • Lighting
  • Sound
  • Projection
  • Fight Choreographer
  • Intimacy Director
  • Dance Captain
  • Graphic Designer
  • Thesis Operations Manager(s)

For Musicals:

  • Composer
  • Playwright / Book
  • Lyrics
  • Director
  • Dramaturg
  • Producer
  • PSM
  • ASMs
  • Company Manager
  • Arrangements and Orchestrations
  • Music Director
  • Choreographer
  • Assistant/Associate Director
  • Scenic
  • Costumes
  • Props
  • Lighting
  • Sound
  • Projection
  • Fight Choreographer
  • Intimacy Director
  • Dance Captain
  • Graphic Designer
  • Thesis Operations Manager(s)

The approved Theatre Playbill order for Bios is:

  • Cast, in alphabetical order
  • Director (if a directing thesis) / Playwright (if a show in the New Plays Festival) followed by Creative Team, in alphabetical order

Credits listed in bios should follow the following formatting:

  • Italics for titles of longer works (books, titles, TV shows, films)
  • Double quotation marks for shorter works (single poems, essays, episodes of a show, etc.)
  • While it's typical in the theatre and film industries to use ALL CAPS for titles, we do not use that format at SOA, and stick with italics instead.

You can find the most up to date style guide on our Communications webpage (also linking it directly here for ease). 

Reviews of Directing Theses are allowed, provided that this does not conflict with any rights, licensing, or union agreements made to produce the show.