Q&A for How to Design a Playbill

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Can I make a playbill on Canva?

Tara Blau Smollen
Presentation & Acting Skills Coach
Tara Blau Smollen is a Presentation & Acting Skills Coach based in Mill Valley, California. With over 35 years of professional and academic experience, Tara helps fellow coaches, entrepreneurs, and creatives become more comfortable speaking in front of an audience. She is a three-time Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle (BATCC) Award Nominee and a two-time Dean Good Award Recipient. She was an Associate Professor of Theater and Drama at SF State, Contra Costa College, and at Los Medanos College where she taught Beginning Acting and Theater History. Tara received her BA in Theater and English from the University of Wisconsin and her MFA in Theater and Acting from The National Theater Conservatory.

Tara Blau Smollen

Presentation & Acting Skills Coach

Expert Answer

Definitely! There are a number of tools out there online (like Canva) that can help you put something together very nicely. What matters most, though, is that you include when the show is taking place, the name of the show itself, where it's taking place, box office information, and so on.

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How do you write a scene Breakdown

Community Answer

Normally, by Act. So it would be something similar to: ACT I: The kitchen in the Magrath sisters' home. (Afternoon) ACT II: The same kitchen. (Evening) ACT III: The same kitchen. (The Following Morning) Basically, you use this to inform the audience of any setting/time changes between acts.

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What is the purpose of a playbill?

Community Answer

The playbill lets the attendees of your play know what it's about and who the characters and actors are.

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Question

What is the proper way of listing the person who conducts the orchestral?

Community Answer

If that's all they do, you would list them as the Conductor. If they also put together the orchestra and ran the rehearsals, you can use Musical Director.

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Question

Do I need to list the benefactors in the playbill?

Louisa

Community Answer

You should, and give the benefactors who gave the most money a top or middle spot.

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Should I add the name of the instrument first or the instrumentalist on a playbill?

Community Answer

List the name of the instrumentalist first, just like you would list the actor's name before the character's.

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How do I write my bio on a playbill as an actor?

Community Answer

It depends on who's in charge of your show, but you can list things like your past shows and roles, as well as including a thank you to whomever you'd like. Never use "I" or "me"---phrase it like "Mary Smith is excited to play the Queen this year in her fourth show. She's also performed in Beauty and the Beast, as well as in Shrek the Musical and Fiddler on the Roof. She'd like to thank her friends for encouraging her to act." Keep in mind the character limit, if there is one.

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Question

What is the importance of playbill?

Sunny4thewin

Community Answer

The playbill will be your flier and advertising for the production you are putting on. Many people don’t realize the importance of it, but playbills are the best advertising tool.

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What kind of paper should I print my playbills on?

Lemonsters

Community Answer

There are plenty of different types of paper you can print your playbills on. Construction paper can work, because it is usually around the house. If you want something more suited toward the purpose of a playbill, you can use a type of paper called book paper. It is made for books and things you simply read, which would apply in your case. The last way is by using newsprint paper, a type of paper commonly used as a cost effective way to print the news, but also can work great on a playbill.

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