DAVID BARRINEAU

Who hasn't dreamed of opening a Wonka Bar and finding a Golden Ticket? With the launch of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory on Broadway, we gave potential theatergoers that experience. The mailer was designed to look like a candy bar - complete with Nutrition Facts and a list of ingredients. Unfortunately, the chocolate bar was only a photograph.

Prominently featuring the two stars (Sean Hayes and Kristin Chenoweth), this bright, mid-century mailer remains one of the best performing direct mail pieces in the agency’s history.

Once a year Orlando Ballet hosts a fabulous Gala (and I don’t use the word “fabulous” lightly – it is a seriously fabulous evening!). Inspired by one of the season’s high most anticipated productions, Moulin Rouge, this year’s theme was A Night at the Moulin Rouge. Since this night is such a big event, the client needed an invitation that conveyed the spectacle of the evening to come. Originally, the invite was briefed without any budget restraints and I designed a die-cut invitation that unfolded to reveal the iconic Moulin Rouge windmill. As often is the case…an unlimited budget is never the case, however that didn’t stop me from revising my design to maintain the “wow” factor while staying within the client’s budget. The final piece was such a success that it even brought in potential new business inquiries to my agency.

The producers wanted theatergoers to shake off the notion that Annie was a saccharin-sweet show for little girls. Instead this was a revival of one of the all-time great Broadway musicals; a “classic” – perfect for both children and adults. Like Annie, the mailer starts small and simple, but continues to open in a surprising manner. 

How to Succeed… was such a success that it had three leading men over the course of its run: Daniel Radcliffe, Darren Criss and Nick Jonas. Each “Finch” had his own color scheme complete with their own unique bow tie color.

A powerful but tough show about a family’s attempts to deal with the mother‘s bi-polar disorder was not typical Broadway musical subject matter. As this unique piece unfolded, arresting portraits of the show‘s family were revealed, along with excerpts from the rave reviews that came from the pre-Broadway production in Washington D.C. This piqued the audience interest while preparing them for a unique music-theatre journey.

The mailer for this champagne comedy starring Reneé Fleming promised bad-behaving divas, hot-tempered maestros and dipsomaniac dogs.

This was an early direction for the show. It was rustic and worn like an old treasure map, befitting of a crew of pirates. While they loved it, the producers wanted to make sure theatre-goers, particularly adults, realized that this was a comedy in the spirit of Monty Python.

By starting small and opening to a poster, this piece playfully communicated a whole lot of information: the colorful, inventive production, the Monty Python-esque humor, the fantastic reviews, and that it is a new take on a favorite and familiar story. Not to mention the discount offer!

This over-sized group sales piece bundled both The Lion King and Mary Poppins. The shows’ eye-catching visuals and high production values exploded off the page when the mailers were opened.

For their 35th Anniversary season, Second Stage Theatre (2ST) wanted a brochure unlike any other. Unfolding to poster size, one side vibrantly presented information about the upcoming season. On the other was a commemorative poster celebrating their rich past: the 2ST logo was comprised of a production photo from every show over the past 35 years.

Annette Bening, Kevin Bacon, Steve Carell, John Lithgow, Dianne Wiest, Nathan Lane, Taye Diggs, Patti LuPone, Tony Shaloub, Cynthia Nixon, Topher Grace, Anna Deavere Smith and Richard Thomas are just some of the stars that have appeared at 2ST over the years.

Since the prior year’s brochure was such a huge success, we wanted to remind subscribers by referencing it for the 2014-15 brochure. It has a similar boldness as the prior year’s: 2ST’s signature orange is still prominent and the show titles are provocatively teased on the cover. But the color palate shifted into deeper hues, reflecting the darker themes of the upcoming productions (including a musical version of American Psycho). 

Mailed in a red envelope like a typical holiday greeting, the mailer for this dark comedy cleverly smashed all notions of Christmas cheer. Perfect for a play where the Devil stops by for a game of cards on Christmas Eve.

It’s always challenging for a new, original musical to make an impression on ticket buyers. By integrating the title into the teaser copy, and prominently featuring star Idina Menzel with other notable cast members and the Pulitzer Prize-winning creative team on the inside, this piece helped drive pre-opening ticket sales to a very healthy advance.

While Mamma Mia! is know as the best party on Broadway, it also has a big romantic heart that’s a key part to its appeal. This over-sized mailer, sent to women in the tri-state area, focused on the feel-good love story.

This mailer became an almost interactive experience. From the outside it looks like an old manuscript. As the reader opens the mailer, the book appears to rip apart; cracking the spine. While the producers were excited by this, they ultimately took a different approach and decided on a more star-driven piece.

Using old torn show posters as a visual motif, this mailer positioned this thrilling Kennedy Center revival as a gloriously large show full of Broadway stars, showgirls and vibrant production numbers.

In a mailer directed at theatergoing families, the familiar Annie orphans scamper throughout the piece. But the big feature of this mailer was the “Kids Go Free” offer and the family-friendly 6:30 curtain, both of which are playfully prominent. 

Have you ever wondered what would have happened if…  This contemporary musical explores the choices that “Elizabeth” makes in her life. In one path, as “Liz,” she follows her heart, while “Beth” pursues her career. With its duplicate yet differently colored covers, this CTM hints at these two roads.

Reluctant theatre-goers were under the impression that Newsies was a boring historical drama about young boys. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Newsies’ cast of young men perform the most athletic dancing on Broadway. This revamped campaign practically had the guys leaping off the page.

Using old torn show posters as a visual motif, this CTM positioned this thrilling Kennedy Center revival as a gloriously large show full of Broadway stars, showgirls and vibrant production numbers.