The Art of Collecting Broadway Playbills: Advanced Composition
The Art of Collecting Broadway Playbills
Broadway is a state of mind. It’s a swarm of individuals who sing, act, and dance in a miraculous fashion. This lovely energy is what intrigued me about Broadway and its captivating influence in New York City. The yellow-topped magazines called “playbills” that one receives upon entrance to the theater has always been one of my favorite parts of my experience visiting Broadway. There are two types of people who frequent Broadway shows. The first set are the careless people who toss the playbills aside, walking over them as they leave for intermission or leave the theater. The second set are the people who treasure every word, phrase, or image of the playbill. The second set of people illustrate the true fans of Broadway, which includes me. These playbills represent a memory. Despite being a simple theater program made of paper, they happened to represent a piece of my life, reminding me of when I would venture into New York City to watch these spectaculars take place on stage. The lustrous lights, colorful costumes, and melodic music would overwhelm my senses and take me into the world of Broadway. I was mesmerized.
My family has always enjoyed singing showtunes. I also used to participate in musical theater classes, dance classes, and voice lessons because I saw myself as a true Broadway superstar. Yet when I visited Broadway, I quickly realized that my dream of being a legendary star was never going to materialize. The reality was crushing but I quickly healed as I swooned over the phenomenon before my very eyes. Not only did the choreography, the people, and the music fascinate me, but the playbills’ photos and messages also caught the attention of my eye. The advertising of future Broadway productions only pulled me deeper into my collection of playbills. The playbills were a way for me to love Broadway as something I could admire from a distance. My playbill collection of the 5 and 3/8 inches by 8 and ½ inch pamphlets rest in an ordinary laminated binder that I keep in my bedroom. Flipping through endless pages of playbills from shows I have watched instantly bring me back to happy moments from my childhood and lifetime. For a second, I return to the shadows of my childhood, watching a Broadway show in the musical soul of the world. While it may seem that I am collecting an object, I am also collecting an experience. Every time I attend a Broadway production and collect another playbill, I preserve another extraordinary moment and gain another meaningful memory. Seeing musicals take part in the heart of New York City and collecting a piece of the adventure, I capture and remember the unique flavors of this wonderful world.
-Stephanie Sandra