BC/EFA Benefits from Auction of Signed Posters Featured
in On Broadway: From Rent to Revolution
By: Ellis Nassour
On Broadway: From Rent to Revolution (Rizzolli; 8×12 Hardcover; Color and B&W designs, photos, and posters; Credits; 224 pages; SRP $45), written by Drew Hodges with a Foreword by designer/author Chip Kidd, Introduction by author David Sedaris and a Cast section, is a history of the past 20 years of razzle-dazzle window card design from SpotCo ad agency that brought shows visually alive.
The book “pulls back the curtain to reveal the creative process involved in bringing a Broadway show to the stage and into the public consciousness through the words of Broadway’s most famous personalities” and the art created for over two decades – starting with Rent. The designs for Jonathan Lawson’s landmark musical were done by this new start-up, under the direction of founder Drew Hodges from a sixth-floor apartment on Sixth Avenue.
Now, as one of theater’s leading ad agencies, Hodges, photographers, and designers have created hundreds of designs for Broadway and beyond. This collection showcases behind-the-scenes photos, concept art, insider dish from stars such as Harvey Fierstein, Joel Grey, Cherry Jones, John Leguizamo, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Dolly Parton, Bernadette Peters, Mark Ruffalo, Patrick Stewart, and Sting, as well as playwright Neil LaBute and Motown founder/producer Berry Gordy.
In conjunction with the publication of On Broadway: From Rent to Revolution, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is conducting an online auction of 13 lots of custom autographed SpotCo prints, some framed. Each one features never-before-published preliminary concepts and final poster design.
BC/EFA also receives a portion of book sale proceeds. Online bidding is open and continues through Sunday, May 22 at Noon ET. To place a bid, go to http://broadwaycares.org/onbroadwayauction.
Dozens of anecdotes give insight into how in excess of 85 of Broadway’s most intriguing projects unfolded, along with the twists and turns beloved and controversial shows took on their path to mostly success. These include the Bernadette Peters Annie Get Your Gun, Avenue Q; Chicago; The Drowsy Chaperone; Elaine Stritch: At Liberty, Freak, the Peters Gypsy revival; In the Heights; La Cage aux Folles; One Man, Two Guvnors; Pippin; Rent; Shrek; and Young Frankenstein.
Recent shows are Kinky Boots, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Fun Home, Something Rotten, and Hamilton; in addition to entries on the Tonys.
Read of working with Jonathan Larson’s family and the producers on the Rent campaign; Nicole Kidman’s decision to bare all for the photo shoot for The Blue Room; collaborating with Kander and Ebb on their revival of Chicago; and collaborating with Lin-Manuel Miranda and producers on how to sell the hip-hop Hamilton.
The prints are signed by key members of the productions, including Mel Brooks, Danny Burstein, James Corden, Sutton Foster, composer Jerry Herman, composer Robert Lopez, Ian McKellen, Idina Menzel, Bebe Neuwirth, and Patrick Stewart.
BC/EFA bidding concludes next Monday with a live auction event. For more information, contact Broadway Cares’ major gifts officer John Halpin at halpin@broadwaycares.org.
