Two of this season's most anticipated shows are revivals, one a modern era classic, the other a Golden Age classic. Both shows have had previous revivals, but these both aim to be different than their predecessors. How successful they will be remains to be seen, but will their logos have any impact either way?
2024 - 2025 Broadway Musical Logos:
Gypsy and Sunset Boulevard
Gypsy
The logo/advertising seems to depend on potential ticket-buyers' knowledge of the work and of its star. Simple, yet bold, and certainly eye-catching, you need to know that "Gypsy" is the title and not Audra's last name. Similarly, you'd have to know who the heck "Audra" is. Believe it or not, there are a lot of people unfamiliar with the multi-award-winning show and/or its star.
The "name in lights" font is perfect for such a showbiz-y musical. And I especially like the spotlight-on-a-curtain look behind the words. Finally, the reflection at the bottom further brings home the idea that this is about the stage. "Curtain up! Light the lights!" indeed.
We are looking forward to it - it's a favorite score, and we love Audra. But are theater nerds like us enough? Will it draw a long-term and large audience to sustain a run and even a profit?
Grade: B-
Sunset Boulevard
Right across 44th Street, at the St. James Theatre, is a similarly austere logo that depends heavily on passersby knowledge of the show and its star. Here, the name of its world-famous composer might add some interest - let's be honest, even non-theater goers have heard of Sir Andrew. The rest of the names on the marquee may be famous depending on your interests. The star name at the top may draw you if you were ever a fan of The Pussycat Dolls. Theater fans may flock to see her because she's an Olivier Award winner for the role, or because she didn't come over with the Cats revival. Of course, knowing the director might help make sense of the relative plainness of the logo. Jamie Lloyd is renowned for extremely austere productions with boundary pushing staging elements, and so the plain font and red/white on black coloring matches that aesthetic. Those vivid colors against the black are also very eye-catching.



That aesthetic also matches the further iterations of the show's advertising. The poster, featuring Nicole Scherzinger in character, in black and white (save the blood red title) is striking.
The cast in black relief against the blood red offers a more ominous reveal of the modern dress company. And befitting the larger-than-life character that Norma Desmond is, her staring down from the Empire State Building seems especially apropos for her "return" to New York.
Ultimately, I like it, though I'm not sure how the advertising may affect the ticket sales after the initial craze. You sure do have to know a lot to "get" what it is trying to sell,
Grade: A-
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