The Ultimate Guide to Playbill Size for Your Next Production
When the theater doors open for a performance and the audience streams in, they all receive a playbill that guides them through the show. When you picture this playbill, you probably have an image of its approximate size in your head. However, if you’re wondering, “how big is a playbill?” you’re not alone. This common question deserves a closer look.
Although you can in theory use any playbill size you want for your performance, a playbill shouldn’t be too large or too small, as it can influence your audience’s interest and engagement in your show and have a significant effect on printing costs. In this article, we’ll discuss the most common playbill dimensions so that you can decide on the perfect playbill size for your next project.
Understanding Playbills
Before getting into the nitty-gritty of playbill sizes, let’s cover the basics. Playbills are typically booklets that guide viewers through a performance of a play or a musical. They’re commonly used in theater, dance, and music productions. The most well-known type is the classic style with an iconic yellow heading; if you’ve ever seen a Broadway show, there’s a good chance you’ve received one of these stylish playbills.
Components Of A Playbill
Playbills frequently contain many types of information. Some of the most important aspects of a playbill include:
- Cover page with an eye-catching image that matches the theme of the show
- Cast list that gives the names of all of the actors
- Biographies that provide details about everyone in the production, including both cast and crew
- Advertisements from sponsors and local businesses
- Additional information which can include details about the theater company, announcements about upcoming productions, or casting calls
Playbills typically consist of many pages, which provide flexibility throughout the design process since you can add additional pages to fit more information or rearrange pages in your preferred order. You can choose to include as few or as many sections as you’d like.
Standard Playbill Sizes
While you can theoretically make your playbill any size you want, there are a few playbill dimensions that are more common than the rest. Here are some of the most common sizes that you might want to pick.
5.375x8.5 Playbills
Did you know that playbills have an official size? According to the official Playbill website, the true playbill size is 5.375x8.5. If you go see a production on Broadway, for example, you’ll receive a playbill this size.
While 5.375x8.5 playbills are the official size, this size is less commonly found among printing companies’ offerings, as it is slightly specialized. If you’d like to print your playbills in exactly 5.375x8.5, feel free to ask your printing partner to see if they can do this for you as a custom order. There’s a good chance that they’ll be able to make it possible!
However, most printers will be able to cheaply and easily produce playbills that are more common sizes. Let’s dig into these sizes a bit more.
5.5x8.5 Playbills
The 5.5x8.5 playbill size is an extremely close approximation to the official playbill size of 5.375x8.5, making it a popular choice for those who are trying to emulate official playbills. This size is flexible, both large enough to include photos and images but small enough to feel comfortable in readers’ hands and sit on their laps while they watch the show. In short, it strikes the perfect balance between form and function, as it is large enough to include the information you need while still being affordable.
8.5x11 Playbills
If you agree that bigger is better, 8.5x11 playbills are the right choice for you. This size is larger than average, and it gives you the option to include full-size photos of the production. You have space to include details about the cast and a message from the director, as well as full-page ads from local businesses.
Custom Playbill Sizes
If you’re looking for a size other than the sizes above, a custom playbill might be the right option for you. When you print a playbill that’s a custom size, you’re able to choose the exact size that fits your needs. Whether this is 5.375x8.5 in order to match the official playbill size or a different size you pick for a different reason, you can choose to order playbills in any size you’d like. To learn more, ask your printing partner about their options.
When To Consider Custom Sizes
You might opt for custom playbills for a few reasons. If you’d like to develop a unique branding strategy that embraces the unexpected, a custom size can help you stand out from the crowd.
If you’re creating a playbill for an event that has specific requirements for playbill sizes, opting for custom printing gives you the flexibility to pick the size you need. As well, if your playbill content leads to specific sizing needs, you can pick a custom size that matches your content exactly.
Pros And Cons Of Custom Sizes
Choosing custom printing gives you the opportunity to distribute materials that exactly match what you have in mind. This freedom is powerful and lets you create print products that reflect your identity and serve your needs.
However, this benefit can be offset by increased costs related to custom printing, since your printing partner might need to cut papers to a specific size. Your printing partner can talk you through the options they offer so that you can make the choice that best fits your project and your budget.
Bring Your Playbill To Life, No Matter The Size
When you’re thinking about printing playbills, let ZoePrint take care of the printing for you. With decades of playbill printing experience, we are leaders in producing playbills for performances across the country. We offer standard playbill sizes and can easily accommodate custom sizes as well.
To get started printing your very own playbills, order online or ask ZoePrint for a custom quote.
