New York City theater marquees

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Collection History

This collection documents changing theater marquees and exterior displays of signage and posters on Broadway from late 1997 to 2001. It features some 79 productions, including The Scarlet Pimpernel, Seussical, Chicago, The King and I, Jekyll and Hyde, The Iceman Cometh, Phantom of the Opera, and Jane Eyre. The photographs were created for a project initiated in 1997 by the Billy Rose Theatre Collection of The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts to add to its collection of documentation about contemporary Broadway theater. The photographer, Christopher J. Frith (b. 1956), is a staff member of the Theatre Collection.

Background

The marquee photograph series complements the Billy Rose Theatre Collection's significant visual documentation of modern theater. In particular are the films, videotapes, and moving images created and collected since 1970 by the Theatre on Film and Tape Archive (TOFT), which preserves live performances on Broadway, Off-Broadway, and in regional theaters, including many of the Broadway productions documented in this digital presentation. Additional photographic documentation of Broadway productions exists in the Billy Rose Theatre Collection: the White Studio Collection, 1910-36; the Vandamm Studio Collection, 1920s-60s (selections included in NYPL Digital Gallery); and the Friedman-Abeles Collection, mid-1950s-1970s.

Related Resources

Botto, Louis . At This Theatre: An Informal History of New York's Legitimate Theatres. (1984)

Morrison, William. Broadway Theatres: History & Architecture. (1999)

NYPL. "Performing Arts in America." (c2001) <http://digital.nypl.org/lpa/nypl/lpa_home4.html>

Van Hoogstraten, Nicholas; with additional photography by Jock Pottle and Maggie Hopp. Lost Broadway Theatres. (1997)

All photographs are copyright The New York Public Library.

Collection Data

Description: This collection documents changing theater marquees and exterior displays of signage and posters on Broadway from late 1997 to 2001. It features some 79 productions, including The Scarlet Pimpernel, Seussical, Chicago, The King and I, Jekyll and Hyde, The Iceman Cometh, Phantom of the Opera, and Jane Eyre. The photographs were created for a project initiated in 1997 by the Billy Rose Theatre Collection of The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts to add to its collection of documentation about contemporary Broadway theater. The photographer, Christopher J. Frith (b. 1956). Consists of 4 x 6 color photographs of theater marquees from various angles showing the signage, posters and reviews on theater facades which advertises their current production. Most of the photographs are night shots.
Names: Frith, Christopher J., 1956- (Photographer); New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. Billy Rose Theater Division (Publisher)
Dates / Origin: Date Created: 1997 - 2001
Library locations: Billy Rose Theatre Division; Shelf locator: *T-Vim 2002-001
Topics: Broadway (New York, N.Y.); Theaters -- New York (State) -- New York; Marquees -- New York (State) -- New York
Genres: Photographs
Notes: Content: COLLECTION HISTORY: This collection documents changing theater marquees and exterior displays of signage and posters on Broadway from late 1997 to 2001. It features some 79 productions, including _The Scarlet Pimpernel_, _Seussical_, _Chicago_, _The King and I_, _Jekyll and Hyde_, _The Iceman Cometh_, _Phantom of the Opera_, and _Jane Eyre_. The photographs were created for a project initiated in 1997 by the Billy Rose Theatre Collection of The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts to add to its collection of documentation about contemporary Broadway theater. The photographer, Christopher J. Frith (b. 1956), is a staff member of the Theatre Collection. (Source: NYPL Digital Gallery); Biographical/historical: BACKGROUND: The marquee photograph series complements the Billy Rose Theatre Collection's significant visual documentation of modern theater. In particular are the films, videotapes, and moving images created and collected since 1970 by the Theatre on Film and Tape Archive (TOFT), which preserves live performances on Broadway, Off-Broadway, and in regional theaters, including many of the Broadway productions documented in this digital presentation. Additional photographic documentation of Broadway productions exists in the Billy Rose Theatre Collection: the White Studio Collection, 1910-36; the Vandamm Studio Collection, 1920s-60s (selections included in NYPL Digital Gallery); and the Friedman-Abeles Collection, mid-1950s-1970s. (Source: NYPL Digital Gallery); Citation/reference: RELATED RESOURCES: Botto, Louis . _At This Theatre: An Informal History of New York's Legitimate Theatres_. (1984); Morrison, William. _Broadway Theatres: History Architecture_. (1999); NYPL. "Performing Arts in America." (c2001) ‹http://digital.nypl.org/lpa/nypl/lpa_home4.html›; Van Hoogstraten, Nicholas; with additional photography by Jock Pottle and Maggie Hopp. _Lost Broadway Theatres_. (1997); All photographs are copyright The New York Public Library. (Source: NYPL Digital Gallery)
Physical Description: Extent: 8 volumes (2 lin. ft.)
Type of Resource: Still image
Identifiers: RLIN/OCLC: NYPW02-F0; NYPL catalog ID (B-number): b15373677; NYPL Digital Gallery Description: 5129; Universal Unique Identifier (UUID): 2ae1b730-c6cd-012f-2b85-58d385a7bc34