Théâtre

21815 — Near Fine. A striking 1924 Broadway program where theatre and advertising collide featuring bold Pierrot cover art and vividly illustrated Murad cigarette advertisements capturing the intersection of stage culture and early commercial art.<br /> <br /> Issued for a Christmas-week performance of 'Simon Called Peter' this program represents the mature phase of early 20th-century theatre ephemera-where performance promotion and graphic design converge. The cover illustration with its theatrical Pierrot figure emerging before a stylized curtain reflects lingering Art Nouveau influence transitioning toward the emerging Art Deco sensibility of the 1920s.<br /> <br /> Inside the program blends cast listings and theatre information with a notable range of contemporary advertisements. Particularly strong are the full-page illustrated ads including Murad cigarettes and Kelly-Springfield tires which elevate the piece beyond a simple program into a compact gallery of period commercial design.<br /> <br /> DETAILS:<br /> Title: The Klaw Theatre The Magazine Theatre Program<br /> Author: Klaw Theatre Corporation<br /> Date: Week beginning December 22 1924<br /> Format: Staple-bound booklet<br /> Size: 5.25 by 7.75 inches<br /> Pagination: 16 pages<br /> <br /> CONTENT HIGHLIGHTS:<br /> Program for 'Simon Called Peter' a dramatization of Robert Keable's novel<br /> Cast listings and production details for a Broadway presentation by William A. Brady<br /> Distinctive Pierrot cover illustration with strong theatrical composition<br /> Full-page illustrated advertisements including Murad cigarettes and Kelly-Springfield tires<br /> Period typography and layout reflecting 1920s transition from Art Nouveau to Art Deco<br /> Theatre seating diagrams and venue information<br /> <br /> CONDITION: Very Good. The bindings are tight and secure. Text is clean; light even age-toning. Moderate shelf handling wear with minor edge wear; remains visually strong and complete. HISTORICAL CONTEXT -<br /> By the 1920s Broadway theatre programs had evolved into hybrid cultural objects-part performance guide part advertising vehicle and part design showcase. Publications such as this reflect the commercial ecosystem surrounding live theatre where advertisers targeted an urban leisure-oriented audience.<br /> <br /> The presence of nationally recognized brands alongside local theatre content illustrates how programs functioned as early lifestyle media. At the same time the graphic quality of these advertisements-often employing leading illustrators and refined color printing-places such programs within the broader history of American commercial art.<br /> <br /> Today surviving examples are valued not only for their theatrical associations but also for their visual appeal and documentation of early 20th-century advertising and design.<br /> <br /> Subjects: Broadway theatre programs Klaw Theatre New York 1920s theatre Art Deco illustration Murad cigarette advertising American stage history vintage advertising art New York theatre culture Ephemera Theatre Americana unknown