Showbill for "Zooman and the Sign": Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A black-and-white paper showbill printed by Playbill for “Zooman and the Sign”.

On the front of the playbill in large black type is [SHOWBILL ® / THEATRE FOUR] printed inside a blue block. Below it is the very large round Negro Ensemble Company logo inside a black print block.

On the inside of the playbill, a left page features a Manufactures Hanover ad depicting a compass with Lady Liberty head in profile and a written banking appeal to potential corporate clients. The right page announces the play “In An Upstate Motel”. From the top in black type is: [THEATRE FOUR / 424 West 55th Street / (Near Ninth Avenue) / 246-8545] and the Negro Ensemble Company circular logo. The page continues: [DOUGLAS TURNER WARD / Artistic Director / GERALD S. KRONE / Managing Director / presents / ZOOMAN AND THE SIGN / by / CHARLES FULLER / with / ALVIN ALEXIS / TERRANCE TERRY ELLIS / CARL GORDON / MARY ALICE / GIANCARLO ESPOSITO / STEVEN A. JONES / RAY ARANHA / FRANCES FOSTER / CAROL LYNN MAILLARD / Directed by / DOUGLAS TURNER WARD / Scenery Designed by / RODNEY J. LUCAS / Lighting Designed by / SHIRLEY PRENDERGAST / Costumes Designed by / JUDY DEARING / Production Stage Manager / CLINTON TURNER DAVIS / Premier Performance—December 7, 1980 / WARNING / The photographing or sound recording of any performance or the possession of any device for such / photographing or sound recording inside this theatre, without the written permission of the manage- / ment, is prohibited by law. / Violations may be punished by ejection and may render the offender liable / for money damages.]. A small ad for Dubonnet Wine is featured below the play’s information.

On the back of the playbill is an edge to edge color photographic ad for Grand Marnier Liqueur. The ad depicts the macro perspective of the liqueur being poured into an ice cubed-shot glass. There is bright orange type throughout, and a small image of the Grand Marnier bottle and slogan in the upper left of the image.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1980
• Published by: Playbill, American, founded 1884
• Subject of: Negro Ensemble Company, American, founded 1967
• Subject of: Charles Fuller, American, born 1939
• Subject of: Carol Lynn Maillard, American, born 1951
• Subject of: Giancarlo Esposito, American, born 1958
• Subject of: Frances Foster, American, 1924 - 1997
• Subject of: Ray Aranha, American, 1939 - 2011
• Subject of: Terrence Terry Ellis
• Type: playbills
• Medium: ink on paper with metal
• Dimensions: H x W x D: 9 × 5 5/8 × 1/8 in. (22.9 × 14.3 × 0.3 cm)
• Place used: New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Actors
• Topic: Advertising
• Topic: Drama (Theatre)
• Topic: Entertainers
• Topic: Theatre
• Topic: Theatre companies
• Object number: 2014.196.11
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Dr. Sandra Austin
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: © American Theatre Press, Incorporated, 1980 Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.