Theatre Row
A Theatre District institution that’s opening new doorsVISIT WEBSITE
BFANY.ORG/THEATRE-ROWTheatre Row is a multi-theatre Off-Broadway complex in Times Square which welcomes over 100 companies and 125,000 patrons each year.
Offering theatre and rehearsal studio rentals, office space, and more, the space serves as an affordable, nurturing home for a broad range of performing arts organizations and artistic voices.
In 2018, Theatre Row sought to unveil a new purpose — to put more emphasis on promoting its 10 resident companies while nurturing new initiatives like the Kitchen Sink Residency which provides resources for nonprofit theatre companies to collaborate, produce work, and build a professional home in Theatre Row’s intimate venues.
To complement these new initiatives, Theatre Row planned a significant branding overhaul and architectural facelift to their 100 year-old tenement building. The firm Architecture Outfit was tasked with bringing together Theatre Row leadership’s creative ambitions and the site’s physical challenges to design a phased renovation project, while Flyleaf worked to galvanize the organization’s new look — in the physical space and all other aspects in which partners and audiences interact with their brand.
SERVICES
- Branding Suite with Branding Guidelines
- Interior Lobby Supergraphic
- Signage Templates & Display Systems
- Logo Design & Branding Suite for New Initiative (Kitchen Sink Residency)
AWARDS
Indigo Awards:
- Silver Winner in Wayfinding for Graphic Design
VISIT WEBSITE
BFANY.ORG/THEATRE-ROWSERVICES
- Branding Suite with Branding Guidelines
- Interior Lobby Supergraphic
- Signage Templates & Display Systems
- Logo Design & Branding Suite for New Initiative (Kitchen Sink Residency)
AWARDS
Indigo Awards:
- Silver Winner in Wayfinding for Graphic Design
A New Mark, Now What?
As Building for the Arts brought together Theatre Row with Music and the Brain and began new initiatives for the organizations, they unveiled a new mark designed by the Doyle Partners. Flyleaf created a full suite of variations on the mark, including new lockups and uses for social media. Our process involved establishing a thorough understanding of how the Doyle Partners arrived at their new design, and helping Theatre Row imagine all the ways they and their partners could utilize it.
We capped the work off with comprehensive branding guidelines for the organization as well as an abbreviated version to share with the 100+ annual tenants and partners who utilize the company’s branding in promoting their work.
Activating the Space
Flyleaf was next tasked with helping to create a more lively physical space in their complex which embodies the intentions of their invigorated brand and new mission.
Our goals included:
- Design an engaging central motif that activates each floor
- Create a cohesive wayfinding system that helps orient returning visitors as well as welcome new audiences and the many artists now using all facets of the multi-level complex
- Consult on front-of-house promotions for how to display production key art in a publicly-engaging and user-friendly format
- Facilitate all installations while the theatres remained open to the public
We developed a primary wayfinding system that would use the central staircase as a focal point, implementing a supergraphic whose design plays with scale reacting to each floor level and features a vibrant geometric pattern that interacts with the switchback shapes of the stair.
The result is a transformative and playful design that spans the full height of the building and sweeps you right into the heart of activity. It could even be glimpsed from the street, attracting the attention of all passersby. The client has received countless compliments on the new look, and we’ve seen numerous social media posts from visitors engaging with the space and our designs in a new way.
We worked closely with the architect, fabricator, and installer to confirm measurements and consult on materials. And Flyleaf helped manage all the logistics so that the work could be installed while the theatres remained operational, with safety precautions considered for the public who would have access to the site during installation.
Additional work included creating templates for cohesive branding across newly-installed digital monitors and a system of vinyl frames for exterior glass doors to accommodate frequently changing posters for tenants’ shows.
Bringing in New Audiences
In 2019, Theatre Row announced the Kitchen Sink Residency, an initiative that invites emerging nonprofit arts companies to be part of “a two-year commitment of space and support — as well as a sustained artistic home base — as they create and present a new, never-before-produced work.” Theatre Row needed a welcoming mark and suite of assets with which to unveil the program. Flyleaf worked to complement the Theatre Row brand while creating something unique, flexible, and playful for the exciting new initiative which would bring lots of press coverage upon its unveiling, and would seek to attract the attention of hundreds of applicants, and later, brand new audiences discovering original works produced under Theatre Row’s roof.
