Ford’s Theatre:
Sister Act Playbill

Designed a full-length playbill balancing editorial content, advertising, and brand consistency, ensuring readability and strong visual hierarchy across long-form content. I also contributed to early show logo concepts.

Goal
Present editorial content, advertising, and show information in a clear and engaging format

My Role
Project manager, layout, typography, visual hierarchy, multi-department communication

Constraints
Brand guidelines, high-volume editorial content, print production requirements

An announcement poster for the grand opening of Frances and Craig Lindner Center for Culture and Leadership at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., showing a building with people outside and a large portrait of Abraham Lincoln on the facade.
Poster for the musical Sister Act at Ford's Theatre, scheduled from March 14 to May 17, 2025. The background features colorful, stained-glass window patterns with musical notes.

Ford’s Theatre “Sister Act” Playbill Front and Back

  • Developed early logo concepts before maternity leave; final logo was completed as a collaboration.

  • Designed the entire playbill (cast bios, notes, dramaturgy, Ford’s Theatre ads, student guide, etc.).

  • Managed several rounds of revisions across multiple people in all departments.

  • Created a clear edit-intake system to prevent conflicting feedback and stay true to Ford’s Theatre brand guidelines.

  • Prepared all files for pre-press and coordinated with printers & advertisers.

What I Did

Page from a program or playbill with a table of contents for a production of 'Sister Act'. The page includes a photo of a stage with actors dressed as nuns, two standing and interacting, with a group of three seated nuns observing. The table of contents lists sections such as Ford's Theatre, cast, bios, production details, and acknowledgments.
Poster advertising Ford's Theatre membership with a photo of a behind-the-scenes event. It includes images of theater seats, a stage, and an actor, with information on ticket sales, discounts, and member benefits.
A page with a large image of a woman in a white gown and faux fur coat, along with smaller images of her in different costumes. The page contains text about the history of the musical Sister Act, its performances, and facts about related personalities, with a section titled 'Did You Know?' in yellow background.
Page from a brochure with the title "The Origin Story of Sister Mary Clarence (Deloris Van Cartier)". It includes text about the film Sister Act, its plot, and characters, with a quote highlighted in a multicolored stained glass window design. There is a picture of a woman dressed as a nun in a black and white habit, along with two smaller images of the same costume from different angles and a gold "SISTER ACT" logo.

Ford’s Theatre “Sister Act” Playbill Membership Ad, Table of Contents, Dramaturgy

Ford’s Theatre “Sister Act” Playbill Membership Ad, Dramaturgy

Results

  • Delivered a polished, on-time playbill in time for opening night.

  • Strengthened interdepartmental workflow and communication.

  • Helped shape the show’s overall visual identity.

Black and white cast photos of ten individuals with their names beneath each picture, arranged in a grid. The heading reads 'Cast Photos'.
Page from a student guide titled 'Sister Act Student Guide' with information about the musical Sister Act, fun facts, and activities for creating a new musical based on favorite movies.
A detailed list of cast bios for various actors, including their roles, training, regional work, notable performances, and awards.
Page from the Sister Act Student Guide with a fill-in-the-blank song activity titled 'Raise your ______!'

Ford’s Theatre “Sister Act” Student Guide

Why This Matters

This was my most complex print project at Ford’s Theatre due to it being “all hands on deck”.
It shows my ability to lead a large production process, manage stakeholders, and design under pressure. It also helped me develop my ability to speak up on what I knew was correct in terms of brand standards (absolutely no oxford commas at Ford’s Theatre)!

Graphic design with the words 'Sister Act' in red glittery cursive font, one version on a black background and the other on a white background, both with a gold outlining and sparkling star accents.
Text reading 'SISTER ACT' in bold red with gold outline, displayed on black and white backgrounds.

Ford’s Theatre “Sister Act” Early Logo Concepts

More Case Studies

Ford’s Theatre “Sister Act” Playbill Cast Photos, Cast Bios, Student Guide