Objective: Design key art for Bret Simmons and David Howard's new musical adaptation of Oscar Wilde's comedy "The Importance of Being Earnest." Build a "brag sheet" for this new musical which shows the audience excitement for the production at this stage in its development.
Problem: Not only is Wilde's "The Importance..." a play which could be identified by any number themes and elements--a challenge for any designer working on a new production of the classic play--but how, in this case, can the title art suggest "musicality" in it's design?
Solution: Create a colorful silhouettes in Victorian costume that suggest potentially the characters of Ernest and Algernon or possibly the transformation of Earnest into (spoiler alert) Earnest. Use typography that is inspired by English Music Hall advertising, include A Wilde New Musical as part of the title, and set the word NEW apart typographically.
An example lockup of the Key Art with the tile blocks below.
Marketing materials for new musicals at this stage in their development are largely designed to sell the show itself rather than to sell tickets to any specific performance. Here we used quotes and selected photos to convey audience excitement while also making it clear that the material has been tested, approved of, and is read for new productions. Check out the 'brag sheet' below or download it in .pdf form here
