BRAND GUIDELINES

March 2019
WELCOME TO MTC About MTC
Manhattan Theatre Club, under the leadership of Artistic
Director Lynne Meadow and Executive Producer
Barry Grove, has become one of the country’s most
prominent and prestigious theatre companies. Over
the past four and a half decades, MTC productions
have earned numerous awards, including 7
Pulitzer Prizes and more than 20 Tony Awards.
MTC has a Broadway home at the Samuel J.
Friedman Theatre (261 West 47th Street)
and two Off-Broadway theatres at New
York City Center (131 West 55th Street).

1.

CONTENTS
Logos

2. Sub-Brands

3. Colors

4. Fonts

5. Billing

6. Photography

7. Writing

About These Guidelines

Consistency makes any brand stronger. These
guidelines exist to help all parts of MTC speak
with one voice. They should be made available to
anyone who needs to speak or write on behalf of MTC.

Please get permission from the Director of Marketing

if you want to break any of the rules in this document.

To suggest an addition, or ask a question, please come and chat

to the marketing team, or email us at marketing@mtc-nyc.org

The Samuel J. Friedman Theatre

(Photo by Whitney Cox)
 1. LOGOS
LOGOS
1. MAIN LOGO
This is the official Manhattan Theatre Club logo.
It’s usually the right one to use.

2. HORIZONTAL LOGO
This secondary version of the logo can be used
when vertical space is limited.

3. LOGO BLOCKS
Use the logo blocks on their own when the full logo would
be illegibly small, or your audience is very familiar with MTC.

Alternative Logo Colors

REVERSED LOGO BLACK LOGO WHITE LOGO

Use this version when placing Use this version if you won’t be On multi-colored backgrounds or
the logo on a dark background. printing in color. photos, always use the white logo.

DO DON’T
Did you know? • Use only the logo • Recolor the logo. (A)
versions listed • Recolor the letters inside the logo blocks. (B)
The 3 differently-sized blocks
in MTC’s logo represent the above. • Stretch or distort any logos. (C)
three theatres.
• Leave a gap around • Add embellishments to the MTC logo. (D)
the logo that would (A) (B) (C) (D)
Murder Ballad, 2012 be wide enough to
Will Swenson, Karen Olivo, Rebecca Naomi Jones, John Ellison Conlee
(Photo by Joan Marcus) fit the ‘C’ block.
 Shows
2. SUB-BRANDS Shows have personalities.
We need them to stand out, not blend in.

To make an impact in the crowded world of New York theatre, our shows need the
flexibility to establish their own brand identities. That’s why all our shows look different.

When creating material for a single show (including galas and benefits), always use the
sub-brand that’s been created for that show.

The guidelines in this document are for everything else: season materials that include
multiple shows, subscription and fundraising materials, and institutional documents.

30 Under 35
This logo should be used whenever the
30 Under 35 program is mentioned.

Young Patrons
The logo can be used on material referring to the
Young Patron program, but is not mandatory.

Stage II
Reinventing the wheel.
The plays we present at Stage II are part of a special
New sub-brands should
only be created with the series that is funded by Harold and Mimi Steinberg. We
are required to use this logo on all Stage II material to
Venus in Fur, 2011 blessing of the Director
recognize their support.
of Marketing.
Nina Arianda & Hugh Dancy
(Photo by Joan Marcus)
 Main MTC Colors
3. COLORS MTC Red Black White
#d5272c #000000 #ffffff
R: 213 C: 11 R: 0 C: 0 R: 255 C: 0
G: 39 M: 98 G: 0 M: 0 G: 255 M: 0
B: 44 Y: 95 B: 0 Y: 0 B: 255 Y: 0
K: 2 K: 100 K: 100
Pantone 1797 C

Secondary Colors
Variety is the spice of life. When MTC’s main brand colors don’t give you enough vibrancy, use these secondary colors
as accents. Always keep the use of this color palette purposeful, e.g. to differentiate between sections. They’re not a
rainbow; don’t use all five if one would do the trick. Tints of these colors may be used when a lighter shade is needed.

Cranberry Emerald Grape

#8d2933 #2e7750 #4e3656
Pantone 7420 C Pantone 339 C Pantone 668 C

Gold Turquoise
R: 142 C: 29 #aa7129 R: 46 C: 82 #126165 R: 78 C: 71
G: 41 M: 93 Pantone 7407 C G: 120 M: 31 Pantone 320 C G: 54 M: 82
B: 51 Y: 76 B: 80 Y: 81 B: 86 Y: 40
K: 28 K: 17 K: 32
R: 170 C: 28 R: 18 C: 89
G: 113 M: 56 G: 98 M: 45
B: 41 Y: 100 B: 102 Y: 53
K: 12 K: 23

Theatre Colors
In season materials, these colors are used to differentiate between MTC’s three theatres. They must only be used in
material that covers three or more shows, and only to denote the venues as specified below.

Pantone 7407 C

Friedman Stage I Stage II

Teal Mustard Coral
#35b4b9 #e19e45 #d5535c
Pantone 3258 C Pantone 157 C Pantone 709 C

R: 63 C: 69 R: 225 C: 11 R: 213 C: 12
Prince of Broadway, 2017 G: 180 M: 6 G: 158 M: 41 G: 83 M: 82
Janet Dacal B: 178 Y: 34 B: 70 Y: 84 B: 82 Y: 58
(Photo by Matthew Murphy) K: 0 K: 0 K: 1
 4. FONTS
Heading Font
(always UPPERCASE)
BAUER BODONI
Subheading Font
(always Title Case) Open Sans Semibold
Open Sans Regular or Light
This is an example of how body copy should look. You
can use either the Regular or Light versions of Open Sans
font, whichever will work best for your needs. In emails,
Body Copy Font since only system fonts can be used, Open Sans can be
(always sentence case)
substituted for a default sans serif font such as Helvetica
or Arial. Regardless of whether it’s printed or digital, body
copy should always be black or white, and left-aligned
rather than center-aligned.

Orphans need friends.

At the end of a
paragraph, try not to
leave the last word
stuck on its own...
line.

DO
• Color body copy black or white.
• Color headings black or white if placed in
front of an image or colored background.
• Use periods at the end bullet list items.
Ruined, 2009 • Left-align body copy paragraphs.
Saidah Arrika Ekulona & Quincy Tyler Bernstine
(Photo by Joan Marcus)
DON’T
• USE THE HEADING FONT FOR BODY COPY
OR LONG SENTENCES.
• Make the body copy font size larger than the
heading or subheading font size.
• Add outlines or shadows to letters, unless
necessary for legibility.
 5. BILLING
Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes, 2017
Laura Linney & Cynthia NIxon
(Photo by Joan Marcus)
Billing correctly is imperative at MTC, because it’s an important
part of our contracts with writers, directors, actors, designers,
and the various unions that represent them.
Here are some general tips to help you get it right:
• Writers and directors are usually tied to the title and each other, which means they typically both
need to be billed wherever their play appears. Sometimes exceptions can be made due to space
limitations, e.g. a multi-show flyer, or a small website thumbnail.
• Writer and director billing must never be smaller than 50% of the size of the title in written copy, or
33.3% in artwork.
• Actor billing is always in alphabetical order unless specially negotiated otherwise.
• Typically, when one actor is billed, the whole cast must be billed. We call this ‘single-tiered billing’. City
Center shows are always single-tiered. Friedman shows sometimes have ‘multi-tiered billing’, which
enables us to single out a star actor.
Examples
Single-Tiered Billing Multi-Tiered Billing
THE COMMONS THE COMMONS
OF PENSACOLA OF PENSACOLA
By Amanda Peet By Amanda Peet
Directed by Lynne Meadow Directed by Lynne Meadow
With Blythe Danner, Zoe Levin, With Sarah Jessica Parker, Blythe Danner
Ali Marsh, Sarah Jessica Parker,
Michael Stahl-David, Nilaja Sun
• In material where space isn’t restricted (e.g. an email blast), designers must also be billed. This also
goes for print ads larger than a Playbill page, if the whole cast is billed.
• Designers are always billed in this order: Scenic Design, Costume Design, Lighting Design, Sound
Design. Sometimes another designer also need to receive billing for a specific show.
• There’s a distinction between billing and ‘ad copy,’ which essentially means a full sentence describing
the show e.g. “See Jason Alexander (“Seinfeld”) live Off-Broadway in The Portuguese Kid.” Sometimes
billing rules can be waived in ad copy, with GM approval.
DO DON’T
COMPLEX
• Write “By John Patrick Shanley”. • Write “Written by John Patrick Shanley”.
If in doubt. • Write “Directed by Doug Hughes”. • Write “Directed By Doug Hughes”.
• Write “With Cherry Jones”. • Write “Starring Cherry Jones”.
Questions about billing
should be directed to • Use commas to separate actors’ names. • Use “and” before the last actor’s name.
General Management.
• Bill all actors in alphabetical order unless you • Bill only the famous actor in a single-tiered
know the show has multi-tiered billing. cast, or move their name first.
 Writing Photo Captions
6. PHOTOGRAPHY •
Captioning photos can be a challenge.
Here are some general tips to help you get it right:

Production photos featuring 1-4 actors must name actors in the order pictured.
• Production photos featuring 5+ actors can be labeled as “cast of [show]”.
• Only production photos require actor billing, key art does not require actor billing.
• Photographers should always be credited if known.
• State year if naming productions from more than two seasons earlier.

Examples
Photo Correct Caption Why?

Actor credits not required

Photo by Kareem Black. because this is key art, not a
production photo.

SIMPLE
Pictured: Jake Gyllenhaal & Ruth Wilson
in Constellations, 2015 (photo by Joan
Marcus).
Actors in order pictured.
Ampersand (&) can be used
because this isn’t billing,
it’s a photo credit. Year
stated because production
was more than two years
ago. Photographer credit in
parentheses.

Photos credited left to

Pictured (L-R): Richard Bean, Jaclyn
Backhaus, Eleanor Burgess (photo by T.
Charles Erickson), Tarell Alvin McCraney,
Bekah Brunstetter, James Graham, Bess
Wohl, Donald Margulies.
right. Production and year
not needed because these
are writer headshots,
not production photos.
Photographers credited in
parentheses if known.

COMPLEX
Pictured (L-R): Jason Alexander in The
Photos credited left to right.
Portuguese Kid, 2017 (photo by Richard
Year stated because oldest
Termine); Condola Rashad in Saint Joan,
A thousand words. 2018 (photo by Joan Marcus); André
production was more than
two years ago. Credits
Use large, evocative Holland and Carra Patterson in August
separated by semicolons.
photos wherever Wilson’s Jitney, 2017; Sarah Jones in
Collective photographer
possible. Sell/Buy/Date, 2016; David Potters and
credit at the end makes
Timothée Chalamet in Prodigal Son,
sense because so many of
2016; Rachel Dratch and Daoud Heidami
the images are by the same
in Ripcord, 2015; Jake Gyllenhaal in
photographer. Alternative
Constellations, 2015; Sam Rockwell in
Sugar in Our Wounds, 2018 Fool for Love, 2015; Morgan Spector and
photographer is credited
Sheldon Best in parentheses (after The
Charlie Cox in Incognito, 2016. All photos
(Photo by Joan Marcus) Portuguese Kid).
by Joan Marcus unless noted otherwise.
 Tone of Voice
7. WRITING Whether it’s for a sign, a description, or ‘just’ an email, language matters.
All communication from MTC should embody the following six attributes:

SUCCINCT
Make every word
matter.

ASSERTIVE RELAXED
Be helpful. There’s no need to
Offer solutions. sound like an insurance
company.

POSITIVE SIMPLE
Find alternative Use plain English.
sentences to avoid Be straightforward.
words like “can’t”,
“don’t” and “never”.

ENGAGING
Our business thrives
on interesting writing
— that’s true
offstage too.

USE DON’T USE

COMPLEX
Choose wisely. • MTC Patrons experience world-class theatre • MTC Patrons receive a world-class
Exclamation points are in intimate surroundings. experience with respect to theatre-viewing.
great! But not after • The box office is open until 8pm. • The box office closes at 8pm.
every sentence.
• MTC Education ignites young imaginations. • MTC has a robust Education program.
The Assembled Parties, 2013 • Let me put you through to someone who can • I can’t do that.
Jessica Hecht & Judith Light help with that.
(Photo by Joan Marcus)
 How We Write MTC Terms General Formatting
USE DON’T USE USE
Manhattan Theatre Club The Manhattan Theatre Club Dates
MTC M.T.C. Where space permits, always spell out days and months in full. Wednesday, January 10, 2007
January 10, 2007
the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre The Samuel J Friedman Theatre When that’s not possible, use three letter abbreviations. Wed Jan 10
the Friedman The Friedman Don’t use periods or include the year when abbreviating. Jan 10

New York City Center Stage I NY City Center Stage I Times

Stage I Stage 1 Always use a colon, and keep am/pm in lower case without a space. 8:30pm
Only note minutes when necessary. 8pm
New York City Center Stage II City Center Stage II 12pm should always be referred to as “noon”. noon
Stage II Stage 2
Phone Numbers
MTC Patrons and Subscribers MTC patrons and subscribers Always use parentheses around the area code, (212) 399-3000
and separate the local number with a hyphen.
30 Under 35 30under35 Phone extensions should be noted with an ‘x’. (212) 399-3000 x4134

MTC Education MTC’s Education program Numbers

Numbers below 10 should be spelled out. Three plays each year
theatre theater Numbers above 10 should be written as numerals. 32 years old
(unless naming a specific theatre that uses -er e.g. “The Public Theater”) Sentences with many numbers should use numerals for consistency. 23 Tony Awards® and 7 Pulitzer Prizes
Approximated numbers should be spelled out. She’s in her seventies
box office Box Office
Years
Tony Award® Tony® Award The second year in a range should only have two digits. 2020-21 season
Tony Tony® Never add an apostrophe to a plural word. 1970s
Only use apostrophes in contractions, to substitute missing letters. ‘70s
award winner award-winner
Abbreviations
award-winning award winning Only use periods in lowercase abbreviations, not in uppercase ones. UK, CNN, e.g.

When there are two correct options, always use the longer version for the first mention — if there’s space.

Title Formatting

Theatre = Italicized Films = Italicized TV = Quotation Marks Don’t double up.

Ain’t Misbehavin’ October Sky “Law and Order” End sentences with
Rabbit Hole Moonstruck “The Good Wife” a single space.

When italics aren’t possible (e.g. an email subject line or social media post), simply write the title.
Pictured on Cover (L-R, starting from back)
Frances McDormand & Renée Elise Goldsberry in Good People, 2011 (photo by Joan Marcus)
Mary-Louise Parker in Reckless, 2005 (photo by Joan Marcus)
Blythe Danner & Sarah Jessica Parker in The Commons of Pensacola, 2013 (photo by Joan Marcus)
Frank Langella in The Father, 2016 (photo by Joan Marcus)
George Takei & Nobu McCarthy in The Wash, 1990 (photo by Gerry Goodstein)
Jason Alexander & Sherie Rene Scott in The Portuguese Kid, 2018 (photo by Richard Termine)
Condola Rashad & Quincy Tyler Bernstine in Ruined, 2009 (photo by Joan Marcus)
Tyne Daly in Master Class, 2011 (photo by Joan Marcus)
John Lithgow in The Columnist, 2012 (photo by Joan Marcus)
Dianne Wiest & Sam Waterston in Three Sisters, 1982 (photo by Gerry Goodstein)
Alison Pill & Jeff Daniels in Blackbird, 2007 (photo by Joan Marcus)
[Obscured] Denis Arndt & Mary-Louise Parker in Heisenberg, 2016 (photo by Nigel Parry)
Timothée Chalamet in Prodigal Son, 2016 (photo by Joan Marcus)
Margaret Whitton, Denzel Washington & Larry Joshua in One Tiger to a Hill, 1980 (photo by Gerry Goodstein)
André Holland & Carra Patterson in August Wilson’s Jitney, 2017 (photo by Joan Marcus)
Ken Page & André De Shields in Ain’t Misbehavin’, 1978 (photo by Gerry Goodstein)
John Slattery & Cynthia Nixon in Rabbit Hole, 2006 (photo by Joan Marcus)
Brian D’Arcy James & Laura Linney in Time Stands Still, 2010 (photo by Joan Marcus)
Bernadette Peters & Christine Baranski in Sally and Marsha, 1982 (photo by Gerry Goodstein)

Manhattan Theatre Club Brand Guidelines © 2019

Designed by Andrew Allen, with support from Yoanna Gueorguiev and Sarah McNeil