Studio Theatre launches new identity and poster designs
Referencing the theatre’s physical history, past programming, and local community, Pentagram’s Abbott Miller has created a new show-stopping identity for Studio Theatre
Studio Theatre in Washington, which was founded in 1978, has undergone a major rebrand with the help of Abbott Miller and his team at Pentagram.
Located in the 14th Street corridor, the theatre is known for its socially minded and artistically daring productions, but the team there felt that a new look and feel was needed not only to emphasise its ambitious programming, but also to make the theatre a more welcoming and accessible space for the local community.
According to Variety magazine, Studio is where you will find “today’s edgiest playwrights”, so it’s only fitting then that the theatre’s new identity is equally imaginative and bold.
Type-driven, it draws inspiration from the groundbreaking talent found within the walls of the theatre, but also the walls themselves. Hinting at the industrial past of the Studio complex, which was formerly a factory, the identity seeks to honour the history of Studio, while positioning it as contemporary and forward-facing.
The typography itself is composed of a non-stencil version of the utilitarian heavyweight font AType, designed by Pentagram partner Matt Willey; the geometric sans Metric from Klim Type Foundry; and the serif Publico from Commercial Type. AType in particular has been applied to Studio’s primary communications across its various platforms and assets, as well as to its wordmark logo.
In keeping with the main Studio building, the colour palette for the identity consists of yellow, black and white. The yellow specifically serves to draw attention to the theatre’s position along the 14th Street corridor, while allowing the space to feel engaging and inviting. “The redesigned façade announces the theatre as a vibrant personality within its neighbourhood,” according to Pentagram.
This vibrancy can be found both outside and inside the theatre, with the interior boasting two large-scale murals composed of materials from the Studio archive, and the exterior showcasing a series of bold poster designs featuring original Studio productions, such as Fat Ham, English, The Hot Wing King, and White Noise.
These posters, which mix collage and layering techniques, contrast beautifully with the bare brick walls, as well as the iconic yellow of the entrance, drawing the eyes of passers-by and allowing Studio to stand out among its neighbours.
