So this issue is the same issue that, if you scroll further down, I have already analysed the cover and talked about the contents.
Anyway, looking through this magazine its fantastic! It's got so much information in it, quite literally everything you need to know about current musical theatre and it looks very professional. The general house-style seems to follow a pattern of blue and white headings with black text for the articles. My scanner isn't big enough for the magazine so I've resolved to taking pictures, I know it's not very clear but it will give you the general layout.
This is pages 8-9 and they're under the heading 'Ron Cohen's Broadway'. The magazine has reviews from the Westend, Broadway and regions across the UK and so it appeals to a wide audience and a large range of people as it just about covers every genre within musical theatre! So as you can see the headings are a blue block with the title printed in white capital let
ters across it, indented to the nearest edge on either page. There is a subheading which is black ink, bold and slightly bigger than the rest of the text. It is actually also a rhetorical question meaning the reader's attention is immediately grabbed. The main text is black with the names of other musicals in bold to make them stand out. This is effective because people can essentially skim read and if they find a musical they're interested in, read it! As you can see, there are two large pictures, one of each page which take up half of the page. They are establishing long-shots which are action shots as in both cases the casts are in the middle of a song and/or acting. In small white writing in the top left hand corner the title of the musicals they are taken from is printed, with the photographers name down the right hand side. The actual content of the text is not only reviews, but facts and history of musical theatre on Broadway thus making it highly informative.
ters across it, indented to the nearest edge on either page. There is a subheading which is black ink, bold and slightly bigger than the rest of the text. It is actually also a rhetorical question meaning the reader's attention is immediately grabbed. The main text is black with the names of other musicals in bold to make them stand out. This is effective because people can essentially skim read and if they find a musical they're interested in, read it! As you can see, there are two large pictures, one of each page which take up half of the page. They are establishing long-shots which are action shots as in both cases the casts are in the middle of a song and/or acting. In small white writing in the top left hand corner the title of the musicals they are taken from is printed, with the photographers name down the right hand side. The actual content of the text is not only reviews, but facts and history of musical theatre on Broadway thus making it highly informative.So a quick look at some of the other pages...
To the right are pages 14-15. This comes at the end of the Broadway section. I
have chosen to upload this image because the double page spread has a range of things. Top left there's the final part of the Broadway reviews and information with a picture that has the same layout of where it's from and who took it. The blue rectangle to the right of this image is an advertisement for their own magazine. 'Have every issue of MUSICAL STAGES mailed to you direct for just £20 per year - see page 43 for details'. By putting their title in capital letters it makes it stand out. Presumably, to be reading this the reader would be into buying the magazine. However, as this talks about subscribing, it must be aimed more at readers who are not regular in the purchase. They choose to say 'mailed to you direct' because it makes it sound easy and effortless to have in mailed to you. The bottom half of page 14 and the bottom left hand corner of page 15 are two more adverts. The one in a yellow (to stand out) box is advertising the shop Dress Circle which is 'The Greatest Showbiz Shop in the World' and also one of the few. The advert consists of explaining what type of things it sells then 5 little images of CD covers and information on title, artist, price and content. Underneath this is the companies address and other contact details. The advert on page 15 is for Hurtwood House. I have been on te website given and have discovered that it is a very expensive, but the best in the country boarding school which actually focuses around performing arts. The advert takes an image and style from artist Roy Lichtenstein which they've cleverly manipulated so that the speech bubble says 'I wish I'd gone to Hurtwood.' From the underneath text it's clear that the advert is aimed at people looking for sixth forms/colleges so 16+. I think it appeals to this audience because of the modern picture. The actual content on page 15 is entitled 'Repetitive Strain Injury' which I have said on a previous blog what a great idea i thought it was, given all this extra information. Well, it's a very misleading title! It's not about RSI at all. It is in actual fact someone analysing song lyrics, past and present! Which is still a good article and breaks up the reviews...just not what I was expecting.
have chosen to upload this image because the double page spread has a range of things. Top left there's the final part of the Broadway reviews and information with a picture that has the same layout of where it's from and who took it. The blue rectangle to the right of this image is an advertisement for their own magazine. 'Have every issue of MUSICAL STAGES mailed to you direct for just £20 per year - see page 43 for details'. By putting their title in capital letters it makes it stand out. Presumably, to be reading this the reader would be into buying the magazine. However, as this talks about subscribing, it must be aimed more at readers who are not regular in the purchase. They choose to say 'mailed to you direct' because it makes it sound easy and effortless to have in mailed to you. The bottom half of page 14 and the bottom left hand corner of page 15 are two more adverts. The one in a yellow (to stand out) box is advertising the shop Dress Circle which is 'The Greatest Showbiz Shop in the World' and also one of the few. The advert consists of explaining what type of things it sells then 5 little images of CD covers and information on title, artist, price and content. Underneath this is the companies address and other contact details. The advert on page 15 is for Hurtwood House. I have been on te website given and have discovered that it is a very expensive, but the best in the country boarding school which actually focuses around performing arts. The advert takes an image and style from artist Roy Lichtenstein which they've cleverly manipulated so that the speech bubble says 'I wish I'd gone to Hurtwood.' From the underneath text it's clear that the advert is aimed at people looking for sixth forms/colleges so 16+. I think it appeals to this audience because of the modern picture. The actual content on page 15 is entitled 'Repetitive Strain Injury' which I have said on a previous blog what a great idea i thought it was, given all this extra information. Well, it's a very misleading title! It's not about RSI at all. It is in actual fact someone analysing song lyrics, past and present! Which is still a good article and breaks up the reviews...just not what I was expecting.There are a few reviews which are in so much detail. There are some shows that have a double page to themselves with pictures, background information, the actual review and a list of all the cast members and characters as well as the creative team and jobs!
One last thing I want to comment on, because it's genius!
Say hello to 'Musical Mole'!!
So this little Mole is a character created by the magazine and acts as a kind of Agony Aunt/question and answer thing. Basically if people have a query about some musical theatre trivia...then they can ask Mole. And it would seem from this issue that if you're having friend/bully issues surrounding musical theatre...you can write to Mole! In this particular issue Mole responds to 4 issues/questions as well as giving and introduction of musical trivia and news. In his closing paragraph the writers really do create a character for him which adds comedy to the magazine. For example, Mole signs off saying 'Ah well, back to cutting out all those pictures of John Barrowman and pasting them over the walls of my office - good times'
So, all in all a very very good magazine! It's informative as well as adding humor to it, it's aesthetically appealing and keeps the readers attention throughout.
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