Campaign materials for a youth-centered theater production exploring themes of identity, race, and belonging. The visual direction draws from street-inspired typography to reflect the play’s urban, expressive tone. Mudlark Theater Company, Evanston, IL

Overview

I.D. was a youth-centered theater production exploring themes of identity, race, ethnicity, and bullying within the Evanston community. I was commissioned to design the key promotional materials for the show, including the primary poster, program cover, Facebook banner, and postcard.

The goal was to create a visually direct and emotionally resonant identity system that reflected the play’s urban, expressive tone.

Concept & Visual Direction

The design centers on bold, distressed typography inspired by street art and graffiti. The textured treatment of “I.D.” references themes of voice, disruption, and personal marking — reinforcing the play’s exploration of identity formation and belonging.

A restrained black-and-white palette was used to maintain clarity, impact, and budget-conscious production efficiency.

Collaboration & Process

The project involved iterative development in collaboration with theater leadership. Multiple typographic explorations were presented and refined through structured feedback rounds, ensuring the final design aligned with both the creative vision and production constraints.

When the City of Evanston sponsored a second run of performances, the campaign was expanded to include photography from the production. I adapted the visual system to integrate imagery while maintaining typographic hierarchy and readability across portrait and landscape explorations.

Deliverables

• Primary poster design

• Redesigned poster for sponsored second run

• Printed program cover

• Facebook banner

• Postcard adaptation

The materials were printed, distributed, and used throughout the theater’s promotional campaign. I also attended the production, experiencing the work in its final, real-world context.

This poster design was also adapted into banner and postcard formats.