The Man Behind Broadway Marquees

Perhaps the most recognizable aspect of Broadway is the marquee sign, a staple at theaters across the globe. New York City’s Theatre District is a world-renowned attraction, and the man behind the flashing lights of this spectacular sight is the wondrous Wayne Sapper, whose family business King Displays has been providing Broadway with its best and most vivid marquee signs for decades. Highlighted today on Playbill.com, Sapper gives some insight to his behind-the-scenes business that most theatergoers don’t think twice about, and we’re here to reveal some of the details behind the showy Broadway signs.

Sapper’s King Displays, a 71-year business, sits at W. 52nd Street in the heart of the theatrical action, and the company has been the advertising means for hundreds of productions over the years, as Sapper relates, “Everything from the marquees to the little name sliders… That’s exactly what we try to be.” From past days where signs took up to 10 days to make to now where they’re almost instantly designed, King Displays has been there, having handcrafted marquee signs for an estimated 80 percent of the theatres on Broadway. From long-running shows like Wicked, Phantom of the Opera or Chicago, Sapper and King Displays have seen it all, so next time you’re at the theater, remember the man behind the marquee sign.

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