Forth Children’s Theatre Brand

Forth Children’s Theatre is an amazing organisation which is dedicated to giving young people the opportunity to perform on stage without the need for parents with deep pockets, exceptional talent or to conform to any artistic or cultural stereotypes. They produce two acclaimed, professional shows every year - including one at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe – and many of their alumni go on to have careers in the industry. What makes them truly special is a family culture that counts on generations of volunteers to play their part in everything from directing to making the tea, playing instruments to making costumes, taking pictures to building sets. In fact, most of these wonderful people once ‘tread the boards’ with FCT. Their old logo – based on the Forth Rail Bridge – didn’t reflect any part of this story and (if we’re honest) looked a bit old fashioned. Our new brand celebrates their energy and vibrancy, as well as their purpose: to give every kid, regardless of background or income, a chance to shine on stage. That thought is what inspired us to create the spotlight device within the logotype. It enables an almost limitless number of possibilities and creative opportunities. One of the key measures of success for this project was that the design system should be extremely flexible and enable FCT to promote well-known, iconic stage shows while maintaining their own unique style and building brand awareness. To do this, the spotlight graphic is combined with a single motif from each show. It could be the nun’s cassock from ‘Sister Act, the emerald green of the city in ‘Wizard of Oz’ or the rainbow of colours from ‘Joseph and his Technicoloured Dreamcoat’. This approach enabled a perfect balance of consistency and character. Beyond the spotlight device, simple typography and a colour palette inspired by the hues of the stage-lights worked together to create a distinctive, recognisable style that is an authentic reflection of the company’s culture. We’ve already used the brand in action to promote the shows ‘Anything Goes’, ‘Beauty and the Beast’ and ‘The Addams Family’. As a registered charity FCT must produce an annual report and accounts. We chose to do this online, pushing the scope beyond the statutory requirements so that it became a bold promotional piece and an expression of their culture and actions. This resulted in a powerful tool for attracting new funding, sponsorship, support and students.