All Creative Direction and Design by Evelyn DeHais. Photography by Ian Johnston (Dangerpants Photography)

 

Mad Scientist Cabaret was a complicated show to market. It was a wholly original piece, so there was no name recognition, and the show had no straightforward plot, so there was no "story" to sell. Instead, we relied on the bizarre visuals of the show. Our poster and cards were an eye-catching white/black/pink combo that harkened to movie posters like The Babadook or Rocky Horror respectively. Our online ads were individual spotlights on each character: stunning, bold, and incredibly strange. The photographer and I used high-fashion magazines as reference, juxtaposing the grotesque figures with a clean and sharp aesthetic with a result of ad that felt like they belonged in an otherworldly Vogue. 

 

Rather than try to define the show, we chose to provoke. There was an air of mystery and audacity around the show. Audiences showed up because they were intrigued and wanted to know just what all the weirdness was about. This was one of the more successful marketing campaigns I ever worked on. It outsold every off-night show that had been produced at Annex in the last 28 years.