Strauss began by collecting ads for the Madison Square Theatre[1] and transformed the programme from a four-page leaflet into a magazine playbill that included advertisements and the credits.
[2] Strauss began his work in 1884 and a year later recruited companies like Caswell Massey, Runkel Brothers Cocoa, and Schirmer Pianos to be advertised in his programs.
[3]: 279 In 1891, Strauss merged with his main competitor and, by 1905, standardized the "design and layout of the programs so that the makeup would be easier and the sizes of advertising space uniform.
Handsome, stylish overcoats that are wetproof, too!”[3]: 280 Advertisements were not the only additions to the playbill, but also short articles that discussed fashion, car care, book reviews, interviews, and even jokes.
Public outcry forced Stevens to allow a colorful band to strip across the top of the Playbill with the show's information printed underneath.
The current Playbill collects samples of all their publications, which helps researchers understand what genre of theatre was produced during a particular decade.