In the second half of the 19th century, the theatrical playbill was the most important theatrical ephemeral print. Its functions were initially quite numerous and varied, but they were gradually transferred to other materials, especially programs. The playbill provided information about the theatrical performance itself, but also about the way the theater works as an institution, the administrative regulations and organizational culture that apply to it. To contemporary scholars it is an invaluable resource, as it sheds light on the potential ways that theater functioned in the minds of audiences. Adopting Gillien Russell’s concept of the performativity to the theatrical playbill, the article presents the planes of influence of print, the contexts of its use and the potential possibilities of representing the theater in the artistic, administrative and social spheres.