I saw this headline in a full-page ad.

Problem:
The verb is incorrect.

Explanation:
The full page ad by Broadway Across America appeared in the weekly Houston Press.

The ad was for a stage show titled “Spring Awakening”.

The full headline was “ELECTRIFYING! ‘Spring Awakening’ brakes all the rules and dares to be as bold as it is beautiful.”

It was attributed to the San Francisco Examiner.

A quick search with Google did not find the quotation in the San Francisco Examiner.

But the search did return this article title at chron.com (the website of the Houston Chronicle): “Spring Awakening: a musical that breaks all the rules”.

In other words, the Houston Chronicle used the verb “break” — spelled B-R-E-A-K — which is correct, whereas the Houston Press ad used the verb “brake” — spelled B-R-A-K-E — which is incorrect.

I cannot say with certainty whether the error was typographical or a sign of true ignorance.

But I would lean toward the error being a typo because the two verbs are homophones. A slight bit of distraction while typing will cause the best of us to type one word when we mean to type another word!

Solution:
“‘Spring Awakening’ breaks all the rules …”