Became a marquee name, say

ROSETOFAME

Think of how a performer’s career might bloom into widespread recognition.

"Became a marquee name" hints at someone gaining fame, like a star whose name lights up a theater marquee. "Say" signals this is a common phrase, not literal—here, it’s the idiom "rose to fame," meaning to achieve widespread recognition. The answer is written as one word, ROSETOFAME, playing on the phrase’s structure while fitting crossword-style compactness. Think of actors or musicians whose careers took off, and their names started appearing in big, bright letters.