Opening Reception set for April 6 from 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.

The Theatre School at DePaul University and the DePaul Art Museum present “Theoni V. Aldredge: Broadway and Beyond,” an exhibit of costume sketches, costumes and related materials from the award-winning career of theater, film, ballet and opera designer Theoni V. Aldredge, an alumna of the Goodman School of Drama (now The Theatre School). The exhibit opens March 27 and runs through May 16, with an opening reception April 6 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The museum is located at 2350 N. Kenmore Ave. in Chicago. The exhibit and reception are free and open to the public. For more information, call (773) 325-7506 or visit http://museums.depaul.edu.

Born Theoni Athanasiou Vachlioti in Greece in 1932, Aldredge’s first Oscar nomination was for best costume design (black and white) for “Never On Sunday” (1960), followed by numerous Emmy, Tony, Obie, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, British Film Academy and other nominations and awards amassed during a career that spans the last 50 years. She received an Academy Award for her costume design of “The Great Gatsby” (1974) and has been nominated for 15 Tony Awards, three of which she won for “Annie” (1977), “Barnum” (1979) and “La Cage aux Folles” (1984). She designed costumes for the original productions of “A Chorus Line” (1975, Theatre World Award), “Annie” and “42nd Street” (1980). Her Broadway credits also include “Dream Girls”, “Woman of the Year,” “Private Lives,” “Blithe Spirit” and “Chess,” among numerous others. In 1962, she became the primary costume designer for the New York Shakespeare Festival, beginning a long association with the organization and its founding director, Joseph Papp. Her feature film credits include “Network,” “The Champ,” “The Rose,” “Annie,” “Ghostbusters,” “Moonstruck,” “Eyes of Laura Mars,” “Stanley and Iris,” “Mrs. Winterbourne,” “The Mirror Has Two Faces” and “The First Wives Club”. In 1984, she worked with actress Jane Fonda to develop more than 200 designs for the original line of Jane Fonda Workout Wear. Aldredge was inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame (1990) and also received the Costume Designers Guild Career Achievement Award (2000). She was previously honored by The Theatre School with its Award for Excellence in the Arts (1999). Aldredge is currently working on the Broadway revival of “A Chorus Line,” projected to open this fall.

Aldredge lives in New York with her husband, actor Tom Aldredge (“The Sopranos”).

“The sketches included in this exhibition are striking in many ways, but perhaps most strongly for their distinctiveness,” said Louise Lincoln, director of the DePaul Art Museum. “Perhaps more than other elements of theatrical design, costuming establishes and essentializes the look of a production, as the iconic image from 'A Chorus Line' — the chorus line wearing Aldredge’s elegant top hats and tails — demonstrates. Aldredge’s fame rests on her ability to express, on paper, in fabric and finally in motion on stage, the character and spirit of the production.”

“Theoni V. Aldredge: Broadway and Beyond” was curated by Lincoln in collaboration with Nan Cibula-Jenkins, professor and head of costume design program, and Janet C. Messmer, professor and head of the costume technology program at The Theatre School. Project administrators include John Culbert, dean, and Tessa Craib-Cox, director of development at The Theatre School. DePaul Art Museum collaborators include Kathryn DeGraff, curator of special collections at DePaul’s John T. Richardson Library; Laura Fatemi, assistant art museum director; and Chris Mack, assistant curator at the DePaul Art Museum. The exhibition is documented in a fully illustrated, comprehensive catalogue, available via CD-ROM.

Admission to the DePaul Art Museum is free and open to the public. Museum hours are: Mon. – Thurs., 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Fri., 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sat. and Sun., noon to 5 p.m. For more information about “Theoni V. Aldredge: Broadway and Beyond” and future exhibitions of the DePaul Art Museum, call (773) 325-7506 or visit http://museums.depaul.edu.

The Theatre School at DePaul University, celebrating its 80th anniversary this year, was founded as the Goodman School of Drama in 1925 and joined DePaul in 1978, making it a fully accredited school within a major urban university. The Midwest's oldest theatre conservatory, the school educates, trains and inspires students of theatre in a conservatory setting that is rigorous, disciplined, culturally diverse and that strives for the highest level of professional skill and artistry. Nationally known for its highly structured programs, the school has set a standard of excellence in American professional theatre training for 80 years.

Editor’s Note: Digital images of Aldredge’s work are available on request. A biography with a complete listing of Aldredge’s professional credits, awards and recognitions is available upon request.