Technical Theatre Legend Alyce Gilbert To Be Honored At The Annual 'Backstage Legends And Masters Award' Event April 23

Purchase College, SUNY's Broadway Technical Theatre History Project, will present the Seventh Annual "Backstage Legends and Masters Award" to esteemed Production Wardrobe Supervisor, Alyce Gilbert on April 23 at 7 p.m. The free event will take place in the Performing Arts Center on the College's campus at 735 Anderson Hill Road, Purchase, NY.

Gilbert is currently the Production Wardrobe Supervisor for the Broadway production of Wicked, where she oversees more than 300 costumes, including their maintenance, repair, and cleaning. In her role, she assists in preserving the integrity of the costume design, a particular challenge in a long running production. She also works with the company's dressers to ensure that the complicated quick changes are made smoothly at each performance.

Long interested in costumes, Gilbert's Broadway career began in 1975 as the Production Wardrobe Supervisor of A Chorus Line, having supervised it at The Public Theater prior to its historic run on Broadway. Since then, she has worked on a number of Broadway productions, including Dreamgirls, Grand Hotel, Will Rogers Follies, Passion, and the revivals of Kiss Me, Kate and Into The Woods.

She is the recipient of the 2007 Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre - the first wardrobe person honored.

Gilbert joins previous Backstage Legends and Masters honorees Artie Siccardi (2012), Arnold Abramson (2013), Fred Gallo (2014), Gene O'Donovan (2015), Pete Feller, Sr. (2016), and Joe Forbes (2017).

"To say that Alyce is a Backstage Legend is an understatement," said Dan Hanessian, Associate Professor of Theatre Design/Technology at Purchase. "When this award was first created in 2011 the goal was to focus on the people backstage making Broadway productions work. Alyce is one of the very best at what she does, and it's an honor for us to have her receive this award."

About the Backstage Legends and Masters & the Broadway Technical Theatre History Project

Backstage Legends and Masters, founded by Dan Hanessian, is an annual public presentation spotlighting individuals who have been central to the realization of Broadway productions for many years, but are not typically provided recognition through the Tony or Drama Desk awards. Each year an individual is selected by a panel of distinguished professionals who represent a variety of Broadway production specialties. The presentation will be videotaped and archived for future viewing on the Broadway Technical Theatre History Project website.

This information will be available to the public in a centralized database. The project will also include a visual history and timeline of the shops. For more information, contact Dan Hanessian at dan.hanessian@purchase.edu or (914) 251-6854.

About the Theatre Design/Technology Program at Purchase

Emphasizing studio and classroom training, the professional training program in Theatre Design/Technology gives students the guidance and support of established and theatre industry professionals. Many Purchase alumni are recognized at the top of their field, and have received Tony, Emmy, Obie, and Drama Desk Awards, among other honors. Purchase grads are working in or have worked in every theatre on Broadway, in all tri-state venues, and with countless touring productions. Students can concentrate in scenic design, costume design, lighting design, costume technology, stage management, or technical direction/production management.

About Purchase College-SUNY

Purchase College, part of the State University of New York (SUNY) network of 64 universities and colleges, was founded in 1967 by Governor Nelson Rockefeller. His aspiration for Purchase was to create a dynamic campus that combined conservatory training in the visual and performing arts with programs in the liberal arts and sciences, in order to inspire an appreciation for both intellectual and artistic talents in all students. Today, Purchase College-SUNY is a community of students, faculty, and friends where open-minded engagement with the creative process leads to a lifetime of intellectual growth and professional opportunity. For more information about the College, visit www.purchase.edu

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