Archives Unveiled: The Art and Innovation of Irene Corey

Join the ASU Library for Archives Unveiled, an open house inside Hayden Library’s Wurzburger Reading Room. On Thursday, Feb. 6, explore selections from the library’s Theatre for Youth and Community Collection (TFYC) with Caelin Ross, performing arts librarian and curator of TFYC. 

Discover the pioneering vision of Irene Corey, whose artistic innovations transformed both stage and screen. This curated selection of materials spans her remarkable career, from groundbreaking theatrical designs to influential commercial work. Experience her theatrical masterpieces through original designs that turned actors into living mosaics in “Book of Job,” brought Shakespeare’s spirits to life in “The Tempest”, and reimagined Greek tragedy in “Electra” – to name a few. Alongside these, explore Corey’s commercial impact and other iconic brand designs–including Barney–that shaped modern television.

This open house features original sketches, design samples, and process documentation, revealing how Corey’s theatrical techniques revolutionized design. 

ASU Library’s archival and distinctive collections feature rare books, manuscripts, photographs, prints, historical newspapers, architectural drawings, ASU history and much more. 

Image credit: Irene Corey Papers, MSS-282, The Tempest, set design.