Costume designer Paul Tazewell's recent achievements include winning an Academy Award for Best Costume Design for his work on Wicked, directed by Jon M. Chu and featuring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. This accolade was accompanied by a BAFTA Award for Best Costume Design, a Critics Choice Award, the Costume Designers Guild's Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film award, NAACP Image Award and the Innovator Award from the African American Film Critics Association, underscoring his critical role in bringing the fantastical world of Oz to life. Additional accolades include an Academy Award nomination for West Side Story in 2021, an Emmy for "The Wiz! Live," and recognitions for his contributions to Harriet, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, and "Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert."
On Broadway, his costumes in Death Becomes Her currently on Broadway and the 2024 production of Suffs demonstrate his ongoing influence, earning him a Drama Desk Award in 2024 and a Tony Award nomination. His revolutionary designs for Hamilton won him a Tony Award in 2016, further establishing his reputation in theatrical costume design.
Throughout his career, Tazewell has earned multiple Lucille Lortel Awards, Helen Hayes Awards, and additional accolades from the Costume Designers Guild. His dedication is also evident in his collaborations with The Metropolitan Opera, The Bolshoi Ballet, and The English National Opera.
Educated at New York University and the North Carolina School of the Arts, Tazewell has shared his expertise as a guest artist at these institutions and served on the faculty at Carnegie Mellon University from 2003 to 2006.
Paul Tazewell, Death Becomes Her
Paul Tazewell, Death Becomes Her
Paul Tazewell, Death Becomes Her
Paul Tazewell, Suffs
Paul Tazewell, Suffs
Paul Tazewell, MJ The Musical
Paul Tazewell, Ain't Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations
Paul Tazewell , Hamilton
Paul Tazewell, Hamilton
Paul Tazewell, Hamilton
Paul Tazewell, Hamilton
Paul TazewellSide Show
Paul TazewellMemphis The Musical
Paul Tazewell, Hamilton
Paul Tazewell, A Streetcar Named Desire
Paul Tazewell, Memphis
Paul TazewellCarnival!
Paul Tazewell, In The Heights
Paul Tazewell, The Color Purple
Paul TazewellCamelot
Paul Tazewell, Caroline, or Change
Paul Tazewell, Boston Marriage
Paul TazewellThe Women
Paul TazewellPeer Gynt
Paul Tazewell, On the Town
Paul TazewellBlithe Spirit
Paul TazewellThe Matchmaker
Paul Tazewell , Bring in 'da Noise/Bring in 'da Funk
Paul TazewellThe Revenger's Comedies
Paul TazewellThe Odyssey
Paul TazewellThe African Company Presents "Richard III"
Paul TazewellThe Way of the World
Paul TazewellThe Caucasian Chalk Circle
Outstanding Costume Design of a Mus (Drama Desk Awards) for Death Becomes Her, Outstanding Costume Design (Outer Critics Circle Awards) for Death Becomes Her, Best Costume Design of a Musical (Tony Awards) for Death Becomes Her, Outstanding Costume Design of a Musical (Drama Desk Awards) for Suffs, Best Costume Design of a Musical (Tony Awards) for Suffs, Best Costume Design of a Musical (Tony Awards) for MJ The Musical, Best Costume Design of a Musical (Tony Awards) for Ain't Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations, Best Costume Design (Olivier Awards) for Hamilton, Best Costume Design (BroadwayWorld Awards) for Hamilton, Best Costume Design of a Musical (Tony Awards) for Hamilton, Outstanding Costume Design (Drama Desk Awards) for Hamilton, Outstanding Costume Design, HAYES Production (Helen Hayes Awards) for Side Show, Best Costume Design (Olivier Awards) for Memphis The Musical, Outstanding Costume Design (The Lortels) for Hamilton, Best Costume Design of a Play (Tony Awards) for A Streetcar Named Desire, Best Costume Design of a Musical (Tony Awards) for Memphis, Outstanding Costume Design, Resident Production (Helen Hayes Awards) for Carnival! , Best Costume Design of a Musical (Tony Awards) for In The Heights, Best Costume Design of a Musical (Tony Awards) for The Color Purple, Outstanding Costume Design, Resident Production (Helen Hayes Awards) for Camelot , Outstanding Costume Design (The Lortels) for Caroline, or Change, Outstanding Costume Design (The Lortels) for Boston Marriage, Outstanding Costume Design, Resident Production (Helen Hayes Awards) for The Women, Outstanding Costume Design, Resident Production (Helen Hayes Awards) for Peer Gynt, Outstanding Costume Design (The Lortels) for On the Town, Outstanding Costume Design, Resident Production (Helen Hayes Awards) for Blithe Spirit , Outstanding Costume Design, Resident Production (Helen Hayes Awards) for The Matchmaker, Best Costume Design (Tony Awards) for Bring in 'da Noise/Bring in 'da Funk, Outstanding Costume Design, Resident Production (Helen Hayes Awards) for The Revenger's Comedies, Outstanding Costume Design, Resident Production (Helen Hayes Awards) for The Odyssey, Outstanding Costume Design, Resident Production (Helen Hayes Awards) for The African Company Presents "Richard III", Outstanding Costume Design, Resident Production (Helen Hayes Awards) for The Way of the World and Outstanding Costume Design, Resident Production (Helen Hayes Awards) for The Caucasian Chalk Circle.
Paul Tazewell has won several prestigious awards for his costume design work. He received the Tony Award for Best Costume Design of a Musical for Death Becomes Her and Hamilton. He also won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Costume Design of a Musical for Suffs. His work on Hamilton earned him the BroadwayWorld Award for Best Costume Design and The Lortel Award for Outstanding Costume Design. He has been honored with the Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Costume Design, HAYES Production, for Side Show; and Outstanding Costume Design, Resident Production, for Camelot, Peer Gynt, and The African Company Presents "Richard III." Additionally, he won The Lortel Award for Outstanding Costume Design for On the Town.
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