Having designed costumes for Broadway, regional theaters, film, and television for over three decades, PAUL TAZEWELL is one of the industry’s most revered designers. From his Academy Award®-nominated work in West Side Story to creating costumes for the Tony Award®-winning Broadway production of Hamilton, his creations have captivated audiences across the globe.
Paul recently received a Tony Award® nomination for Best Costume Design for a Musical for his work in the Broadway production of Suffs as well as a Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Costume Design of a Musical. He is also a 2024 NAACP Theatre Award nominee for Best Costume Design for Ain’t Too Proud.
In 2016, he received an Emmy Award for NBC’s The Wiz! Live. Other screen credits include Harriet (Focus Features), The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (HBO), and Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert (NBC). On Thanksgiving 2024, the highly anticipated Wicked film, featuring Paul's designs, will be released, showcasing the reimagined world created by Director John M. Chu and starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. Other notable honors include two Lucille Lortel Awards, four Helen Hayes Awards, a CDGA Award, a Princess Grace Foundation Fellowship, and The Princess Grace Statue Award.
Additionally, Paul’s costume designs can be seen in the Broadway musical Suffs by Shaina Taub and Death Becomes Her by Julia Mattison and Noel Carey, which opened in Chicago on April 30, 2024.
Paul has had the privilege to work with renowned companies such as The Metropolitan Opera, The Bolshoi Ballet, The English National Opera, Theatre du Chatelet, The Public Theater, The National Theater, The Kennedy Center, The Guthrie Theater, Arena Stage, Houston Grand Opera, San Francisco Opera, and many more.
Paul began his Broadway career with the groundbreaking musical ‘Bring in Da Noise, Bring in ‘Da Funk, directed by George C. Wolfe. Other Broadway credits include In the Heights; Ain’t Too Proud; The Color Purple; Dr Zhivago; Memphis; Caroline, or Change; Elaine Stritch at Liberty; Russell Simmons’ Def Poetry Jam; Lombardi, and Magic/Bird. Revival work includes Side Show; A Streetcar Named Desire; Jesus Christ Superstar; Guys and Dolls; A Raisin in the Sun, and On the Town.
In 2021, Paul designed Fire Shut Up In My Bones, The Met's first performance of an opera by a Black composer, Terence Blanchard, and his adaptation of Charles M. Blow’s moving memoir.
Paul holds an MFA from New York University and a BFA from North Carolina School of the Arts. He has been privileged to instruct students as a guest artist at both New York University and North Carolina School of the Arts. From 2003-2006, he held a faculty position at Carnegie Mellon University.
He currently resides in New York City.
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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