Paul Tazewell facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Paul Tazewell
Tazewell in 2025
Born	(1964-09-15) September 15, 1964 (age 60) Akron, Ohio, U.S.
Education	North Carolina School of the Arts (BFA) New York University (MFA)
Awards	Helen Hayes Awards Resident Design Lucille Lortel Awards AUDELCO Award Princess Grace Award

Paul Tazewell, born on September 15, 1964, is a famous American costume designer. He creates amazing outfits for plays, movies, TV shows, and even ballets and operas. He studied at New York University and then began his career on Broadway, which is a famous theater district in New York City.

He has won many big awards, including an Academy Award (Oscar), a British Academy Film Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and two Tony Awards. Paul Tazewell made his first Broadway costume design for Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk in 1996. He won a Tony Award for Best Costume Design for Hamilton (2016) and Death Becomes Her (2025). He was also nominated for Tony Awards for other shows like The Color Purple (2006) and In the Heights (2008).

For his work on Steven Spielberg's movie West Side Story (2021), Tazewell was the first African American male costume designer to be nominated for an Academy Award. He won this award for his work on the movie Wicked (2024) at the 97th Academy Awards. He also won a Primetime Emmy Award for his work on The Wiz Live! (2016).

Early Life and Education

Paul Tazewell was born on September 15, 1964, in Akron, Ohio. He first went to Pratt Institute. Later, he graduated from the North Carolina School of the Arts and NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. From 2003 to 2006, Tazewell was a resident artist and a professor of costume design at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

His brother, Jonathan Tazewell, is also a talented writer and director. Jonathan has made a feature film called "Gotta Get Down To It" and other short films. He is a professor of Drama and Film at Kenyon College in Ohio, where he also started the college's film major.

Designing for the Stage and Screen

Paul Tazewell has designed costumes for many different shows. He has worked on over a dozen Broadway productions. His first Broadway show was Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk in 1996, which earned him a Tony Award nomination.

Broadway Musicals and Plays

Throughout his career, Tazewell has designed costumes for many plays and musicals. These often feature African American and Latino stories. Some of his famous musical works include On the Town (a revival), The Color Purple, and Memphis. He also designed for Dr Zhivago and Side Show.

For plays on Broadway, he designed for Lombardi, The Miracle Worker (a revival), and the Tony Award-winning revival of A Raisin in the Sun. His work off-Broadway includes the original production of Hamilton and Elaine Stritch at Liberty.

Work in Other Theaters and Ballets

Tazewell has also designed costumes for many regional theaters across the United States. These include the Alley Theatre, Arena Stage, and La Jolla Playhouse. He has also created costumes for ballet companies like the Boston Ballet and Pacific Northwest Ballet. His opera work includes designs for the Glimmerglass Opera and the Metropolitan Opera.

Film Achievements

Paul Tazewell was the costume designer for the movies Wicked and Wicked: For Good. These films are based on the popular Broadway musical. His amazing work on Wicked earned him a BAFTA Award for Best Costume Design and an Academy Award for Best Costume Design. He is the first Black man to win an Oscar for costume design. He is also the second Black costume designer to win this award, after Ruth E. Carter.

Credits

Film

• Harriet, Focus Features (2019)
• West Side Story, 20th Century Studios (2021)
• Wicked, Universal Pictures (2024)
• Wicked: For Good, Universal Pictures (2025)
• Untitled Steven Spielberg film, Universal Pictures (2026)

Television

• The Wiz Live!, NBC (2015)
• The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, HBO (2017)
• Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert, NBC (2018)

Theatre

Awards and Nominations

Paul Tazewell has received many important awards for his costume designs. He has been nominated for nine Tony Awards for Costume Design. He has won four Helen Hayes Awards for Outstanding Costume Design and two Lucille Lortel Awards for Outstanding Costume Design. He also received the Henry Hewes Award and the Theater Development Fund's Irene Sharaff Award in 1997. The Princess Grace Foundation gave him the Princess Grace Statue Award for his excellent work in the arts.