The Art of the Stitch
Paul Tazewell grew up in a house where art was a daily language. His mother, an artist and teacher, taught him how to use a sewing machine when he was only nine years old. This early connection to fabric and form was shaped by a family of creators, including a father who sang in his church choir. These formative years in Akron, Ohio, provided the foundation for a life spent translating human emotion into the physical garments worn on stage and screen.
His formal training took him to the North Carolina School of the Arts and later to New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. It was here that the technical precision required for costume design began to take shape. He moved quickly from the classroom to the lights of Broadway, making his debut in 1996 with Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk. This early work established his ability to design for movement, a skill that would define his entire career.
Threads of Narrative
Tazewell’s work is often defined by how a garment can reveal a character's history without a single word being spoken. He approaches design as a way to ground a story in its specific time and place while allowing for the heightened reality of musical theatre. His ability to balance historical accuracy with the needs of dance and song has made him a frequent collaborator on major productions.
- Hamilton (2016)
- West Side Story (2021)
- Wicked (2024)
- The Color Purple (2006)
- In The Heights (2008)
In the production of Hamilton, he used specific silhouettes and color palettes to help define the characters of the American founding era. This work earned him a Tony Award. Later, his work on the film version of West Side Story brought his talents to a cinematic scale, earning him an Academy Award nomination. He eventually won the Academy Award for his work on Wicked.
A Legacy of Craft
His influence reaches far beyond the Broadway stage, extending into the worlds of opera, ballet, and film. He has been recognized with a Primetime Emmy Award and a British Academy Film Award. His career is marked by a commitment to inclusivity, notably becoming the first African American male costume designer to be nominated for an Academy Award. He continues to shape the visual language of performance art through his meticulous attention to detail and his understanding of how clothing moves with the human body.
