Paul Tazewell at PNB
If you are a fan of Broadway, film, or TV, you’ve probably seen costume designer Paul Tazewell’s creations. Tazewell has designed the costumes for Hamilton, Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story, and the new Wicked film, just to name a few. Tazewell is also the costume designer for several PNB productions, including Swan Lake and The Sleeping Beauty. Read on to learn more about Tazewell’s work at the ballet and to see a sneak peek at a The Sleeping Beauty design!
About Paul Tazewell
Paul Tazewell was born and raised in Akron, Ohio. Influenced by his mother, who practiced puppetry, Tazewell was attracted to theater and performance from a young age. After working at the prestigious regional theater Arena Stage for most of the ‘90s, Tazewell’s first work on Broadway in Bring in ‘Da Noise, Bring in ‘Da Funk garnered him national recognition. Now, Tazewell has received many awards, including an Emmy Award for The Wiz Live!, a Tony Award for Hamilton, and an Academy Award nomination for the film West Side Story. This summer, Tazewell received a Tony Award nomination for Best Costume Design for a Musical for his work in Suffs. Currently, Tazewell’s designs for the Wicked film are wowing audiences, and he is finalizing the details for PNB’s world-premiere production of The Sleeping Beauty!
Swan Lake
Paul Tazewell has a long relationship with PNB, beginning with designing costumes for Seven Deadly Sins in 2002. Just a year later, Tazewell returned for a new production of Swan Lake, created in honor of McCaw Hall’s opening in 2003. Baron von Rothbart’s billowing cape and Odile’s feathered bodice remain highlights of this beloved Swan Lake production. Each costume Tazewell created for Swan Lake was designed to last; for example, the “Swan” tutus have been used over 70 times and are still stunning. In 2022, the costume shop created four new tutus and 30 new bodices that fit the current company dancers even better. Now, PNB’s dancers can continue to wear Tazewell’s Swan Lake costumes for many years to come.
The Sleeping Beauty
Paul Tazewell returned to PNB’s studios and costume shop over the summer of 2024 to begin building costumes for The Sleeping Beauty, premiering January 31, 2025. Tazewell’s designs for this world-premiere production include his characteristic use of bright and varied color and sculptural garments that bridge classic and contemporary sensibilities. Unique to this production, he incorporates formlines —flowing patterns of lines that are a fundamental design element of Northwest Coast art and a prominent feature of Sleeping Beauty scenic designer Preston Singletary’s glass art—into nearly every costume design. Some of the formlines have been hand drawn by Singletary, while others are more abstract representations. PNB is excited to welcome Tazewell back to collaborate with our costume shop and construct over 200 new costumes for The Sleeping Beauty!
You can see Paul Tazewell’s beautiful ballet designs onstage at The Sleeping Beauty, January 31 – February 9. Want to dive deeper? Attend The Sleeping Beauty Conversations & Dress Rehearsal on January 30th to hear PNB Artistic Director Peter Boal interview Tazewell about his inspirations for the new production and insights into his creative process.
