I
and then I was allowed to or given the task of designing
and creating the costumes for the whole production.
And I was in heaven.
♪♪
My name is Paul Tazewell, and I am nominated
for Outstanding Costume Design for "Ain't Too Proud".
Little League baseball? No.
That was my brother's -- or football,
any of that, it wasn't in my bones,
so the arts and creating with our hands
was definitely a strong part of my development.
My mother was also very into puppets.
She would do puppet shows for our church
and for the library and for schools.
That was probably my entrée into performance.
I would both create the puppets with her
and then be a part of performing as well.
After I saw a production of "Oklahoma!"
at the same high school that I ended up going to,
but this was when I was maybe
in fourth grade or something like that.
You know, like 9 years old. I mean, I just --
I wanted to be part of what that was going on onstage.
So, originally, I wanted to be an actor and a dancer.
And while I was in high school, I was also designing costumes
for the same productions that I was in.
So it was the first production of "The Wiz"
that I ever designed.
I pulled my whole family into helping out,
my mother most specifically because she made my suit,
my white suit as the Wiz and cape with the green lining.
My dad helped with spray painting
Glenda's pleated gold cape
and my brothers and my mom's friends.
That was the beginning of doing what I do now.
The early part of my career was created
doing productions that were stories
about people of color.
This one production --
it was raising sexy, black men
who were amazing performers
in a way that I had not experienced for myself.
It was a delight to then be a part of it.
The music is very nostalgic,
and I grew up with it,
and it was definitely a part of my life,
but it's that married with these gentlemen,
the majority of them I have seen come up,
to be a part of that expression,
I'm very grateful.
You didn't mess with that date when the Tonys were happening,
and I was glued right in front of the TV
dreaming about coming to New York
to see those productions or other productions
and being a part of it eventually.
The cliché of pinching myself,
but I feel so very fortunate
and want to stay in a mind space
of openness
and hopefully drawing other opportunities in.
And also being true to the work,
doing really excellent work, I hope.
Yeah.
♪♪