For Paul G. Tazewell, a mask is more than just another piece of clothing.
The protagonist is a part of the fabric.
Tazewell, who has spent more than 30 years creating outfits for Broadway, local theatre, film and television, dancing, and musical performances, said,” I love the approach and I love working with people.” ” I hope I did my best to honor the plot ( of the show ) and each of the characters.”
At FashionAFRICANA’s first dinner, which will feature Black and African designers, musicians, and more at the Pittsburgh Public Theater in Downtown Pittsburgh, Tazewell will be honored this night.
Demeatria Boccella, a producer and director of style, culture, and design, founded FashionAFRICANA in 2001.
It’s a video event set and educational system that uses style and art to explore Black elegance, culture, and history.
According to Boccella, who is putting on the event, “our annual gala is an occasion to enjoy the diversity of the American Diaspora and the numerous contributions of Black creatives to arts and culture globally.” ” We are thrilled to have such a remarkable class of network council members who are dedicated to advancing and honoring Black creativity.”
The honorable seat is Kiya Tomlin, a clothing designer from Pittsburgh. The diversity and vitality of Black society will be highlighted and honored during the evening. There will be live entertainment, tailored beauty experiences, and African-inspired clothing.
The primary function starts at 7:30 p.m. with a VIP welcome.
A party celebration will be held, along with shows of modern dance and music.
A Congolese fashion designer named Imane Ayissi will make his debut in the United States.
Time Magazine’s” America Must Change” problem featured artwork by artist Charly Palmer.
Palmer did share Tazewell’s recognition at the occasion.
He stated,” I want to be perceived as someone who has contributed.” ” I am appreciative of this honor.”
The original Broadway production of” Hamilton” by Lin-Manuel Miranda is where Tazewell is best known for his work. For the movie, the present and Tazewell both received Tony Awards.
For NBC’s” The Wiz!” in 2016, he even received an Emmy Award. Survive.
Tazewell, a resident of New York City, is connected to Pittsburgh. The masks he created for” The Wiz Live” on NBC were on display in 2016 at the August Wilson Center in Downtown. He worked with Boccella to create that manifest.
Tazewell said at the moment,” My costume designs for” The Wiz Live” are work that I will always be proud of.” ” I’m so happy that visitors will get the chance to see my work in person at this show, where they can see up close the exquisite design and information of these lovely masks.”
Tazewell claimed that because there is so much work involved in creating costumes, being able to display them in such an exhibit gives viewers a perspective they would n’t get from watching reenactments on stage, on television, or in theaters.
Tazewell has always had a love of drama and movies since he was young. As a sophomore at Buchtel High School in Akron, Ohio, he created masks for” The Wiz,” his first full music.
Tazewell was asked to create outfits for” The Wiz” and following performances for the high school and the summer musical drama by Arnold Thomas, a teacher of the performing arts program at the college who also served as the film’s producer.
Tazewell expressed his gratitude for Arnold Thomas’s trust in me to dress the put. It is intended to bring the mask to life. That encounter was a significant teaching opportunity that undoubtedly changed my life. My home is an educator, and we value training.
Tazewell has collaborated with organizations like the Metropolitan Opera, the Bolshoi Ballet, Theatre du Chatelet, National Theater, Kennedy Center, Guthrie Theatre, Arena Stage, Houston Grand Operas, and the San Francisco Opera.
It is not just about the show, he declared. ” Your rise depends on each way.”
He works with young mask manufacturers whenever he gets the chance. because he claimed to recall a time when there were n’t many African Americans involved in the creation of costumes.
He enjoys making historical and period clothing, though he does n’t have a favorite costume. He claimed that the process of creating costumes involves fusing the concepts of the artist, director, writer, actors and actresses, and everyone else involved in the performance.
He holds degrees from North Carolina School of the Arts and New York University’s king of fine art. He has taught as a tourist professor at the North Carolina School of the Arts and New York University.
He held a university place at Carnegie Mellon University in Oakland from 2003 to 2006.
It’s unique to be back in Pittsburgh for this occasion, he said.
Tazewell remarked,” Africanism’s appearance is amazing.” ” I want to accept its variety more and discuss it with a larger society because it is violent.”
Information: AFRICANISMGA www.eventbrite .com
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a staff writer for the Tribune-Review. JoAnne can be reached via Twitter or message at jharrop@triblive .com.