Toni-Leslie James is an American costume designer of stage, television and film productions. James was awarded the National Black Theatre Festival's 2011 Outstanding Costume Designer of the Year Award, and the 2009 Obie for Sustained Excellence in Costume Design. She received a BFA in costume design from The Ohio State University and is the Director of Costumes at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Toni-Leslie James' Broadway credits include the costume designs for The Scottsboro Boys

The Scottsboro Boys (musical)

The Scottsboro Boys is a musical with a book by David Thompson, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb. Based on the Scottsboro Boys trial, the musical is one of the last collaborations between Kander and Ebb prior to the latter's death...

 (Hewes Design Award Nomination), Finian's Rainbow, Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life

Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life

Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life is a musical revue based on the life of Chita Rivera, with a book by Terrence McNally and new songs by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens as well as songs from various other composers...

, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is a 1982 play - one of the ten-play Pittsburgh Cycle by August Wilson, a Pulitzer Prize-winning American playwright - that chronicles the twentieth century African American experience...

, King Hedley II

King Hedley II

King Hedley II is a play by American playwright August Wilson, the ninth in his ten-part series, The Pittsburgh Cycle. This is the ninth of the plays in Wilson's ten-play cycle, each from a different era...

, One Mo’ Time, The Wild Party

The Wild Party (LaChiusa musical)

The Wild Party is a musical with a book by Michael John LaChiusa and George C. Wolfe and music and lyrics by LaChiusa. It is based on the 1928 Joseph Moncure March narrative poem of the same name...

 (FANY Award), Marie Christine

Marie Christine

Marie Christine is a musical written by Michael John LaChiusa. It opened on Broadway in 1999. Set in 1890s New Orleans and then 5 years later in Chicago; the story is loosely based on the Greek play Medea, and uses elements of voodoo rituals and practices...

 (FANY Nomination), Footloose

Footloose (musical)

Footloose is a 1998 musical based on the 1984 film of the same name. The music is by Tom Snow , the lyrics by Dean Pitchford , and the book by Pitchford and Walter Bobbie.-Act 1:...

, The Tempest

The Tempest

The Tempest is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1610–11, and thought by many critics to be the last play that Shakespeare wrote alone. It is set on a remote island, where Prospero, the exiled Duke of Milan, plots to restore his daughter Miranda to her rightful place,...

 (Drama Desk Nomination), Twilight…Los Angeles 1992, ''Angels in America: Millennium Approaches & Perestroika, Chronicle of a Death Foretold

Chronicle of a Death Foretold (musical)

Chronicle of a Death Foretold is a musical with a book and lyrics by Graciela Daniele and Jim Lewis and music by Bob Telson...

, and Jelly’s Last Jam (Hewes Design Award, Tony Award Nomination and Drama Desk Nomination).

Off Broadway and regionally she has designed productions for various productions, including; the City Center Encores! series, Lincoln Center Theatre, The Public Theatre, The Vineyard Theatre, Second Stage, Playwrights Horizons, Arena Stage, The Shakespeare Theatre, The Mark Taper Forum, Ballet Hispanico, and internationally at the Royal Court and Chitchester theaters in England, The Citadel Theatre in Canada, and The Greek Festival in Athens, Greece.

Her television credits include; Whoopi for NBC, As The World Turns for CBS, The Huey P. Newton Story directed by Spike Lee, five specials for WNET/13 Great Performances series and the feature film, A Tale of Two Pizzas directed by Vincent Sassone.

Toni-Leslie James is married to the lighting designer David Higham, with whom she has two children and homes in Brooklyn, New York, and Richmond, Virginia.

Awards & Nominations

• National Black Theatre Festival - 2011 Outstanding Costume Designer of The Year
• Hewes Design Award Nomination - The Scottsboro Boys, The Vineyard Theatre, 2010
• Hewes Design Award Nomination - Wig Out, The Vineyard Theatre, 2009
• Obie Award Sustained Excellence in Costume Design, 2009
• Lucille Lortel Award Nomination - Wig Out, The Vineyard Theatre, 2009
• Audelco Nomination - Wig Out, The Vineyard Theatre, 2009
• Denver Theatre Center Ovation Award Nomination - 3 Mo’ Divas, Denver Theatre Center, 2008
• Helen Hayes Award Nomination - 3 Mo’ Divas, Arena Stage, 2007
• Hewes Design Nomination - Bernarda Alba, Lincoln Center Theatre, 2006
• Audelco Nomination - Dessa Rose, 2005
• Audelco Nomination - Thunder Knocking At The Door, 2002
• Connecticut Critics Circle Award - Baptiste, Hartford Stage, 2001
• Fany Award - The Wild Party, 2000
• Fany Nomination - Marie Christine, 2000
• Irene Sharaff Young Masters Award For Costume Design Excellence 1996
• Drama Desk Nomination - The Tempest, Broadway, 1995
• Tony Nomination - Jelly’s Last Jam, Broadway, 1992
• Drama Desk Nomination - Jelly’s Last Jam, Broadway, 1992
• Hewes Design Award - Jelly’s Last Jam, Broadway, 1992
• Drama Desk Nomination - The Caucasian Chalk Circle, The Public Theater, 1991
• Hewes Design Nomination - The Caucasian Chalk Circle, The Public Theater, 1991
• La Drama-Logue Award - Jelly’s Last Jam, Mark Taper Forum, 1991
• N.A.A.C.P. Image Award Nomination - Jelly’s Last Jam, Mark Taper Forum, 1991
• Audelco Nomination - The Caucasian Chalk Circle, The Public Theater, 1991
• Audelco Nomination - Spunk, The Public Theater, 1990

External links