What’s It Like Designing Costumes for Three Shows at Once?
Designers
Three-time Tony nominee Toni-Leslie James on her very busy return season
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James sat down with TDF Stages to discuss her “crazy” spring, her creative process and why she “annoys” directors.
Ayanna Prescod: What makes you say yes to a project?
Toni-Leslie James: I love working on musicals, but I also love an intense deep dive into a play. If the script is compelling and interesting, I’ll say yes. I don’t normally think about how the show is cast because that’s not my job. I think about the script itself and if it speaks to me. I also consider if there is something that I can uniquely bring to the table.
Prescod: When you start a project, what does your design process look like?
James: It begins with the script and a bit of research. I read the script several times, do all my research and then start designing at the top of the play. I annoy directors because I ask a lot of questions. I’ll bring them some research and ask, “Am I going the right way?” I’ll design scene by scene. For me, I think that makes for a more cohesive design. I’m able to deal with things I haven’t pre-thought. I’m not into putting anything on stage that doesn’t really belong to the character. I do have an ego, but my ego doesn’t supersede the character. If it’s not right for the character, I won’t put them in it.
Prescod: Do you usually have free range on the looks you create, or is it more of a collaborative process?
James: It would be really frightening for me if a director said, “Do whatever you want.” I really rely on the director’s input. It is a total collaborative effort. Lately, in most cases, I’ve developed the design with the set designer beforehand. I’m building my characters from the environment created by the set designer. I really like that because it saves me a lot of time and a lot of meetings. So, the color palette and everything goes into the environment that we’re populating. To have a really great product and be able to develop characters, you have to have input.
Prescod: Of your recent projects, which was the most fun to create for?
James: I had so much fun with Suffs! I’d never done the 1910s before. It’s not a period that’s frequently done except in England because they do a lot of World War I and pre-World War I productions. So, it was fun developing those costumes and characters at The Public Theater, which is a spiritual home for me. I’m now finding all of these spaces that are welcoming and letting me in and trusting me enough to let me do my thing. That’s very important for designers. When you find an environment like that, you want to keep going back to it.
Birthday Candles was also really interesting because Debra Messing never leaves the stage [as Ernestine, a character who ages from 17 to 107]. Initially, I had a dress built for her. Then we got on set and I realized that the color was wrong because it was the same color as her hair and it brought everything down. Then the director said, “I always felt like Ernestine was the sun.” So, we changed to a yellow dress, and it was just remarkable what happened. It was interesting because you’re trying to convey history around a woman who ages 100 years but never has a costume change.
Prescod: How has the pandemic impacted your work?
James: It’s been horrible! The prices have increased at the costume fabric houses in town and supply has decreased. They don’t have the yardage of cloth that I want anymore. It’s also taking a long time for shipping. There’s a dress for Birthday Candles that I ordered fabric for. I paid for it and I’m getting ready to call PayPal, because we never got that fabric. Never got it! So, this pandemic has affected everything.
This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
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TDF MEMBERS: At press time, discount tickets were available for Birthday Candles and Paradise Square. Go here to browse our current offers.
Phillipa Soo and the cast of Suffs at The Public Theater. Photo by Joan Marcus.
AYANNA PRESCOD