Toni James

Education

She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in costume design from The Ohio State University and is the Director of Costumes at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Career

Office Broadway and regionally she has designed productions for various productions, including. The City Center Encores! series, Lincoln Center Theater, 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 National Broadcasting Company, As The World Turns for Columbia Broadcasting System, The Huey P. Newton Story directed by Spike Lee, five specials for W National Educational Television/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 had two children (one deceased) and homes in Brooklyn, New York, and Richmond, Virginia.

Achievements

• Lucille Lortel Award Nomination - Civil War Christmas, 2013 Lucille Lortel Award Nomination - Milk Like Sugar, 2012 National Black Theatre Festival - 2011 Outstanding Costume Designer of The Year Hewes Design Award Nomination - The Scottsboro Boys, The Vineyard Theatre, 2010 Audelco Nomination - The Scottsboro Boys, 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 Theater, 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 Foreign 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 Louisiana 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.