Jane Greenwood
Encyclopedia
Jane Greenwood is a costume designer
for the stage, television, film, opera, and dance. Born in Liverpool
, England, she works both in England and the United States. She has been nominated for the Tony Award
for costume design seventeen times.
Greenwood's work includes designing for over 100 productions, The Ballad of the Sad Cafe
(1963), her first Broadway play, to Hamlet with Richard Burton
(1964), 70, Girls, 70
(1971), Romantic Comedy
(1979), The Sisters Rosensweig
(1993), and Stephen Sondheim's Passion
(1994).
In addition to her many Broadway credits, she has designed costumes for many productions for the Manhattan Theatre Club
, recently Accent on Youth (2009), Lincoln Center Theatre, recently Belle Epoque, 2005, and The Roundabout Theatre Company
, Waiting for Godot
(2009), A Month in the Country
(1994–95), Outer Critics Circle Award
nomination, and She Loves Me
(1992–93).
In England, she was nominated for the Olivier Award for her costume designs for She Loves Me
(1995).
Her television work includes several Public Television plays for "The American Playhouse", made-for-television movies, such as In the Gloaming
, HBO (1997) and the miniseries Kennedy (1983).
For opera, she has designed for the Metropolitan Opera
House, such as Ariadne
in 1987. For dance, she designed the original costumes for the Alvin Ailey
dance Night Creature (1974).
She teaches at the Yale Drama School. Greenwood received the Theater Development Fund Irene Sharaff Award for Lifetime Achievement in 1998.
Costume Designer
A costume designer or costume mistress/master is a person whose responsibility is to design costumes for a film or stage production. He or she is considered an important part of the "production team", working alongside the director, scenic and lighting designers as well as the sound designer. The...
for the stage, television, film, opera, and dance. Born in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, England, she works both in England and the United States. She has been nominated for the Tony Award
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
for costume design seventeen times.
Biography
Greenwood attended Liverpool Art School and the Central School of Arts and Crafts (now Central St. Martins College of Art and Design), and then started working at the Oxford Playhouse, in charge of the costume department. She started working in the Ray Diffen costume shop in New York City in 1962. In New York, she met and married scenic designer and producer Ben Edwards.Greenwood's work includes designing for over 100 productions, The Ballad of the Sad Cafe
The Ballad of the Sad Cafe
The Ballad of the Sad Café is a novel by Carson McCullers.-Plot:The Ballad of the Sad Café opens on the set of a small, isolated Southern town...
(1963), her first Broadway play, to Hamlet with Richard Burton
Richard Burton
Richard Burton, CBE was a Welsh actor. He was nominated seven times for an Academy Award, six of which were for Best Actor in a Leading Role , and was a recipient of BAFTA, Golden Globe and Tony Awards for Best Actor. Although never trained as an actor, Burton was, at one time, the highest-paid...
(1964), 70, Girls, 70
70, Girls, 70
70, Girls, 70 is a musical with a book by Fred Ebb and Norman L. Martin adapted by Joe Masteroff, lyrics by Ebb, and music by John Kander.The musical is based on the 1958 play Breath of Spring by Peter Coke...
(1971), Romantic Comedy
Romantic Comedy (play)
Romantic Comedy is a play by Bernard Slade, author of Same Time, Next Year.The plot focuses on Phoebe Craddock and Jason Carmichael, playwrights who meet and decide to collaborate just as he is getting married...
(1979), The Sisters Rosensweig
The Sisters Rosensweig
The Sisters Rosensweig is a play by Wendy Wasserstein. The play focuses on three Jewish- American sisters and their lives. It "broke theatrical ground by concentrating on a non-traditional cast of three middle-aged women." Wasserstein received the William Inge Award for Distinguished Achievement in...
(1993), and Stephen Sondheim's Passion
Passion (musical)
Passion is a musical adapted from Ettore Scola's film Passione d'Amore . The book is by James Lapine, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Central subjects include obsession, beauty, power, manipulation, passion, illness, and love...
(1994).
In addition to her many Broadway credits, she has designed costumes for many productions for the Manhattan Theatre Club
Manhattan Theatre Club
Manhattan Theatre Club is a theater company located in New York City. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Lynne Meadow and Executive Producer Barry Grove, Manhattan Theatre Club has grown since its founding in 1970 from an Off-Off Broadway showcase into one of the country’s most acclaimed...
, recently Accent on Youth (2009), Lincoln Center Theatre, recently Belle Epoque, 2005, and The Roundabout Theatre Company
Roundabout Theatre Company
The Roundabout Theatre Company is a leading non-profit theatre company based in New York City.-History:The company was founded in 1965 by Gene Feist and Elizabeth Owens and now operates five theatres, all in Manhattan: the American Airlines Theatre ; Studio 54 ; the Stephen Sondheim Theatre The...
, Waiting for Godot
Waiting for Godot
Waiting for Godot is an absurdist play by Samuel Beckett, in which two characters, Vladimir and Estragon, wait endlessly and in vain for someone named Godot to arrive. Godot's absence, as well as numerous other aspects of the play, have led to many different interpretations since the play's...
(2009), A Month in the Country
A Month in the Country (play)
A Month in the Country is a comedy in five acts by Ivan Turgenev. It was written in France between 1848 and 1850 and was first published in 1855...
(1994–95), Outer Critics Circle Award
Outer Critics Circle Award
The Outer Critics Circle Awards are presented annually for theatrical achievements both on and Off-Broadway and were begun during the 1949-1950 theater season. The awards are decided upon by theater critics who review for out-of-town newspapers, national publications, and other media outlets...
nomination, and She Loves Me
She Loves Me
She Loves Me is a musical with a book by Joe Masteroff, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and music by Jerry Bock.The musical is the fifth adaptation of the play Parfumerie by Hungarian playwright Miklos Laszlo, following the 1940 James Stewart-Margaret Sullavan film The Shop around the Corner and the...
(1992–93).
In England, she was nominated for the Olivier Award for her costume designs for She Loves Me
She Loves Me
She Loves Me is a musical with a book by Joe Masteroff, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and music by Jerry Bock.The musical is the fifth adaptation of the play Parfumerie by Hungarian playwright Miklos Laszlo, following the 1940 James Stewart-Margaret Sullavan film The Shop around the Corner and the...
(1995).
Her television work includes several Public Television plays for "The American Playhouse", made-for-television movies, such as In the Gloaming
In the Gloaming
In the Gloaming is a 1997 HBO film directed by Christopher Reeve based on a story written by Alice Elliott Dark. Starring Glenn Close, Bridget Fonda, Whoopi Goldberg and Robert Sean Leonard. The film borrows its title from the popular 1877 song "In the Gloaming" by Annie Fortescue Harrison and Meta...
, HBO (1997) and the miniseries Kennedy (1983).
For opera, she has designed for the Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
House, such as Ariadne
Ariadne
Ariadne , in Greek mythology, was the daughter of King Minos of Crete, and his queen Pasiphaë, daughter of Helios, the Sun-titan. She aided Theseus in overcoming the Minotaur and was the bride of the god Dionysus.-Minos and Theseus:...
in 1987. For dance, she designed the original costumes for the Alvin Ailey
Alvin Ailey
Alvin Ailey, Jr. was an American choreographer and activist who founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in New York. Ailey is credited with popularizing modern dance and revolutionizing African-American participation in 20th century concert dance...
dance Night Creature (1974).
She teaches at the Yale Drama School. Greenwood received the Theater Development Fund Irene Sharaff Award for Lifetime Achievement in 1998.
Awards
- Lucille Lortel Award, (costume design) Old Money (2001)
- Henry HewesHenry HewesHenry Hewes was the Drama Critic for the Saturday Review weekly literary magazine from 1955 to 1979. He was the first major critic to regularly review regional and international theater...
Design Award, (costume design) Our Leading Lady (2007) - Lucille Lortel Award, (costume design) Sylvia (1996)
- Henry Hewes Design Award, (costume design) Sylvia (1995)
- American Theatre Hall of FameAmerican Theatre Hall of FameThe American Theatre Hall of Fame in New York City was founded in 1972. Earl Blackwell was the first head of the Executive Committee. In an announcement at a luncheon meeting on March 1972, he said that the new Theater Hall of Fame would be located in the Uris Theatre . James M...
(2004)