Theoni V. Aldredge
About
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Notes
"Lavender is a color I have to use in every production. I was born in Greece; when the sun sets, there's a lavender hue everywhere. Since I have been in this country, I have to use lavender. It's a good mixer of a color; you can put it next to any color and it won't be offensive." --Theoni V Aldredge to David Barber in a 1997 interview
Biography
With over 150 stage productions, numerous ballets and several films to her credit, Theoni V. Aldredge ranked as one of the most prolific and successful costume designers of the late 20th Century. Born and raised in Greece, Aldredge was inspired to become a costumer after seeing the film version of "Caesar and Cleopatra" in 1946. Moving to America, she trained at the Goodman Theatre School where she made her debut with 1950's "The Distaff Side." In 1953, she married actor Tom Aldredge and the couple settled in New York City. After debuting in films with "Girl of the Night" (1960), Aldredge began her long association as a resident designer at Joseph Papp's New York Shakespeare Festival with a 1961 production of "Much Ado About Nothing." Over the next three decades at the NYSF, she crafted the appropriate clothing for many Shakespearean productions (the acclaimed Edwardian-set "Much Ado About Nothing" in 1973), revivals ("Threepenny Opera," 1977), and landmark musicals ("Hair," 1967 and "A Chorus Line," 1975).
In 1974, producer David Merrick tapped Aldredge to create the lavishly beautiful 1920s-era wardrobe for the film version of "The Great Gatsby." While the film itself was dramatically inert, no one faulted the look of the film. Douglas Slocombe's pristine cinematography captured Aldredge's ravishing designs and the Academy took note by bestowing her with that year's Best Costume Design Oscar. Three years later, Broadway finally honored Aldredge for her stage work, presenting her with the 1977 Tony Award for her witty 1930s wardrobe featured in the musical "Annie." She continued to craft extraordinary designs for several of Broadway's most popular shows, including "Barnum" (1980), "42nd Street" (1981), "Dreamgirls" (1982), "La Cage aux Folles" (1984) and "The Secret Garden" (1991). Onscreen, Aldredge dressed Faye Dunaway and her co-stars in such films as "Network" (1976), "Eyes of Laura Mars" (1978) and "The Champ" (1979). John Huston tapped her to revisit her award-winning designs for the disappointing film version of "Annie" (1982), although her work was stellar. Cher wore clothing designed by Aldredge in her Oscar-winning turn in "Moonstruck" (1987) as did Jessica Lange in "Night and the City" (1992) and the 1995 CBS remake of "A Streetcar Named Desire." As the new millennium approached, Aldredge remained active, still dividing her time between films like "The Rage: Carrie 2" (1999) and stage productions such as the revival of "Gore Vidal's The Best Man" (2000). After a lifetime of creating stunning costumes for all manner of medium and genre, Aldredge passed away on January 21, 2011.
Filmography
Costume-Wardrobe (Feature Film)
Production Designer (Feature Film)
Costume-Wardrobe (Special)
Costume-Wardrobe (TV Mini-Series)
Life Events
1950
First credit as costume designer, "The Distaff Side" at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago
1959
First major Broadway credit, designed Geraldine Page's costumes for "Sweet Bird of Youth"
1960
Film debut as costume designer, "Girl of the Night"
1961
First association with Joseph Papp's New York Shakespeare Festival, designed clothing for "Much Ado About Nothing"
1961
Earned first Tony Award nomination for "The Devil's Advocate"
1962
Created the costumes for the musical "I Can Get It for You Wholesale"
1965
Designed the contemporary clothes for the stage comedy "Cactus Flower"
1966
Did the costumes for the Broadway production of Edward Albee's "A Delicate Balance"
1967
Crafted the contemporary clothing for the stage musical "Hair"
1968
Designed the costumes for the feature "No Way to Treat a Lady"
1972
Garnered second Tony nomination for the musical version of "Two Gentleman of Verona"
1973
Created the Edwardian period costumes for an acclaimed production of "Much Ado About Nothing"; production originated at the NYSF but later transferred to Broadway; received a Tony nomination
1974
Won an Academy Award for the lavish, exquisitely detailed 1920s clothing of "The Great Gatsby"
1974
Earned fourth Tony nomination for the stage play "The Au Pair Man"
1975
Created the costumes for the landmark American musical "A Chorus Line"; received fifth Tony Award nomination
1977
Designed the costumes for the feature "Network"
1977
Received two Tony nominations for costumes for the musicals "The Threepenny Opera" and "Annie"; won first Tony for the latter in a tie with Santo Loquasto ("The Cherry Orchard")
1978
Designed the costumes for the musical "Ballroom"; earned another Tony nomination
1978
Crafted the witty costumes for the feature comedy spoof "The Cheap Detective"
1978
Clothed Faye Dunaway in "Eyes of Laura Mars"
1979
Designed the period garb for the remake of "The Champ," featuring Dunaway and Jon Voight
1979
Was the costume designer for the contemporary musical feature "The Rose"
1980
Won second Tony Award for costumes for the musical "Barnum"
1980
Was costume designer for the ABC variety special "Baryshnikov on Broadway"
1980
Designed the costumes for the loopy disco-themed film "Can't Stop the Music"
1981
Created the 1940s clothes for the stage musical "42nd Street"; garnered 10th Tony nomination
1982
Designed the costumes for the musical "Dreamgirls"; received a Tony nomination
1982
Revised and redesigned her award-winning stage clothing for the John Huston-directed film version of "Annie"
1984
Picked up third Tony Award for the lavish clothing in the musical "La Cage aux Folles"
1984
Did the period clothes for the romance "Racing With the Moon" and the contemporary comedy "Ghostbusters"
1987
Created the period clothes for a revival of "Blithe Spirit," which marked the last stage appearance of Geraldine Page
1987
Clothed Cher and the rest of the cast of the award-winning comedy "Moonstruck"
1987
Did the costumes for the NBC miniseries "Nutcracker: Money, Madness and Murder"
1990
Designed the costumes for the revival of "Gypsy"; received a Tony nomination
1991
Created the period look for the musical version of "The Secret Garden; received 14th Tony nomination
1992
Was designer for Jessica Lange's wardrobe in "Night and the City"
1993
Created the costumes for the Off-Broadway musical revue "Putting It Together," which marked Julie Andrews' return to the NYC stage
1993
Did the witty costumes for "Addams Family Values"
1995
Crafted the period designs for the CBS remake of "A Streetcar Named Desire," starring Jessica Lange
1996
Created the clothing for "The First Wives Club" and designed the costumes for the Barbra Streisand-directed "The Mirror Has Two Faces"
1997
Created the period costumes for the Broadway revival of "Three Sisters"
1999
Designed the clothing for "The Rage: Carrie 2"
1999
Did the costumes for the revival of "The Time of the Cuckoo"
2000
Created the clothing for "Hotel Suite"
2000
Created the costumes for the Broadway revival of "Gore Vidal's The Best Man"
2001
Designed the costumes for the revival of "Follies"; netted a Tony nomination
Videos
Trailer
Family
Companions
Bibliography
Notes
"Lavender is a color I have to use in every production. I was born in Greece; when the sun sets, there's a lavender hue everywhere. Since I have been in this country, I have to use lavender. It's a good mixer of a color; you can put it next to any color and it won't be offensive." --Theoni V Aldredge to David Barber in a 1997 interview
