Julie Taymor Biography (1952?-)

Born December 15, 1952 (some sources say 1953), in Boston, MA; daughter of Melvin Lester (a gynecologist) and Elizabeth (a political science teacher; maiden name, Bernstein) Taymor; companion of Elliot Goldenthal (a composer). Addresses: Agent: International Creative Management, 40 West 57th St., NewYork, NY 10009.; Publicist: I/D PR NY, 451 Greenwich St., 2nd floor, New York, NY 10013.

Nationality
American
Gender
Female
Occupation
Designer, director, writer, puppeteer, actress
Birth Details
December 15, 1952?
Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Famous Works

  • CREDITS
  • Stage Director
  • The Haggadah, New York Shakespeare Festival, New York City, 1980-1982
  • Transposed Heads, Lincoln Center Theatre, New York City, 1984
  • Liberty Taken, Castle Hill Festival, 1985
  • The Tempest, Theatre for a New Audience, 1986, then CSC RepertoryTheatre, New York City, and American Shakespeare Festival, Hartford, CT.
  • The Taming of the Shrew, Theatre for a New Audience, 1988
  • Oedipus Rex (opera), Saito Kinen Festival, Matsumo, Japan, 1992
  • The Magic Flute (also known as Die Zauberflote), Teatro della Pergola, Florence, Italy, 1993, later Piccolo Teatro del Commundale, Florence, 1997
  • Titus Andronicus, Theatre for a New Audience, 1994
  • The Green Bird, Theatre for a New Audience, then La Jolla Playhouse, San Diego, CA, 1996
  • Juan Darien: A Carnival Mass, Vivian Beaumont Theatre, New York City, 1996-1997
  • The Lion King, New Amsterdam Theatre, New York City, 1997-1998, then Lyceum Theatre, London, 1999-2001
  • Also directed Salome, Kirov Opera, St. Petersburg, Russia; TheFlying Dutchmen, Los Angeles Opera, Los Angeles; Way of Snow; Perjuangan Suku Naga.
  • Stage Work
  • Other
  • Puppets, The Elephant Calf, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH, 1973
  • Costumes, Seeds of Atreus, Oberlin Group, 1974
  • Production design, Way of Snow, Teatr Loh, Java, Bali, 1976, laterArk Theatre, New York City, 1980, World Puppet Festival, Washington, DC, 1980
  • Production design, Tirai, Teatr Loh, Java, Bali, 1978, later La MaMa Theatre, New York City, 1980
  • Production design, The Odyssey, Center Stage, Baltimore, MD, 1979
  • Production design, Sea Rhythms, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, 1980
  • Production design, The Haggadah, New York Shakespeare Festival, New York City, 1980-1982
  • Production design, Black Elk Lives, Entermedia, NY, 1981
  • Moving sculptures and shadows, Savages, Center Stage, 1982
  • Sets, Do Lord Remember Me, American Place Theatre, New York City,1982
  • Masks and puppets, This Chameleon Love, Theatre for a New Audience, New York City, 1982-1983
  • Transposed Heads, Lincoln Center Theatre, New York City, 1984
  • Puppet and mask design and choreography, The King Stag, Loeb Theatre, American Repertory Theatre, Cambridge, MA, 1984
  • Masks, puppets, sets, and costumes, Juan Darien: A Carnival Mass,St. Clement's Church, New York City, 1988, then Vivian Beaumont Theatre, NewYork City, 1996-1997
  • Codesigner, The Green Bird, Theatre for a New Audience, then La Jolla Playhouse, San Diego, CA, 1996
  • Puppet, mask, and costume design, The Lion King, New Amsterdam Theatre, New York City, 1997-1998
  • Production designer and choreographer, The King Stag, Barbican Centre, London, 2001
  • Also designed sets and puppetry for La Gioconda and Si-u, Dance Theatre Workshop, for the Talking Band, then La MaMa Theatre. Was associated with production Revolutionary.
  • Major Tours
  • Sets and puppetry, La Gioconda and Si-u, European cities, 1982
  • Masks, puppets, sets, and costumes, Juan Darien: A Carnival Mass,international cities, 1988
  • Television Work
  • Specials
  • Producer, director, character sculptor, costume designer, and puppeteer,"Fool's Fire," American Playhouse, PBS, 1992
  • Director, masks, sculptor, and film editor, "Oedipus Rex," Great Performances, PBS, 1993
  • Television Appearances
  • Specials
  • The Music Center 25th Anniversary, PBS, 1990
  • Interviewee, Broadway '97: Launching the Tonys, PBS, 1997
  • Miniseries
  • Director (The Lion King), Changing Stages, BBC and PBS, 2000
  • Episodic
  • Herself, Behind the Scenes, PBS, 1992
  • Film Director
  • The Tempest, 1986
  • (And producer) Titus, Fox Searchlight Pictures, 1999
  • Frida, Miramax, 2002
  • Film Appearances
  • Director, The Making of "Titus," 2000
  • RECORDINGS
  • Videos
  • Behind the Scenes with Julie Taymor, First Run Features, 1999
  • WRITINGS
  • Plays
  • Liberty Taken, produced at Castle Hill Festival, 1985
  • Juan Darien: A Carnival Mass, produced at St. Clement's Church, 1988
  • Fool's Fire (based on Edgar Allan Poe's short story "Hop-frog"), produced 1992
  • Other Stage Writing
  • Additional music and lyrics, The Lion King, New Amsterdam Theatre,New York City, 1997-1998
  • Screenplays
  • Titus, Fox Searchlight Pictures, 1999
  • Nonfiction
  • (With Eileen Blumenthal) Julie Taymor, Playing with Fire: Theater, Opera, Film, Abrams (New York City), 1995
  • (With Alexis Greene) The Lion King: Pride Rock on Broadway, Hyperion (New York City), 1997

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

    Periodicals
    • American Theatre, September, 1998, p. 20; December, 1999, p. 10
    • Artforum International, December, 1999, p. 152
    • Billboard, September 2, 2000, p. 41
    • Boston Globe, December 8, 1996, p. N1
    • Cineaste, summer, 2000, p. 28
    • Economist, August 25, 2001
    • Entertainment Weekly, February 11, 2000, p. 43
    • Interview, January, 2000, p. 34
    • Maclean's, April 24, 2000, p. 74
    • Opera News, May, 1993, p. 30
    • People Weekly, January 26, 1998, p. 88
    • Smithsonian, February, 1993, pp. 62-64
    • TDR, fall, 1999, p. 36
    • Variety, September 14, 1998, p. 48