1. Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
2. Jules Tasca to Sam Trammell

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