Pride on Stage: Irene Sharaff

Episode Summary

The podcast episode focuses on Irene Sharaff, a celebrated costume designer for Broadway and Hollywood. Irene was born in Boston in 1910 and started her design career by studying art in New York City and Paris. She worked as a fashion illustrator for magazines before becoming an apprentice to designer Aline Bernstein at the Civic Repertory Theater Company in New York in the late 1920s. Irene went on to design costumes for over 60 Broadway productions and 40 films over her nearly 50 year career. She was known for her use of color, as she dreamed in vivid hues. Irene could capture the essence of any character through her costume designs, whether they be royal gowns or suburban attire. She worked seamlessly between Broadway and Hollywood, designing the costumes for both the stage and film versions of productions like The King and I and West Side Story. On set, Irene had a witty personality and won the respect of actors like Elizabeth Taylor, who described her as a genius. Irene kept her personal life private, but had a close relationship with another woman, Mai Mai Zee. Following Irene's death in 1993 at age 83, the Theater Development Fund created the Irene Sharaff Awards to honor her lasting impact on costume design. Today, her influence can still be seen in the work of stage and screen artists.

Episode Show Notes

Irene Sharaff (1910-1993) was one of the most celebrated costume designers for both Broadway and Hollywood. Her work was known for its color, and for its ability to capture character. She could deftly design anything from a royal gown to drab suburban attire.

Episode Transcript

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June is Pride Month, and to celebrate, we're highlighting queer stars of the stage and screen. They're women who expanded the norms of gender and sexuality in the limelight and behind the scenes. I helped curate the month, and I'm so excited to guest host this episode. Today, we're talking about one of the most celebrated costume designers for both Broadway and Hollywood. Her work was known for its color and for its ability to capture character. She could definitely design anything, from a royal gown to drab suburban attire. Let's meet Irene Sherriff. Irene was born in Boston in 1910. She started her design career studying art, first at the New York School of Fine and Applied Arts, and then the Art Students League in New York City. She also studied in Paris at the Grand Chalmeya Art School. Irene once said, color has always been important to me. I dream in color more often than in black and white. People and situations are symbolized for me by colors. Numerals and words have color. And indeed, color would become a huge part of her work and her life. Irene worked as a fashion illustrator for magazines like Vogue and Harper's Bazaar. Then in 1928, her art got more tangible. She became an apprentice under designer Aline Bernstein at the Civic Repertory Theater Company in New York. Irene worked with Aline for many years, designing sets and costumes for more than a dozen plays, until the stock market crashed. The 1930s brought tough times to Broadway, so Irene went back to France, where she studied haute couture. Eventually, the theater brought her back to New York. She made a big splash with her scenic and costume design for a production of Alice in Wonderland in 1932. This success led to designing costumes for Broadway throughout the 1930s and 40s. Irene was not content with just one mode of performance. She designed for ballets and worked seamlessly between Broadway and Hollywood productions. For The King and I and West Side Story, Irene designed the costumes for both the film and theatrical productions. On set and in studios, Irene was a presence. She dressed glamorously, wearing a grand hat and a perfect bun. On sets, she won the respect of actors like Elizabeth Taylor. In a 2011 interview with Interview Magazine, Elizabeth described Irene's methods as an artist. She studies the character, she studies the dialogue, she knows what scene proceeds and what follows. She gets into the mood of each character, not just the one that she's mainly doing. She's a genius. I'm so sorry she's not here anymore. Irene could also be sharp and witty on set. In one retelling, she was asked about Faye Dunaway while filming Mommy Dearest. Irene said, yes, you may enter Ms. Dunaway's dressing room, but first you must throw a raw steak in to divert her attention. Irene's career spanned about 50 years. She designed for more than 60 stage productions and 40 films. SPEAKER_03: The king and I, Irene Schur. SPEAKER_05: In that time, she won five Academy Awards and one Tony Award. Her designs turned into icons themselves, like Barbra Streisand's turn of the century gown in Hello Dolly. It needed to be functional so Barbra could dance, but it was also incredibly intricate, golden and covered in more than half a pound of jewels. Even the thread was made of pure gold. Irene kept her personal life private, but she did have a close relationship with another woman, Mai Mai Zee, who was an artist and advocate. Folks who knew them described the couple as inseparable. They lived together and privately seemed to have a great love for one another. Mai Mai Zee died in 1992. Irene lived for just 11 months longer. Irene died in 1993 in New York. She was 83 years old. Following Irene's death, the Theater Development Fund created the Irene Sheriff Awards to honor her contributions to the art of costume design. Each year, the award brings the community together and honors designers and artists. In those artists today, we can still see Irene's influences on stage and screen. For more information, find us on Facebook and Instagram at Wamanica Podcast. Special thanks to creators Jenny and Liz Kaplan for inviting me to guest host. As always, we'll be taking a break for the weekend. Talk to you Monday. SPEAKER_09: Now is the time to experience America's pastime in a whole new way. Major League Baseball has teamed up with T-Mobile for Business to advance the game with next-gen 5G solutions, going deeper with real-time data visualization, new camera angles that put fans on the field with their favorite players, and even testing an automated ball strike system in the minor leagues. This is the 5G era of baseball. See what we can do for your business at T-Mobile.com/. Major League Baseball trademarks used with permission. Officially licensed product of MLB Players Incorporated. 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