Costumes set the tone and time period of a play or musical as soon as an actor walks out on stage.  They’re also able to make an immediate time lapse believable when actors have costume quick changes.  Here are the brilliant designers nominated for this year’s Best Costume Design Tony Awards:

(Left to Right: Bob Crowley, Jane Greenwood, Christopher Oram, David Zinn)

Best Costume Design of a Play

Bob Crowley, “The Audience”

Jane Greenwood, “You Can’t Take It With You”

Christopher Oram, “Wolf Hall Parts One & Two”

David Zinn, “Airline Highway”

Here’s a few fun facts:

– Bob Crowley designed set and costume for “Mary Poppins,” which played in both the West End, on Broadway, and toured through Chicago at the Cadillac Palace Theatre from March 11, 2009 – July 12, 2009.

– David Zinn designed the costumes for the Broadway production of “Xanadu” that toured through Chicago at the Drury Lane Theatre Water Tower Place from January 16, 2009 – March 29, 2009.

(Left to Right: Gregg Barnes, Bob Crowley, William Ivey Long, Catherine Zuber)

Best Costume Design of a Musical

Gregg Barnes, “Something Rotten!”

Bob Crowley, “An American in Paris”

William Ivey Long, “On the Twentieth Century”

Catherine Zuber, “The King and I”

Here’s a few more fun facts:

– Gregg Barnes was nominated for Best Costume Design in 2013 for “Kinky Boots,” which will be returning to Chicago this summer at the Cadillac Palace Theatre July 7 – 26, 2015.

– William Ivey Long has costume designed over 60 Broadway shows, including previous Broadway In Chicago touring companies such as “9 to 5,” “Big Fish,” “Cinderella,” and the upcoming “Cabaret” which will play at the Bank of America Theatre February 9 – 21, 2016.

– Catherine Zuber costume designed “South Pacific” that toured through the Cadillac Palace Theatre February 14 – 26, 2012.