ABOUT

Nancy Leary is a costume designer whose visionary work for opera and theater spans several decades and has graced stages across the United States and in Europe.

Experienced in producing both highly conceptual and more traditional models of opera and theater costume design, Nancy has successfully applied her expertise to a wide array of theatrical styles and artistic endeavors.

From 2000 to the present Nancy has worked on established operas as well as newly conceived productions, including premieres for Utah Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Virginia Opera, The Pittsburg Symphony, Opera Saratoga, and reconceptualized pieces for Glimmerglass Opera, Opéra Royal Château de Versailles, Mannes Opera, Manhattan School of Music, Chautauqua Opera, Mobile Opera, Juilliard Opera, Opera Boston, The New England Conservatory, Boston Conservatory and Boston Musica Viva.

Theater credits include productions for Weston Playhouse, Commonwealth Shakespeare Co, Wellfleet Harbor Actor’s Theater; The Julie Harris Stage, Boston Children’s Theater, Shakespeare Theater New Jersey, Actors Shakespeare Project, Orlando Shakespeare Festival, Merrimack Repertory Theater, New Repertory Theater, Boston Children’s Theater, Chamber Repertory Theater, North Shore Music Theater, Knife Edge Productions, and the Armitage Foundation New York.

Recent awards and recognitions include an IRNE for costume design of ‘Into the Woods’ at New Repertory Theatre, an Elliot Norton for her contribution to the production 'Permanent Collection', and a nomination for best production of ‘Twelve Night’ with Commonwealth Shakespeare Co.

In 2016 Nancy's designs for ‘The Magic Flute’ were displayed at Lincoln Centre for the Performing Arts, alongside set and costume designs by William Kentridge, Chagall and Julie Taymor.

Nancy is Assistant Professor of Costume Production and Design at Boston University School of Theater.