The nonprofit organization TDF has announced the return of its Costumes & Cocktails benefit, celebrating its costume collection. The new edition of the event will take place on April 13, 2026, at TAO Downtown. The evening will include the presentation of the 2026 TDF/Irene Sharaff Awards, which toast the accomplishments of the theatrical design community.
The latest slate of winners will include Tony-, Oscar- and Emmy Award-winning costume designer Paul Tazewell, to be honored with the Sharaff Award for Sustained Excellence in Costume Design; two-time Tony-nominated costume designer Jennifer Moeller, who will receive the Sharaff’s Ascending Artist Award; hair and wig designer Tom Watson, to receive the Sharaff’s Artisan Award; and scenic/costume designer and artist John Macfarlane, who will be honored with the Robert L. B. Tobin Award for Sustained Excellence in Theatrical Design.
“TDF’s first-ever Costumes & Cocktails was such a fun and fabulous celebration of our community, we couldn’t wait to do it again,” said TDF’s executive director Deeksha Gaur in a statement. “We’re thrilled to fete this extraordinary group of Irene Sharaff Award honorees and to celebrate the TDF Costume Collection and its profound impact on our community. We hope you will join us in raising a glass and continuing our mission of making theater accessible for all.”
The awardees were selected by the TDF/Irene Sharaff Awards voting committee, which consists of leading members of the theatrical costume design community: Stephen Cabral (chair), Dede Ayite, Gregg Barnes, Linda Cho, Traci DiGesu, Jess Goldstein, Wilberth Gonzalez, Rodney Gordon, Brian Hemesath, Allen Lee Hughes, Holly Hynes, Dan Lawson, Katherine Marshall, Mimi Maxmen, David Murin, Sally Ann Parsons, Scott Pask, Alejo Vietti, Court Watson and David Zinn.
The four honorees have made tremendous design impacts in the world of live performance. Tazewell’s almost three-decade Broadway career has netted him Tony Awards for his costume design to “Death Becomes Her” and “Hamilton.” He won an Academy Award for his costume design of the first “Wicked” film and took home an Emmy Award for his costume design of “The Wiz Live!”
Moeller has been designing costumes on Broadway for almost 20 years. She was Tony-nominated for her designs to “Clyde’s” and the 2023 revival of “Camelot.” Moeller’s other Broadway credits include “All In: Comedy About Love,” “McNeal,” “Sweat” and “Pictures From Home.”
Watson has designed hair and wigs on Broadway since 1986, when he made his debut designing for the play “Mastergate.” Watson’s current Main Stem credits include “Just in Time” and “Ragtime”; he will also be represented on Broadway this spring with the new musical “Schmigadoon!”
Macfarlane studied at Glasgow School of Art and pursued careers in theater and painting. His many opera designs include “Peter Grimes,” “Die Zauberflöte,” “Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk” and “L’heure espagnole/Gianni Schicchi” at the Royal Opera and “Hansel and Gretel” with the Metropolitan Opera.
A press release about the awards reads, “Throughout her long and distinguished career, costume designer Irene Sharaff was known for her elegance and attention to detail. Ms. Sharaff was revered as a designer of enormous depth and intelligence, equally secure with contemporary and period costumes. Her work exemplified the best of costume design. Such excellence is demonstrated by the honorees of this year's TDF/Irene Sharaff Awards.”
Additional details about the Costumes & Cocktails benefit, as well as the awards presenters, will be announced.
