Myrna Colley-Lee is an American costume designer, arts advocate and philanthropist whose career has been closely associated with theater, particularly the Black Theatre Movement. Active as a designer since the late 1960s, she has created costumes for numerous stage productions and has also worked in art direction and set design for theater, film and television.
Although Colley-Lee is also known publicly because of her former marriage to actor Morgan Freeman, her professional reputation was established independently through decades of design work. In 2022, the Mississippi Arts Commission honored her with a Governor’s Arts Award for Excellence in Costume Design & Arts Patron.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Myrna Colley-Lee |
| Profession | Costume designer, artist, arts advocate, arts patron |
| Known For | Costume design and contributions to the Black Theatre Movement |
| Nationality | American |
| Birthplace | North Carolina |
| Education | BFA in Art Education; MFA in Scenic and Costume Design |
| Universities | University of North Carolina; Temple University; also studied scene painting at Brooklyn College |
| Career Began | Late 1960s |
| Notable Career | Designed costumes for more than 70 productions and worked across numerous regional theaters and venues |
| Other Roles | Art director and set designer for theater and film |
| Notable Screen Work | Frederick Douglass: An American Life (1985) |
| Awards | 2022 Mississippi Governor’s Arts Award for Excellence in Costume Design & Arts Patron |
| Other Honors | Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters Lifetime Achievement Award; National Black Theatre Festival Outstanding Costume Design Award |
| Arts Organizations | Mississippi Arts Commission, Mississippi Museum of Art, Charleston Arts Revitalization Effort |
| Philanthropy | Founding member of SonEdna, an organization supporting African-American writers and literary arts |
| Permanent Collection | Mississippi State University holds her papers, costume designs, sketches, photographs and costumes |
| Former Husband | Morgan Freeman |
| Marriage to Morgan Freeman | 1984–2010 |
| Current Age | Not reliably verified |
| Date of Birth | Not reliably verified |
| Net Worth | Not reliably disclosed |
Early Life and Background
Colley-Lee was born in North Carolina, according to a resolution adopted by the Mississippi Legislature. Detailed information about her childhood and family is limited in authoritative public sources, so specific claims about her birth date, parents or upbringing are not included here.
Her artistic training eventually led her toward theater design. The Mississippi Legislature’s 2022 resolution recognizing her career describes her as a longtime contributor to theater and notes that she began her professional career in the late 1960s.
Education
Colley-Lee has a formal background in art and design. According to the Mississippi Legislature, she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art Education from the University of North Carolina and later completed a Master of Fine Arts in Scenic and Costume Design from Temple University. She also studied scene painting and properties at Brooklyn College.
Her education provided a foundation for a career that eventually encompassed costume design, scenic work, art direction and other areas of theatrical production.
Career and Achievements
Work in Theater
Colley-Lee began working in theater during the late 1960s and became recognized as one of the leading costume designers associated with the Black Theatre Movement. The Mississippi Arts Commission describes her as an internationally known designer whose work has extended beyond costumes into art direction and set design.
Her career has included productions at theaters across the United States. PlayMakers Repertory Company lists credits including Two Trains Running, Radio Golf, The Ballad of Emmett Till, Gee’s Bend, The Piano Lesson, Forest City, Becoming Adele, Wedding Band and Fences.
The Goodman Theatre also documented her work on The Ballad of Emmett Till, The Wedding Band, Becoming Adele, Gee’s Bend, The Piano Lesson and other productions.
Her work has therefore covered a substantial range of American theater, from contemporary drama and works by Black playwrights to productions staged by major regional and nonprofit theaters.
Film and Television Work
Colley-Lee has also worked outside the stage. The Mississippi Arts Commission says she served as a costume designer, art director and set designer for film productions. Her documented screen credits include costume work on the 1985 production Frederick Douglass: An American Life.
Mississippi State University Libraries preserves an extensive collection of her professional papers, including scripts, playbills, photographs, costume designs, sketches, rehearsal materials and costumes. The archive provides a substantial record of the breadth of her creative work.
Awards and Recognition
Colley-Lee has received several honors during her career. The Goodman Theatre lists among her distinctions the Outstanding Costume Design Award from the National Black Theatre Festival, the Wynona Lee Fletcher Award for Outstanding Achievement as a Designer, and the Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters Lifetime Achievement Award.
In 2022, the Mississippi Arts Commission selected her for its Governor’s Arts Award for Excellence in Costume Design & Arts Patron. The Mississippi Legislature subsequently adopted a resolution recognizing her achievement and describing her as an internationally known costume designer and arts patron.
Arts Advocacy and Philanthropy
Colley-Lee’s contribution to the arts extends beyond costume design. She has participated in arts organizations and community initiatives, particularly in Mississippi.
The Mississippi Arts Commission has identified her as an arts advocate and patron and noted her service on the Mississippi Arts Commission board. She has also been involved with the Charleston Arts Revitalization Effort and the Mississippi Museum of Art.
She was a co-founder of the SonEdna Foundation, an organization focused on supporting literary arts in the Mississippi Delta. The Goodman Theatre also noted her involvement in the foundation in its biography of her.
Her long connection to Charleston, Mississippi, has been another important part of her public work. The Mississippi Legislature recognized her as a longtime resident of the community and highlighted her involvement in local arts and cultural initiatives.
Myrna Colley-Lee and Her Costume Collection
One of the most significant records of Colley-Lee’s career is preserved at Mississippi State University. The university’s archives hold the Myrna Colley-Lee Papers, a collection containing professional and personal materials connected to her career.
The collection includes costume sketches, design materials, playbills, photographs, research materials, rehearsal documents and costumes. It also contains pieces from her Glad Rags Collection, reflecting her interest in clothing and costume history beyond individual theatrical productions.
Mississippi State University also identifies the Myrna Colley-Lee Costume Collection as part of its Department of Communication, Media and Theatre.
Personal Life and Marriage to Morgan Freeman
Myrna Colley-Lee was married to actor Morgan Freeman. The couple married in 1984 and remained together for more than two decades.
They separated in December 2007, and their divorce was finalized in Mississippi on September 15, 2010. Court records and contemporary reporting confirmed that the terms of the divorce settlement were sealed.
Colley-Lee and Freeman were also involved in raising Freeman’s step-granddaughter, E’dena Hines, who was connected to Freeman’s family from his previous marriage.
Because Colley-Lee has generally maintained a private personal life, relatively little reliable information is available about her activities outside her professional and arts-related work.
Myrna Colley-Lee’s Age
A precise date of birth for Myrna Colley-Lee is not sufficiently established in the strongest publicly available sources. Various websites publish different birth information, but those claims are not consistently supported by authoritative records.
For that reason, a specific age or birth date is not presented as confirmed.
Myrna Colley-Lee’s Net Worth
A reliable, independently verified estimate of Myrna Colley-Lee’s personal net worth is not publicly available.
Celebrity websites sometimes publish numerical estimates, but those figures generally lack documented financial evidence. A specific net-worth figure is therefore omitted.
Interesting Facts About Myrna Colley-Lee
- Colley-Lee has been active as a costume designer since the late 1960s.
- She is recognized as an important figure in the Black Theatre Movement.
- Her theater credits include The Piano Lesson, Gee’s Bend, Radio Golf, Fences and The Ballad of Emmett Till.
- She has worked as a costume designer, art director and set designer for film and theater productions.
- Mississippi State University preserves a major collection of her costume designs, papers and related materials.
- She received the Mississippi Governor’s Arts Award for Excellence in Costume Design & Arts Patron in 2022.
- She was a co-founder of the SonEdna Foundation, which supported literary arts in the Mississippi Delta.
FAQs About Myrna Colley-Lee
Who is Myrna Colley-Lee?
Myrna Colley-Lee is an American costume designer, arts advocate and philanthropist known for her extensive theater career and contributions to the Black Theatre Movement. She is also known publicly as the former wife of actor Morgan Freeman.
What is Myrna Colley-Lee known for?
She is best known professionally for her costume design work in theater. Her credits include productions such as The Piano Lesson, Gee’s Bend, Radio Golf, Fences and The Ballad of Emmett Till.
Where did Myrna Colley-Lee study?
She earned a BFA in Art Education from the University of North Carolina and an MFA in Scenic and Costume Design from Temple University. She also studied scene painting and properties at Brooklyn College.
Was Myrna Colley-Lee married to Morgan Freeman?
Yes. Colley-Lee and Morgan Freeman married in 1984 and divorced in 2010 after separating in 2007.
What awards has Myrna Colley-Lee received?
Among her honors are the Outstanding Costume Design Award from the National Black Theatre Festival and the Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2022, she received the Mississippi Governor’s Arts Award for Excellence in Costume Design & Arts Patron.
Does Mississippi State University have Myrna Colley-Lee’s work?
Yes. Mississippi State University preserves the Myrna Colley-Lee Papers and a related costume collection containing sketches, costumes, photographs, playbills and other materials documenting her career.
Is Myrna Colley-Lee still active in the arts?
The Mississippi Arts Commission stated in its 2022 recognition that Colley-Lee remained active as a designer. The Mississippi Legislature likewise noted that she continued working as a costume designer through her company, Gladrags Designs.
Conclusion
Myrna Colley-Lee’s career extends well beyond her association with Morgan Freeman. Over decades, she established herself as a respected costume designer whose work spans theater, film and television, with a particular connection to Black theater and American regional theater.
Her legacy also includes arts advocacy, community involvement and the preservation of her creative work. Recognition from the Mississippi Arts Commission and the extensive collection held by Mississippi State University reflect the lasting importance of her contribution to costume design and the arts.
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