If you're west of ,say, Hickory you could have moderate success if you started planting in the fall/early winter.

I have one yew (taxus)of the carolina type growing on the north side in the shade of the house and a big loropetalum. It's in an area served by soaker hoses.

Yews in shade worked ok (but loose..not dense) up in Conn. but down here they want water and fight for it with surrounding trees.

I think you're going to have a very tough time with taxus in full sun unless you get less heat (like in the mountains area) and have adequate water and drainage.

If you want a clipped,formal hedge go with the small leafed spineless hollies. They are dense and hold their shape for months after clipping. In spring, you will have uneven sprigging but that is controlled by judicious pruning until mid spring when you clip.

I have attempted to grow this Yew in what I would term high filtered shade ( mixed in with azaleas, camelias, rhodies and dogwoods under limbed up oaks). It is turning brown from the bottom up despite being on a drip irrigation system. It just doesn't seem to like our heat.