The Broadway community honored the memory of Robin Wagner, the triple Tony Award®-winning scenic designer who worked on more than 60 Broadway shows in a career that spanned over five decades. Mr. Wagner passed away on May 29, 2023, at the age of 89. On June 17, 2023, the Committee of Theatre Owners dimmed the lights of Broadway theatres in New York for one minute at exactly 7:45pm, in his honor.
“Generations of theatregoers can fondly look back and think of certain productions and along with poignant storylines and exquisite performances, they can recall the beautiful grand sets and intricate details of the stage all thanks to the creative genius of Robin Wagner,” said Charlotte St. Martin, President of The Broadway League. “His keen eye for design and innovation was responsible for some of Broadway’s most memorable sets — from On the Twentieth Century and City of Angels to The Producers — and we wish to pay tribute to his legacy on Broadway by dimming the lights in his honor.”
Mr. Wagner made his Broadway debut in 1961 as assistant to Ben Edwards working on the production of Big Fish, Little Fish. He rose to prominence in 1968 when he became the scenic designer for the original production of the rock musical, Hair. The show’s stark minimal look would go on to influence theatre design at the time. His sets could range from uniquely sparse to extravagant. The visionary designer was a pioneer of large-scale automated scenery that have now become standard in American theatre.
Mr. Wagner was nominated for 10 Tony Awards, winning three for the productions of: On the Twentieth Century (1978); City of Angels (1990); and The Producers (2001). He worked on a total of 63 Broadway productions as well as numerous touring productions between the time of 1961 and 2012. Original Broadway shows include Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar, Mack & Mabel, A Chorus Line, 42nd Street, Dreamgirls, Chess, Crazy For You, Jelly’s Last Jam, Angels in America, Victor/Victoria, Side Show, The Producers, The Boy From Oz, and much more.
The full list of Mr. Wagner’s Broadway credits can be found on the Internet Broadway Database.
Stage Directions magazine covered Mr. Wagner’s work in the January 2020 issue of Stage Directions in this article from Contributing Writer, Ellis Nassour.
