Wagner was born in San Francisco, the son of Phyllis Edna Catherine (née Smith-Spurgeon) and Jens Otto Wagner. His mother was from New Zealand and his father was from Denmark. He attended art school and started his career in theatres in that city with designs for Don Pasquale, Amahl and the Night Visitors, Tea and Sympathy, and Waiting for Godot, among others. In 1958, he relocated to New York City, where he worked on numerous off-Broadway productions before making his Broadway debut as an assistant designer for the Hugh Wheeler play Big Fish, Little Fish in 1961. His first solo project was a short-lived 1966 production of The Condemned of Altona by Jean-Paul Sartre.
Wagner's many Broadway credits include Hair, The Great White Hope, Promises, Promises, Gantry, Jesus Christ Superstar, Seesaw, Mack & Mabel, A Chorus Line, Ballroom, On the Twentieth Century, 42nd Street, Dreamgirls, Song and Dance, City of Angels, Victor/Victoria, Angels in America: Millennium Approaches, Angels in America: Perestroika, The Producers, The Boy from Oz, and Young Frankenstein. His work in London's West End includes Crazy For You and Chess.
Wagner's other theatrical work ranges from off-Broadway and regional theatre productions to ballet and opera, including sets for the Metropolitan Opera, the Vienna State Opera, the Hamburg State Opera, the Royal Swedish Opera, the Royal Opera House at Covent Garden, and the New York City Ballet.
Wagner won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Set Design six times out of eleven nominations and the Tony Award for Best Scenic Design three times out of ten nominations.
Wagner served on the Theatre Advisory Committee for the New York International Festival of the Arts, as a trustee of the New York Shakespeare Festival, and taught in the graduate theatre arts program at Columbia University. In 2001, Wagner was inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame.
Robin Wagner , Young Frankenstein
Robin Wagner, The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein
Robin Wagner, Young Frankenstein
Robin Wagner, Kiss Me, Kate
Robin Wagner, The Producers
Robin Wagner, The Producers
Robin Wagner, The Producers
Robin Wagner, Kiss Me, Kate
Robin Wagner, Kiss Me Kate
Robin Wagner, Kiss Me, Kate
Robin Wagner, Crazy For You
Robin Wagner, Angels in America: Millennium Approaches
Robin Wagner, Crazy for You
Robin Wagner (Set),, Crazy for You
Robin Wagner, Jelly's Last Jam
Robin Wagner, City of Angels
Robin Wagner, City of Angels
Robin Wagner, Merlin
Robin Wagner, Dreamgirls
Robin Wagner, Dreamgirls
Robin Wagner , Dreamgirls
Robin Wagner, On the 2th Century
Robin Wagner, On the Twentieth Century
Robin Wagner, A Chorus Line
Robin Wagner, Seesaw
Robin Wagner, Jesus Christ Superstar
Robin Wagner, Lenny
Robin Wagner has been nominated for various awards for his outstanding set designs in several Broadway productions. Some of his nominations include Outstanding Set Design by the Outer Critics Circle Awards for "Young Frankenstein," Best Scenic Design of a Musical by the Tony Awards for "The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein," and Outstanding Set Design of a Musical by the Drama Desk Awards for "The Producers." Additionally, Wagner received nominations for Best Set Designer at the Olivier Awards for "Kiss Me, Kate" and "Crazy For You," as well as for Best Scenic Design at the Tony Awards for productions like "Angels in America: Millennium Approaches" and "Dreamgirls." Other nominations include Best Revival at the Tony Awards for "Jelly's Last Jam" and Outstanding Projection Design by the Drama Desk Awards for "Merlin." Wagner's talent in set design has been recognized across a wide range of Broadway productions, showcasing his versatility and creativity in the theater industry.
Robin Wagner has won several awards for his outstanding set and scenic designs in various Broadway productions. Some of his notable wins include Outstanding Set Design of a Musical at the Drama Desk Awards for "The Producers," Best Scenic Design at the Tony Awards for "The Producers," and Best Set, Costume, and Lighting Design at the Outer Critics Circle Awards for "Crazy for You." Wagner has also been recognized for his work on productions like "Kiss Me, Kate," "City of Angels," "Dreamgirls," "On the Twentieth Century," and "A Chorus Line," among others. His talent and creativity have earned him accolades such as Outstanding Scenic Design, Best Set Design, and Lighting Design awards from prestigious organizations within the Broadway community.
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