Planning Stages LLC Welcomes Robert W. Wolff, Associate - Performance Space Planning & Design

Robert W. Wolff Lafayette, IN, 15 May 2009 – PLANNING STAGES LLC is very pleased to welcome Robert W. Wolff as an associate of the firm, concentrating on performance space planning and design. Wolff works from his office in Milton, MA near Boston extending the firm's immediate presence to the North East.

“Bob Wolff has an outstanding track record in the field of arts facilities consulting, and I look forward to continuing a richly collaborative working relationship that began in back in 1988,” said Bill Allison, Founder and Principal Consultant with PLANNING STAGES. “We have worked together closely on so many prestigious projects over the years, and teaming with Bob again to bring our clients such experience and great consulting value is an another exciting development for the firm.” When speaking of the work of Wolff and Allison in Ontario, technical director Victor Svenningson said, “You design, a wonderful theatre. Having opened three of your buildings, I truly know your handy work. They are a joy to walk into every day.” Svenningson had served at two theatres Wolff had designed at Harbourfront, and the two theatres at the Living Arts Centre in Mississauga – a Wolff / Allison collaboration.

Robert W. Wolff brings over 40 years experience to the PLANNING STAGES team. He provided design and consulting expertise on notable projects such as the Alabama Shakespeare Festival Theatre in Montgomery, AL; Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas, TX; Auditorium de Dijon in Dijon, France; The Living Arts Centre in Mississauga, ON Canada; the Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach, FL; The Pikes Peak Center in Colorado Springs, CO and the Frances Winspear Centre for Music in Edmonton, AB Canada. He has made major contributions to performing arts building projects in higher education, including the Arts Center at the University of Wisconsin/Platteville, Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY; Harvey Theatre, Interlochen Center for the Arts, MI, and Benson Hall, Bethel College and Seminary, St. Paul, MN.

As a leader at Artec Consultants Inc, from the founding of the firm in 1970 until Fall 2001, Wolff consulted on a vast number of facility development projects in Asia, North America, South America, Central America, Europe, Iceland and Finland. His early training and experience as a musician, in addition to his theatrical experience and facility design background prepared him to assist clients in developing a wide variety of performing arts projects. Wolff is familiar with the accommodation of popular music forms and recital, chamber, classical and romantic symphonic music.

Bob Wolff taught at Carnegie Mellon University, the Pennsylvania State University, the University of Michigan and the University of South Florida. Bob holds a B.F.A. from Carnegie Mellon University and an M.A. from the Pennsylvania State University.

FOUNDED IN MARCH 2009, PLANNING STAGES LLC is a theatre consulting practice specializing in pre-design phase architectural programming, as well as planning and design for all types of performing arts spaces. Additionally, the firm provides planning, design and specification of performance equipment to outfit these spaces. The firm has a significant body of experience with building types ranging from Speech Theatres to Concert Theatres, from Flexible Space Theatres to Opera Houses, from Concert Halls to Recital Halls, from Film Scoring Stages to Rehearsal Halls, from Amphitheatres to Conference Halls. Venues that exemplify this experience can be found throughout the US and Canada, as well as in the United Kingdom, France, Finland and South Korea. Excellence is the key word for every aspect of the firm's work. Contact us at 765-490-1066 or [email protected]