Dick Tracy in Diamond Double Cross

In 1990, Michael Eisner, Frank Wells, and Jeffrey Katzenberg decided they wanted to cross promote the studio's new summer movie Dick Tracy in an original 25-minute musical incorporating the characters from the film and eventually the Stephen Sondheim songs.

Warren Beatty, who directed and starred in the film, didn't allow us access to the film so my design was based totally on the cartoon graphics and color chips from the style guide for the movie. I also clearly evoked Roy Lichtenstein's graphic pop-art sensibility. The "Hollywood! Hollywood!" show playing at Theater of the Stars would continue running so the scenery for our show had utilize their set's existing platforms, stairs and masking. The two shows would play in repertory.

The best part of creating this show was Michael and Jeffrey showing up in Florida and giving notes after the 4 am rehearsal. I remember Micheal asking "Why are you rehearsing in the middle of the night? You need to rehearse during the day so the guests can sit and watch how a show gets done." The next day, rehearsals started in the morning. Bettina Buckley was the Producer for the Walt Disney World version and three years later we would start collaborating on the original Broadway production of Beauty and the Beast.