The selection of Neil Simon's comedy The Odd Couple, and the show that immediately followed it, Play it Again, Sam, started out with the producer asking me whether I thought it would be possible to do two shows on the same set.

After I indicated that it could, as long as the two shows had the same type of location (i.e., an apartment) and the same stylistic treatment, the two shows were selected. The challenging part was that Play it Again, Sam required four "secret" doors which had to be planned and built into the Odd Couple set but be totally invisible until needed for Sam. As a result, both shows were conceived and designed at the same time, incorporating the doors as well as allowing for the changes that would be required.

Douglas Morrisson Theatre, Hayward, CA