mcotten.comMichael Cotten's expertise in production design, theatrical staging, animation, electronic music, and graphic arts has garnered him a clientele that includes many of the worlds top performers, retailers, and corporations.
From the Super Bowl to the Olympics, Cotten's visual magic has excited millions. His list of corporate clients reads like a "Who's Who" of the Fortune 500: Disny, Porsche, Mitsubishi, McDonalds, Mazda, and Intel, to name a few.
Beginning his carrer in the mid 1970's as a member of the seminal San Francisco based theatrical rock group, The Tubes, he teamed up with a young choreographer and director named Kenny Ortega. They created shows and videos that were way ahead of their time and developed a creative partnership that has continued to this day.
Early in his career, Cotten and fellow Tubes memeber Prairie Prince were known for designing stunning, gigantic, airbrushed murals that are some of the world's largest, including: the "Flying Records" on the A&M Records building in Hollywood; the "Crashing Waves" mural on San Francisco's Cliff House; and the interior of the Rockefeller CEnter, Chase Bank in New York City.
Cotten's architecural, mural and visual art designs have electrified the interiors and exteriors of various international department store establishments such as I Magnin, Macy's Herald Square, The Limited, Federated Stores, and others in Madrid, London, Milan, and Munich.
Since moving from San Francisco to New York City in 1987, Cotten has created shows for Bette Midler, Michael Jackson, Miley Cyrus, Britney Spears, Robert Plant, Luis Miguel, The Beach Boys, Bonnie Raitt, 'N Sync, Blondie, Gloria Estefan, Run DMC, Phil Collins, Carrie Underwood, and Katy Perry.
Working with long time collaborator Kenny Ortega, Cotten was the production designer for Disney's "High School Musical" live shows, as well as serving as Creative Director of the Emmy Award winning Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 1996 Olympic Games and the Super Bowl XXX Half-Time Show, starring Diana Ross.
Cotten designed the "History" tour for Michael Jackson in 1997 and several international charity events soon after. When Jackson began planning his "This Is It" return to the stage for London's O2 Dome in 2009, he once again enlisted the talents of Cotten to designthe extravaganza. After Jackson's tragic death, Cotten subsequently became production designer for the "This Is It" documentary film.
Cotten has lent his production and architectural talents to the city of Las Vegas with the Treasure Island Hotel show, "Sirens of TI", and Gloria Estefan's "Live and Unwrapped" at Caesar's Palace. Cotten is currently developing a new super show experience at the Tropicana Hotel Resort, and has just completed a robotic water ballet, "The Orbs," for the legendary hotelier Steve Wynn.
Cotten has also contributed his production design vision to major charity events, including the International Red Cross, the Nelson Mandela Children's Foundation, Bette Midler's Central Park Conservancy, and AMFAR.
CONCERT TOURS
2009/2010 Carrie Underwood Tour
2009 Michael Jackson 'This Is IT' movie
2008 Miley Cyrus US tour and movie
2007 High School Musical US and South American Tour
2006 The Cars / Blondie US Tour
2004/5 Bette Midler Kiss My Brass Tour
2001 Luis Miguel Mis Romances Tour
2000 Lorrie Morgan Naked Truth Tour
1999 Nelson Mandella Childrens Foundation, Charity concert/TV special
1999 Shania Twain World Tour art
1999 Pam Tillis US Tour
1998 Beach Boys World Tours
1997 Michael Jackson History Tour
1995 Kitaro Kojiki Tour
1994 Bonnie Raitt Nick of Time Tour
1994 Robert Plant Fate of Nations Tour
1991 YMO World Tour
1982 The Tubes Completion Backward Tour
TELEVISION
2003 MTV VMAs P DIDDY / USHER Jump number
2001 MTV VMAs NSYNC POP number
2000 Billboard Awards NSYNC show opening
1996 OLYMPICS Associate Creative Director Costume Designer
1996 Brit Awards Production Designer for Michael Jackson
1996 SuperBowl XXX Diana Ross half time show design
CORPORATE
1998 Mitsubishi America National Awards Meeting-L.A.
1997 Porsche Meeting-Naples Fla.
1997 Compaq Computer Product Launch-New York
1996 McDonalds Owner Meeting-Orlando Fla.
1995 Mazda Miata Launch event-Chicago
1994 Mazda National Dealer Meeting-San Francisco
SHOWS
2008/2009 The Orbs Wynn Hotel theme show
2005/6 Rock Of Ages Los Angeles / Las Vegas
2004 Havana Night Stardust Hotel
2004 Sirens Of TI Treasure Island Hotel
