The Music Theatre West company will stage the recent musical ‘Catch Me If You Can’ at the Utah Theatre in downtown Logan from Feb.23 to Mar. 9 (Image courtesy of Wikipedia).
LOGAN – The Music Theatre West (MTW) company here has announced the cast and creative team for its upcoming production of the musical Catch Me If You Can.
The fairly recent show will be directed by Celeste Baillio, with music to be directed by Afton Whitney.
Both women are familiar faces to local audiences, but not necessarily in those capacities.
“I have directed our (MTW) teen summer camp shows and three shows at Sky View High School,” Ms. Baillio explains, in addition to a list of stage credits as long as your arm. Those include memorable appearances in the musicals Annie, Singin’ in the Rain, Ragtime, School of Rock and Freaky Friday.
“I have worked a lot with teens, but this will be my first time directing adults.”
Ms. Whitney’s prior experience has been mostly with the Four Seasons Theatre Company in Smithfield, where she appeared in the musicals The Wizard of Oz (2023) and Tuck Everlasting (2020) and also skillfully directed the music in the holiday production of Elf (2022)
Based on the 2002 movie of the same name, the stage version of Catch Me If You Can features a score by the composing team of Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman and a script by Terrence McNally.
The drama was inspired by the real-life adventures of con artist Frank Abagnale Jr., a suburban kid in the early 1960s who left home before graduating from high school and parlayed a gift for telling tall tales and forging checks into an around-the-world crime spree.
The role of the juvenile con-man goes to Zack Grob, last seen in the 2022 MTW production of Beauty and the Beast.
Local favorite Logan McKenna has been cast as young Abagnale’s nemesis, FBI agent Carl Hanratty. McKenna has previously performed in local productions of Singin’ in the Rain and Ragtime.
Another familiar face will be Ryan Leonhardt in the role of Abagnale’s father, Frank Sr. Leonhardt has been seen previously in Forever Plaid and Matilda.
The roles of the charming con artist’s female conquests will be filled by Rachel Grob, Jamie Younker, Morgan Horsburgh, Lily Allen and Haven Draper, who are all veterans of previous shows.
Other members of the cast include Daven Ritchie, Klydi Heywood, Nathan Jones, Luc Facuette, Joe Wall, Curtis While, Andrew Withers, Mead Hansen, Carter Fielding, Sydney Baird, Morgan Nadauld, Chelsi Pulley, Brooklyn Booth and Kat Newman.
In something of a departure from tradition, Catch Me If You Can will be staged at the Utah Theatre in downtown Logan rather than the usual MTW venue of the Ellen Eccles Theatre.
The show will run from Feb. 23 to Mar. 9, 2024.