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High-Flying Musical Roller Coaster

Catch Me If You Can

  • Credits

    Based on the DreamWorks Motion Picture
    Book by Terrence McNally
    Music by Marc Shaiman
    Lyrics by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman
    Directed by Molly Smith
    Choreographed by Parker Esse
    Music Direction by Laura Bergquist

  • Location

    Fichandler Stage

  • Run Time

    2 hours 20 minutes, including a 15-minute intermission

"Pop-Savvy Musical"

— Seattle Times

Humor, music and dance drive this rousing musical based on true events and a critically acclaimed film. See how charming, young con man Frank Abagnale Jr. posed as an airline pilot, a lawyer and a doctor — and then escaped police custody, all before he turned 22.

The Tony-nominated musical comedy is jam-packed with dynamic numbers such as “Don’t Break the Rules,” “Live in Living Color” and “Doctor’s Orders.” Catch Me If You Can is a high-flying musical roller coaster filled with glamour and delight for the entire family. Where else but Washington, D.C., could a musical about con men and being conned be the perfect story we need right now?

The music of Catch Me If You Can is generously sponsored by Michele Toth and William Caldwell.  
Choreography is sponsored by Virginia McGehee Friend.
Supporting Sponsorship for Catch Me If You Can is generously provided by , Catherine and Chris Guttman-McCabe and Sheila Stampfli

Cast

GILLIAN BOZAJIAN

Swing

CARA ROSE DIPIETRO

Player / Brenda Strong u/s

ALEXANDRA FROHLINGER

Carol Strong / Player

JEREMIAH GINN

Player / Roger Strong u/s

BRETT-MARCO GLAUSER

Agent Cod / Player / Frank Abagnale, Jr. u/s

RHETT GUTER

Roger Strong / Agent Branton / Jack Barnes / Player / Carl Hanratty u/s

CANDICE HATAKEYAMA

Player

NEHAL JOSHI

Carl Hanratty

RYAN LAMBERT

Player

BRIANNA LATRASH

Swing / Carol Strong u/s

JEFF MCCARTHY

Frank Abagnale, Sr.

BRYAN CHARLES MOORE

Swing

SHILOH ORR

Swing

HAYLEY PODSCHUN

Brenda Strong

STEPHANIE POPE LOFGREN

Paula Abagnale

JODY REYNARD

Agent Dollar / Player / Frank Abagnale, Sr. u/s

KYRA SMITH

Player

CHRISTIAN THOMPSON

Frank Abagnale Jr.

KRISTIN YANCY

Assistant Choreographer / Player / Dance Captain / Paula Abagnale u/s

Creative

TERRENCE MCNALLY

Book

MARC SHAIMAN

Music / Lyrics / Arrangements / Orchestrations

SCOTT WITTMAN

Lyrics

MOLLY SMITH

Director

PARKER ESSE

Choreographer

LAURA BERGQUIST

Music Director/Conductor

ALEXANDER DODGE

Set Designer

ALEJO VIETTI

Costume Designer

NICOLE PEARCE

Lighting Designer

DANIEL ERDBERG

Sound Designer

CHARLES G. LAPOINTE

Wig Designer

ANITA MAYNARD-LOSH

Associate Director and Text Director

WILLIAM YANESH

Associate Music Director

KRISTIN YANCY

Assistant Choreographer / Player / Dance Captain / Paula Abagnale u/s

ROBB HUNTER

Fight Director

JENNY MALE

Intimacy Consultant

LISA NATHANS

Dialect and Vocal Coach

JOCELYN CLARKE

Dramaturg

JZ CASTING / GEOFF JOSSELSON, C.S.A. AND KATJA ZAROLINSKI, C.S.A.

Casting

HANNAH SULLIVAN

Stage Manager

MARNE ANDERSON

Assistant Stage Manager

EMILY ANN MELLON

Assistant Stage Manager

Catch Me If You Can News

DC Metro Theater Arts

Molly Smith on the allure of the con man in Catch Me If You Can at Arena

Theatrely

Parker Esse Choreographs a New Catch Me If You Can at Arena Stage

WJLA Good Morning Washington

Good Morning Washington cohosts interview Christian Thompson

The Southwester

Costumes Take Center Stage in Arena’s Catch Me If You Can (pg. 13)

OnStage Blog

"Your Value as a Member of Society is Not Dictated by What is on Your Resume."

The Zebra

Musical at Arena Stage Soars Telling True Tale of High-Flying Infamous Conman

OnStage Blog

"Don’t Let Any Box, Type, or Label Define All That is You."

MD Theatre Guide

"Huge praise goes to the seemingly inexhaustible and talented ensemble." - Review

Broadway World

"An energetic, joyful night of escapist fun, and just what pandemic weary audiences have been waiting for"

Talkin’ Broadway

 "It's a good season for musicals in the D.C. area" 

Whisk and Quill

Catch Me If You Can Soars with High Energy and a High-Flying True Story of the Infamous Conman

El Tiempo Latino

Un latino crea la moda de los sesenta en Catch Me If You Can

The Southwester

"Christian Thompson takes on the multiple roles as Abagnale Jr."

OnStage Blog

"Your Worth is Not Measured by The Amount Jobs That You Book!"

Broadway World

BWW Interview: Molly Smith of Catch Me If You Can at Arena Stage

The Blade

D.C.'s spring theater scene feels like the before times

The Georgetowner

2022 Spring Arts Guide: Catch Me If You Can at the Arena Stage

WTOP

Arena Stage presents musical version of Spielberg movie Catch Me If You Can

Playbill

Christian Thompson, Nehal Joshi, Jeff McCarthy Lead New Revision of Catch Me If You Can at Arena Stage

NBC

Things To Do: Catch Me If You Can at Arena Stage

District Fray

The Con is On at Arena Stage

Dance Class

Catch me if you can dance class.

Grab your dancing shoes! Learn a dance number from the high-flying musical comedy Catch Me If You Can. Bring this high-energy musical right to your living room with a virtual dance class taught by cast member and Assistant Choreographer, Kristin Yancy.

Class will be for 1-hour over Zoom. Webinar link will be sent to your email 24-hours prior to class. All dance levels/experience welcome!

Date: Saturday, April 16, 2022
Time: 5:30 PM
Cost: $15 per person

REGISTER NOW

 

Special Performance Dates

Weekday Matinees:
Wednesday, March 23, 12:00 p.m.
Tuesday, March 29, 12:00 p.m.
Wednesday, April 13, 12:00 p.m.

Southwest Nights:
Tuesday, March 8, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, March 11, 8:00 p.m.
Sunday March 20, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, March 25, 8:00 p.m. 

Early Curtains:
Sunday, March 27, 1:00 p.m.
Sunday, March 27, 6:00 p.m.

Open Caption:
Wednesday, March 30, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 7, 8:00 p.m.


Audio Described:
Saturday, March 26, 2:00 p.m.

Production Images

The cast of “Catch Me If You Can” running March 4 through April 17 at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. Photo by Margot Schulman.
Christian Thompson (Frank Abagnale, Jr.) and the cast of “Catch Me If You Can” running March 4 through April 17 at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. Photo by Margot Schulman.
Stephanie Pope Lofgren (Paula Abagnale) and Jeff McCarthy (Frank Abagnale, Sr.) in “Catch Me If You Can” running March 4 through April 17 at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. Photo by Margot Schulman.
Jeff McCarthy (Frank Abagnale, Sr.), Christian Thompson (Frank Abagnale, Jr.) and the cast of “Catch Me If You Can” running March 4 through April 17 at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. Photo by Margot Schulman.
Christian Thompson (Frank Abagnale, Jr.) in “Catch Me If You Can” running March 4 through April 17 at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. Photo by Margot Schulman.
Christian Thompson (Frank Abagnale, Jr.) and the cast of “Catch Me If You Can” running March 4 through April 17 at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. Photo by Margot Schulman.
Rhett Guter (Roger Strong/Agent Branton/Jack Barnes/Player), Nehal Joshi (Carl Hanratty) and Jody Reynard (Agent Dollar/Player) in “Catch Me If You Can” running March 4 through April 17 at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. Photo by Margot Schulman.
The cast of “Catch Me If You Can” running March 4 through April 17 at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. Photo by Margot Schulman.
The cast of “Catch Me If You Can” running March 4 through April 17 at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. Photo by Margot Schulman.
Christian Thompson (Frank Abagnale, Jr.) and the cast of “Catch Me If You Can” running March 4 through April 17 at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. Photo by Margot Schulman.
Nehal Joshi (Carl Hanratty) in “Catch Me If You Can” running March 4 through April 17 at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. Photo by Margot Schulman.
Christian Thompson (Frank Abagnale, Jr.) and Jeff McCarthy (Frank Abagnale, Sr.) in “Catch Me If You Can” running March 4 through April 17 at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. Photo by Margot Schulman.
Jeff McCarthy (Frank Abagnale, Sr.) and Christian Thompson (Frank Abagnale, Jr.) in “Catch Me If You Can” running March 4 through April 17 at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. Photo by Margot Schulman.
Nehal Joshi (Carl Hanratty) and Kyra Smith (Player) in “Catch Me If You Can” running March 4 through April 17 at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. Photo by Margot Schulman.
Kristin Yancy (Player/Dance Captain), Cara Rose DiPietro (Player), and Candice Hatakeyama (Player) in “Catch Me If You Can” running March 4 through April 17 at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. Photo by Margot Schulman.
Nehal Joshi (Carl Hanratty) and Christian Thompson (Frank Abagnale, Jr.) in “Catch Me If You Can” running March 4 through April 17 at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. Photo by Margot Schulman.
Nehal Joshi (Carl Hanratty) in “Catch Me If You Can” running March 4 through April 17 at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. Photo by Margot Schulman.
Stephanie Pope Lofgren (Paula Abagnale) and Christian Thompson (Frank Abagnale, Jr.) in “Catch Me If You Can” running March 4 through April 17 at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. Photo by Margot Schulman.
The cast of “Catch Me If You Can” running March 4 through April 17 at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. Photo by Margot Schulman.
Christian Thompson (Frank Abagnale, Jr.) and the cast of “Catch Me If You Can” running March 4 through April 17 at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. Photo by Margot Schulman.
Stephanie Pope Lofgren (Paula Abagnale), Christian Thompson (Frank Abagnale, Jr.) and Jeff McCarthy (Frank Abagnale, Sr.) in “Catch Me If You Can” running March 4 through April 17 at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. Photo by Margot Schulman.
Hayley Podschun (Brenda Strong) and Christian Thompson (Frank Abagnale, Jr.) in “Catch Me If You Can” running March 4 through April 17 at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. Photo by Margot Schulman.
Hayley Podschun (Brenda Strong), Alexandra Frohlinger (Carol Strong/Player), Christian Thompson (Frank Abagnale, Jr.) and Rhett Guter (Roger Strong/Agent Branton/Jack Barnes/Player) in “Catch Me If You Can” running March 4 through April 17 at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. Photo by Margot Schulman.
Christian Thompson (Frank Abagnale, Jr.) and Hayley Podschun (Brenda Strong) in “Catch Me If You Can” running March 4 through April 17 at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. Photo by Margot Schulman.
Hayley Podschun (Brenda Strong), Christian Thompson (Frank Abagnale, Jr.) and Jeremiah Ginn (Player) in “Catch Me If You Can” running March 4 through April 17 at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. Photo by Margot Schulman.
Christian Thompson (Frank Abagnale, Jr.), Hayley Podschun (Brenda Strong) and the cast of “Catch Me If You Can” running March 4 through April 17 at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. Photo by Margot Schulman.