Butz, Tveit, Butler & Wopat Set for CATCH ME IF YOU CAN; Cast Announced

Today, lead producers Margo Lion and Hal Luftig announced the complete cast for the new Broadway musical CATCH ME IF YOU CAN. Tony Award winner Norbert Leo Butz will star as Carl Hanratty and Aaron Tveit will star as Frank Abagnale, Jr. alongside Tony Nominee Tom Wopat as Frank Abagnale, Sr. and Tony Nominee Kerry Butler as Brenda Strong. CATCH ME IF YOU CAN will open on Broadway on Sunday, April 10, 2011 at The Neil Simon Theatre, 250 W. 52nd Street. This new musical, created by a team of Tony winners, features a book by Terrence McNally, music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman, choreography by Jerry Mitchell and is directed by Jack O'Brien. Previews begin March 7, 2011.

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN is based on the book and hit 2002 DreamWorks film of the same name directed by Stephen Spielberg with screenplay by Jeff Nathanson and book by Frank Abagnale, Jr.

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN captures the astonishing true story of Frank Abagnale, Jr., a world-class con artist who passed himself off as a doctor, a lawyer, and a jet pilot-all before the age of 21. With straight-arrow FBI agent Carl Hanratty on Frank's trail, we're off on a jet-setting, cat-and-mouse chase, as a jazzy, swinging-sixties score keeps this adventure in constant motion. In the end, Agent Hanratty learns he and Frank aren't so very different after all, and Frank finds out what happens when love catches up to a man on the run.

The cast will also feature Rachel de Benedet as Paula Abagnale, Linda Hart as Carol Strong, Nick Wyman as Roger Strong, Joe Cassidy, Timothy McCuen Piggee, Brandon Wardell, Jennifer Frankel, Lisa Gajda, Bob Gaynor, Kearran Giovanni, Nick Kenkel, Grasan Kingsberry, Aleks Pevec, Kristin Piro, Rachelle Rak, Joe Aaron Reid, Angie Schworer, Sabrina Sloan, Sarrah Strimel and Katie Webber.

Scenic design for CATCH ME IF YOU CAN is by David Rockwell (Hairspray), costume design is by five-time Tony Award winner William Ivey Long (The Producers), lighting design is by Tony Award winner Kenneth Posner (Wicked) and sound design is by Drama Desk winner Steve Kennedy (Jersey Boys).

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN opened at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre for a limited engagement from July 23 - August 14, 2009.

Tickets for CATCH ME IF YOU CAN will go on sale exclusively to American Express Cardmembers on Wednesday, November 10, and will go on sale to the general public on Sunday, November 28, 2010 via Ticketmaster.com/ 877-250-2929.

CAST BIOGRAPHIES

Norbert Leo Butz (Carl Hanratty). Broadway: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Tony Award, Drama Desk, Outer Critics, Astaire and Drama League Award winner, Best Actor, Musical), Enron, Speed-the-Plow, Is He Dead?, Wicked (original Cast, Fiyero), Thou Shalt Not (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics nominations), Rent (original cast, Broadway debut). Off-Broadway: Fifty Words, Buicks (Drama Desk nomination), The Last Five Years (Drama Desk, Lortel nominations, Drama League Award), Juno and the Paycock, Saved. National tour: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Cabaret (Helen Hayes, Jefferson, Dora and Ovation Awards). Regional: Catch Me If You Can (5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle), Alabama Shakespeare Festival (four seasons), Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. Film: Fair Game, Higher Ground, Dan in Real Life. Television: "The Miraculous Year" (HBO), "The Good Wife," "CSI" (CBS), "The Deep End" (ABC), "Law & Order Criminal Intent" (NBC), "Playing Chicken" (FOX), "Comanche Moon" (CBS miniseries). BFA, Webster University; MFA, Alabama Shakespeare Theatre.

 

Aaron Tveit (Frank Abagnale, Jr.) originated the role of Gabe in Next to Normal and received the 2009 Clarence Derwent and the Helen Hayes awards for his performance. Broadway: Wicked (Fiyero), Hairspray (Link). Tours: Rent, Hairspray. Regional: Catch Me If You Can (Frank) and the 2010 Hollywood Bowl Production of Rent (Roger). Film: Premium Rush, Girl Walks Into A Bar , Howl, Ghost Town. Television: Guest starring roles in "Body of Proof" (ABC), "Ugly Betty" (ABC), Law & Order - SVU (NBC), and two seasons as Trip Van der Bilt on the CW series "Gossip Girl.

 

Tom Wopat (Frank Abagnale, Sr.). Broadway: A Catered Affair (Tony, Drama Desk and Drama League nominations), 42nd Street, Chicago, Glengarry Glen Ross (Drama Desk Award, Tony for Best Revival), 42nd Street, Annie Get Your Gun (Tony and Drama Desk nominations), Guys and Dolls, City of Angels, I Love My Wife. Off-B'way: The Guys, The Best of the Boys. Regional: The Robber Bridegroom (Ford's Theatre), Carousel (Kennedy Center). Perhaps best known for his seven-season run in the TV phenomenon "The Dukes of Hazzard," other TV includes "Smallville," "All My Children," "100 Centre Street," "Home Improvement," "Cybill," "Christmas Comes to Willow Creek." Tom's recent film credits include Main Street, Jonah Hex, The Understudy and Bonneville. He has released several critically acclaimed collections of jazz and pop standards, the most recent being Consider It Swung, and has performed with his trio and orchestras across the country.

Kerry Butler (Brenda Strong). Broadway: Rock of Ages, Xanadu (Tony Award nomination, Drama League Award nomination), Hairspray (Clarence Derwant Award, Drama Desk Award nomination and Outer Critics Circle Award nomination), Little Shop of Horrors (Outer Critics Circle Award nomination), Beauty and The Beast, Les Misérables, Blood Brothers. Off-Broadway: Bat Boy: The Musical, Miracle Brothers, Prodigal, The Opposite of Sex. TV/Film: "Blue Bloods," "30 Rock," "Cupid," "Lipstick Jungle," Second Honeymoon, Twins, "Another World," "Sesame Street," "Hometown" and as Claudia Reston in "One Life to Live." She originated the role of Brenda in the Seattle world premiere of Catch Me If You Can. Her solo CD Faith, Trust and Pixie Dust is currently available on PS Classics.

Rachel de Benedet (Paula Abagnale). Broadway: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Muriel), Nine (Diana), The Sound of Music. Off-B'way: Adrift in Macao (Barrymore Award, original Philadelphia production), The Second Tosca. National tours: Camelot (Guenevere), The Sound of Music (Elsa). RacheldeBenedet.com

Linda Hart (Carol Strong). Hairspray (originated the role of Velma Von Tussel), Anything Goes (Lincoln Center, Theatre World Award); Sid Caesar on Broadway; Divine Madness and Detour (both with Bette Midler); Surviving Grace (Union Sq.); Gemini (Second Stage); Livin' Dolls (MTC & L.A. Coast Theatre, Best Actress Award); Light Up the Sky (Drama-Logue Award); Paper Moon (Paper Mill). Film: The Insider; Tin Cup and A Perfect World (both opposite Kevin Costner); Beautiful; Get Shorty; Stella; Showtime; The First $20 Million. TV: Mazeppa in "Gypsy," "Queen," "Texas Justice," "Pretty Girls in Little Boxes," "The Practice," "Touched by an Angel" and "Garry Shandling Show." Eleven gospel albumswith Grammy Award-winning family, The Harts.

Nick Wyman (Roger Strong). Broadway: The Phantom of the Opera (original cast), My Fair Lady with Rex Harrison (not the original cast), Les Misérables (six years), Sly Fox, A Tale of Two Cities, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Film: Die Hard With a Vengeance; Maid in Manhattan, Synecdoche, NY; etc. TV: "One Life to Live," "Queens Supreme," "The Chappelle Show," "Murder of Mary Phagan," etc. Off-Broadway: The Misanthrope (with Uma Thurman), Breaking Legs, Desperate Measures, The Fartiste, etc. Regional: Guthrie, Arena Stage, Goodman, Hartford Stage, etc.

Joe Cassidy (FBI Agent Todd Branton). Broadway: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, 1776, Show Boat, Les Misérables. Off Broadway: Bloomer Girl, Dearest Enemy, A Christmas Carol. Regional: Caraboo, Dracula.

Timothy McCuen Piggee (FBI Agent Bill Cod). Broadway debut. Credits include: 5th Avenue Theatre's Candide, Wonderful Town, Mame and the film Men of Honor.

Brandon Wardell (FBI Agent Johnny Dollar). Original Broadway casts: Assassins, Good Vibrations, Thoroughly Modern Millie, James Joyce's the Dead. Regional: Goodspeed, Charlotte Rep, Golden PAC. Television: "All My Children," "Guiding Light." www.brandonwardell.com