CATCO's New Musical THE LAST SMOKER IN AMERICA Opens Tonight 9/29

CATCO (Columbus, OH), in association with Andy Sandberg (HAIR), presents the world premiere of the musical, THE LAST SMOKER IN AMERICA, with book and lyrics by Tony Nominee Bill Russell (SIDE SHOW) and music by Drama Desk Nominee Peter Melnick (ADRIFT IN MACAO) under the direction of Andy Sandberg, with choreography by Tony Award nominee AC Ciulla (FOOTLOOSE), music supervision by Fred Lassen and music direction by Andrew Resnick. The four-member cast features Natalie Venetia Belcon as Phyllis, Katy Blake as Pam, John Bolton as Ernie, and Teddy Toye as Jimmy.

Performances begin tonight for a limited engagement through October 24, 2010 at CATCO in the Vern Riffe Center Studio Theaters (77 High Street, Columbus), providing central Ohio theatre patrons the unique opportunity to be among the first to see this production before heading to New York. Opening Night is Wednesday, October 6, 2010.

"We look forward to kicking off our season with the world premiere of The Last Smoker in America," said CATCO Artistic Director Steven Anderson. "It is a privilege to welcome this extraordinary cast and team of Broadway veterans to Columbus. Bill Russell and Peter Melnick have written a hilarious, original, and irreverent new show. It is also very exciting to be working with Andy Sandberg, a talented, up-and-coming director and producer."

The Last Smoker in America is an original, four-character musical comedy about a dysfunctional family struggling to survive in a world where smoking has recently been outlawed. Pam, an English lit professor at a small college, is having an impossible time trying to quit smoking. Her husband Ernie dreams of being a rock star and relentlessly practices his electric guitar in the basement. Their teenage son Jimmy listens to so much rap music he's convinced he's black. Their nosy, anti-smoking zealot neighbor Phyllis lurks around trying to catch transgressors mid-puff. Will Pam kick the habit or fight for the right to light up as The Last Smoker in America? The musical received a developmental workshop production at the New York Musical Theatre Festival in the fall of 2009 where it extended and played to sold-out audiences.

"We are very excited to be a part of CATCO's 2010-2011 season and to be sharing the world premiere of this new musical, The Last Smoker in America, with Columbus and Ohio," says director/producer Andy Sandberg.

The creative team includes Charles Corcoran (sets), Jessica Shay (costumes), Jeff Croiter & Grant Yeager (lights), and Bart Fasbender & Dave Wallingford (sound). Roger Alan Gindi is the General Manager. Cheryl Ruschau is the Production Stage Manager.

Ticket information is available online at www.catco.org, or by calling the CATCO box office at (614) 469-0939. For more information about the show, please visit www.lastsmokerinamerica.com.