Live theater lovers, mark your calendars. The Newsome Wolfpack Theatre will perform Catch Me If You Can, a musical, from Thursday to Saturday, April 21-23 in the Newsome High School Theatre, located at 16550 FishHawk Blvd. in Lithia.
The musical is based on Catch Me If You Can: The True Story of a Real Fake, a semi-autobiographical book about Frank Abagnale Jr., who, before his 19th birthday, successfully conned millions of dollars’ worth of checks as a Pan Am pilot, doctor and legal prosecutor. An FBI agent makes it his mission to put him behind bars, but Frank not only eludes capture, he also revels in the pursuit. The movie starred Leonardo De Caprio as Frank and Tom Hanks as agent Carl Hanratty, and it was directed by Stephen Spielberg.
“That our theater program is 100 percent student-run is a credit to our students’ creativity, work ethic and their want to do amazing things,” said Theater Artistic Director Chad Cornwell.
Assistant Director and Principal Stage Manager Brielle Pulli has been involved with Newsome’s theater program for three years and served as director and stage manager for the fall production of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible and now for Catch Me If You Can.
Pulli said, “You have to step up and grow as a leader here. We practice everything we learn in most all of our classes. Math and science factor into all of our tech crews. We are thinking about history when we think about the 1950s for this show. Of course, reading and English. But this is more like a job where we have deadlines and expectations rather than just a fun after-school activity.”
“This show is exciting on its own, but we are bringing so much more to it,” said Ashlyn Lopez. “It’s going to be the best musical Newsome has ever seen.”
Senior Jake Perez (playing Carl) plans on majoring in theater after high school and pursuing a career in the business. He already has credits with Stageworks Theatre and ThinkTank Theatre.
Perez agrees, saying, “I have been involved with theater for four years at Newsome, every show. This is really going to be the best show, with a great cast and crew.”
The show opens on Thursday, April 21 at 7 p.m. and running through Saturday, April 23 at 7 p.m., with a 2 p.m. matinee on April 23. Tickets are available now at newsomewolfpacktheatre.ludus.com.
