Chrys Weedon | Entertainment Editor
On Nov. 2, the Majestic Theatre in downtown Corvallis opened their production of the musical “Catch Me If You Can.” This story, based on true events, follows the escapades of Frank William Abagnale Jr. Born in 1948 in New York; Frank Jr. ran away from home at the fresh age of 16 after his parents’ divorce.
Abagnale soon became the one of the most successful and famous con men in history. Frank Jr. posed as a pilot, a lawyer, and a doctor. In his criminal career, he cashed around $2.5 million in bad checks. Throughout the play, Frank is chased by tenacious FBI agent Carl Hanratty. Eventually, Frank Jr. is captured and spent years imprisoned in multiple different countries. When he was released, Abagnale started work as an FBI consultant and started his own fraud consultancy company. The Broadway musical was first performed in 2011.
The cast of this Majestic production was extremely energetic and talented. The choreography is intricate and clearly the work of a talented and dedicated choreographer. Despite some technical difficulties, the play was a big hit with the audience and continued without any major snafus.
The cast of this musical includes multiple Western Oregon University alumni: Lawrence Dannen, Laura Killip, and A.J. Saddler.
Saddler graduated in the Spring of 2018 from Western’s Bachelor of Fine Arts program, and this will be his second time performing as a graduate.
“The theatre program at WOU and the people who I came in contact with while studying (whether it be professors or students) has taught me how to be a professional theatre artist,” commented Saddler. “I have to give a shout out to the department and all those who run it for providing me with the opportunity to be able to move forward in my life as the artist I want to be.”
Future shows will be held Nov. 8-10, 15-17 at 7:30 p.m., with matinee performances Nov. 11 and 18 at 2:30 p.m. Students can purchase tickets at the discounted price of $16.
Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu
Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton
