Catch it if you can
LOREN BENOIT/Press Greg Washington, left, and Casey Weeks sing during dress rehearsal for “Catch Me If You Can” Wednesday night at Silver Lake Mall.
LOREN BENOIT/Press Casey Weeks, left, who plays Frank Abagnale Jr., interacts with flight attendants (from left) Dennie Thorpe, Reese Weddle, Kiara Klinkefus, Arianna Lema, Jasmine Inman, Evelyn Peterson and Erin Allsup in a “Catch Me If You Can” scene during dress rehearsal Wednesday night at Silver Lake Mall. The play is based on the life of Abagnale Jr. and plays at the Kroc Center at 7:30 p.m. Feb 9, 10, 11, 16, 17 and 18 and 2 p.m. Feb. 12 and 18. Tickets range from $13-17.
LOREN BENOIT/Press Actors practice choreography during dress rehearsal for “Catch Me If You Can” Wednesday night at Silver Lake Mall.
Aspire’s
second show
opens Thursday
By DEVIN HEILMAN
Staff Writer
It was the 1960s when handsome young Frank Abagnale Jr. conned his way into unbelievable fortune and multiple careers.
"A 16-year-old ran away from home, pretended to be a pilot, a doctor and a lawyer — millions of dollars in checks," said Post Falls High School junior Casey Weeks, 16. "He was so brilliant, absolutely genius. It’s crazy that someone my age did all this."
Casey will help tell — and sing — the story of Abagnale Jr.'s extravagant excursions when he stars as the young con artist in Aspire Community Theater's musical production of "Catch Me If You Can," which opens Thursday.
The play is based on the life of Abagnale Jr., whose 1980 biography was the basis for the 2002 film of the same name with Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks. Abagnale Jr.'s impersonations and cons take him on a wild journey, but not before FBI Special Agent Carl Hanratty, played by Aspire's Greg Washington, begins tracking the trail of fraud.
"Frank has this boyish charm that’s so smooth and flirtatious,” Casey said. “I’ve been told I’m one to be flirtatious at certain times, but I don’t see myself as that flirtatious. Frank is a girl’s guy, he loves being a player."
This larger-than-life tale of adventure will be made even bigger with Broadway-style musical numbers. Director Brooke Wood said the music is fast-paced and catchy and will be performed by a live band that's onstage the entire show.
"There's lots of dancing, lots of long legs, kick lines," she said. "It's really glitzy, then there's little pockets of story that they sing around."
Coeur d'Alene High School junior Hannah Verdi, 17, plays Abagnale Jr.'s girlfriend, Brenda Strong. She's excited to play the leading lady.
"On Broadway, Brenda's thin, she's a stick, she's blond," she said. "When I got the role, I thought, 'Oh my gosh, that's neat!' Being able to play a love interest is a big step."
Greg Washington, who serves on Aspire's board, said he wants the audience to be wowed by the show.
"The music is fantastic, the choreography's great. It definitely has the elements for the audience to be stunned," he said. "They're going to love the characters, and I hope they fall in love with the relationship as it changes and develops between Hanratty and Frank Abagnale Jr. I’m excited because I think we have a fantastic cast. I truly believe the audience is going to connect and just fall in love with the characters, and that will make their show experience that much better."
The nearly 30-person cast ranges in age from 13-60 as the show provides a creative opportunity for those between children's and professional theater. This is a big goal of Aspire; "Catch Me If You Can" is the theater's second show, and the minds behind it are eager to expand and provide more of those theatrical opportunities for the community.
"You can just see by the cast we have, such talented people," Washington said. "We didn't go and recruit, we attracted that because they want to be a part of something special. I think that’s what we’ve got, we’re on the verge of something special."
"Catch Me If You Can" plays in the Kroc Center at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 9, 10, 11, 16, 17 and 18 and at 2 p.m. Feb. 12 and 18. Tickets are $13-17 and can be purchased at www.aspirecda.com.
Info: 696-4228