Variety reports that Nathan Lane and Christian Borle star in a July workshop of Catch Me If You Can, the new Marc Shaiman/Scott Wittman musical adapted from the hit 2002 Steven Speilberg film.
Tony Award-winner Lane (The Producers, Butley, The Odd Couple) will play Carl Hanratty (portrayed by Tom Hanks in the film) and Borle (Legally Blonde, Spamalot) will take on the role of Frank Abagnale Jr. (played by Leonardo DiCaprio in the film).
Catch Me If You Can will open on Broadway in 2008. The show, with music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman and a book by Terrence McNally, will be directed by Jack O'Brien and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell, it was previously announced.
According to the article, "The musical, like the film, presents the story from two competing points of view: that of con man Frank Abagnale and that of his FBI pursuer."
Wittman noted that the creators' approach to the material is respectful but also playful: "We poke fun at the concept of a movie turning into a musical. It's all very irreverently treated. We actually say, 'Well, you know, they did this much better in the movie." Shaiman stated that the two plan to avoid any heavy moralizing: "If you're going to write a song, make it catchy and fun. Right now, we're writing one about terrible fathers screwing up their sons. But we're writing it to be a showstopper."
Catch Me If You Can featured a screenplay by Jeff Nathanson, based on the book by Frank Abagnale Jr., and was directed by Steven Speilberg. Christopher Walken co-starred with Hanks and Di Caprio.
Shaiman and Wittman previously collaborated on the Broadway smash Hairspray, also directed by O'Brien and choreographed by Mitchell.
Photo of Nathan Lane by Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.
