'Catch Me If You Can' Closes This Saturday

Catch Me If You Can

Apr 05, 2019 - Apr 13, 2019
John J. Brady Center, Woodbridge, CT

Based on the unbelievable true story of one of the most famous con artists in history, Catch Me If You Can is a rousing musical set in the 1960s. We begin as Frank Abagnale Jr. is captured by Agent Carl Hanratty after years of pursuit. Frank, however, thinks we deserve to hear his version of the truth and narrates his life as a hip, dance-heavy variety TV show. We see a teenage Frank run away from his unhappy home to live a life of adventure, conning people by assuming a multitude of identities, including an airplane pilot, doctor and lawyer. Catch Me If You Can tells the tale of an ingenious, yet lonely, boy looking for his place in the world.

Catch Me If You Can the unbelievable true story of Frank Abagnale Jr gets ready for take off again this Thursday.

Make sure you have your boarding passes before this flight is full! www.amitytheaterdepartment.com

Amity Regional High School located in Woodbridge, Connecticut has had a long history of theater productions dating back to the school's founding in the early 1950's. The school serves the three towns of Bethany, Orange and Woodbridge, Connecticut. The school has twice been named by the US Department of Education as a Blue Ribbon School of Distinction (1982, 2014) and in 2015 was named by Newsweek magazine number one in Connecticut and 112th nationally for college preparedness. Past drama teachers include; Sy Schoenburger, Stan Czuba, Katherine Lightle, Gail Silverberg, Gary and Francesca Scarpa, John Mayer, Kara Mulqueen, Maggie Barkin and Julie Chevan. Notable Alumni include actor William Atherton, Director and Northwestern University Professor David Bell, Playwright Betsy Kelso (Great American Trailer Park Musical), Actress Suzanne Tara, Musician (Matchbox 20) Brian Yale, Broadway Stage Manager Hilary Austin, former Chair of the American Theater Wing (The Tony Awards) author and theater pundit Howard Sherman and entertainment reporter and Awards Expert Scott Feinberg.

In the late 1990's, a reported mold problem shuttered the auditorium for several years. Under the guidance of then Superintendent Dr. John J. Brady, an entirely new 750 seat theater was built in 2007 and a 100 seat Black Box Theater added in 2013. The main stage was renamed the John J Brady Center for the Performing Arts in 2012. Currently the theater Department, aka Amity Creative Theater (ACT), is under the direction of theater teacher and Amity alumnus Rob Kennedy. Amity prides itself in selecting works with current themes and strong social messages that appeal to the school's student population as well as the community at large. Rob along with his Co DIrector Andrea Kennedy have produced the following plays and musicals: The Laramie Project, Grease, Godspell, The Boys Next Door, Rent (CT High School Premiere), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, And Then They Came For Me, Les Miserables, Bang Bang You're Dead, Chicago, Almost Maine, Legally Blonde, Whose Life Is It Anyway?, Sweeney Todd, 12 Angry Jurors, In the Heights, New York, Disney's Tarzan, The Wrestling Season, Into the Woods, Our Town, Fiddler on the Roof, The Laramie Project 10 Years Later , The Addams Family Musical and The Curious Incident of the Dog In the Night-time.

The students' level of talent and dedication to the craft has garnered many accolades. The school was awarded two Moss Hart Awards from the New England Theater Conference for Best High School production in New England and 24 Connecticut High School Musical Theater Awards including Best Actor in the State (John Jorge in 2010), Best Actress in the State (Ali Kramer in 2012) and Best Overall Production (Sweeney Todd in 2013). In 2010, John Jorge was also a semi-finalist at the National High School Musical Theater Awards (The Jimmy's) on Broadway. Amity has had the honor of being chosen from over 2500 applicants to appear at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland England in 2012 and 2016 as part of the American High School Theater Festival. The student actors have also performed at the Walt Disney World Resort in 2013, 2015 and 2018. In 2018 Amity was proud to win Best Musical in the first ever Stephen Sondheim Awards at the Shubert Theater in New Haven CT.

Graduates of Amity High have gone on to pursue higher education at prestigious performing arts institutions including New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, CAP 21, The University of the Arts, The Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, Muhlenberg College, Point Park University, Pace University, Marymount Manhattan, Pace University, Boston University, North Western University, Bard College, University of North Carolina School for the Arts, University of Connecticut, Western CT State University and Emerson College.

Amity Staff

Theater Arts Teacher/ Director/ Producer-Robert Kennedy
Director/ Choreographer -Andrea Kennedy
Costume Designer-Julie Chevan
Costume Designer- Brenda Burt
Orchestra Conductor/ Music Teacher - Phil Dolan
Musical Director/ Choral Director- arcia Rizzotti
Lighting Designer-Dan Hassenmayer
Scenic Designer-Ryan Howell
Scenic Construction-Carl Terravainen
Business Manager-Peter Downhour