Catching Nathan Lane If You Can

Catching Nathan Lane If You Can
As if to prove he really is the "King of Broadway," Nathan Lane is literally all over the boards this year. Lane, of course, began the year in his nearly sold-out run of The Odd Couple opposite Matthew Broderick. While he's already preparing to bring his acclaimed performance as Ben Butley from Boston's Huntington Theatre to Broadway's Booth Theatre this October, Playbill.com reports this morning that Lane is set to star next month as Federal Agent Carl Hanratty in the workshop for the upcoming musical version of Catch Me If You Can.
Based on the 2002 fact-based movie starring Tom Hanks and Leonardo DiCaprio, the Catch Me If You Can tuner will feature a book by Terrence McNally and original score by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman. The workshop will be led by director Jack O'Brien and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell.
Lane's on-stage association with McNally began with 1995's Tony Award-winning Best Play Love! Valour! Compassion! and continued with last year's Off-Broadway production of Dedication or the Stuff of Dreams with Marian Seldes.
No word yet on whether a return is imminent for any of the other outstanding actors from last year's initial reading -- Matthew Morrison (Hairspray, The Light In The Piazza), Tom Wopat (Annie Get Your Gun, 42nd Street), Christine Ebersole (42nd Street, Grey Gardens), Sara Gettelfinger (Nine, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels). But given the talent that is already behind this ambitious project, including that of Steven Spielberg, Catch Me If You Can is sure to attract major attention when it finally makes its expected debut at San Diego's Old Globe Theatre sometime next year.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:
Flashback: Best of 2001-02 (May 24, 2006)
Butley's Back on Broadway at Booth (May 23, 2006)
Guys and Dolls Imported to Broadway from London? (May 15, 2006)
Labels: Broadway, Butley, Catch Me If You Can, First Word On New Show, Nathan Lane, The Odd Couple



