IT  was up, up and away at the Jet Flight Simulator in Fyshwick yesterday, when Dramatic Productions launched their new musical production, “Catch Me If You Can”, which will soon have a two-week season in Gungahlin Theatre.

Guests were greeted by a glamorous air-hostess who presented them with lunch-boxes and fruit juice before being shown in to the flight simulator where leading man, Alexander Clubb, was already seated at the impressive jet airliner controls. Clubb will play the role inspired by the real life escapades of Frank Abignale Jnr, a 19 year-old con man, originally portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio in the movie of the same name which inspired the stage musical.

Abignale, it turns out, had always wanted to be a Pan Am pilot, and Alex Clubb certainly looked at home at the controls of the impressive simulator as he performed a song from the show, for which he was accompanied by the production’s musical director, Damien Slingsby. The role of Abignale won actor Norben Leo Butz both a Tony Award and a Drama Desk award for his portrayal in the 2011 Broadway season, and Clubb is looking forward to the challenge of portraying the character of Abignale for Canberra audiences.

“This is a great big Broadway musical which has just been released for production in Australia.” said producer/director, Richard Block at the launch. “Canberra will be only the second city outside Sydney to see the show, and Dramatic Productions are excited to be bringing it to Canberra”.

With a libretto by Stephen McNally and musical score by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, “Catch Me If You Can” played for more than 200 performances on Broadway, before setting out on a national tour around the U.S.

Block will direct the Canberra production which will be choreographed by Rachel Thornton, with musical direction by Damien Slingsby and costumes designed by Kitty McGarry. In addition to Alexander Clubb, the large cast also contains several well-known local music theatre performers, among them Gerard Ninnes, Jonathan Garland, Janelle McMenamin, Josie Dunham and Michael Miller.

“Catch Me If You Can” will be the second production staged in the Gungahlin Theatre by Dramatic Productions following their successful presentation of the Stephen Sondheim musical “Into the Woods” last year.

“Catch Me If You Can” at Gungahlin Theatre from May 27 until June 11 stagecenta.com