CATCO Favorites and Newcomers Perform in Season Opener, Mr. Burns, a post-electric play
October 25, 2021
CATCO is thrilled for the opening of its new season with Mr. Burns, a post-electric play Oct. 28. The play, which begins with a pandemic and resonates perfectly with our current moment, contains a stellar cast of Columbus actors familiar to the CATCO stage, as well as some new faces making their CATCO debuts.
The characters of Gibson and Itchy will be played by Jon Putnam, well-known to central Ohio theatre patrons for decades of memorable performances. He acted in his first CATCO production in 1986 when CATCO called the Park Street Theatre home. Since then has appeared in or directed more than 50 CATCO shows.
Newcomers to CATCO are Brian Gray, who will play the parts of Homer and Sam, and Oluchi Nwokocha, performing the roles of Marge and Colleen. Brian has appeared in other central Ohio productions with Available Light Theatre and Evolution Theatre and Oluchi is an assistant professor of theatre at Miami University, who has performed around the country with various theatre companies, including City Lights Theatre and the Marin Shakespeare Company.
Other members of the cast are some of the best and most respected actors in the Columbus area – Scott Douglas Wilson (Matt/Mr. Burns), who has appeared in several shows at CATCO and other area theatres; Nicolette Montana (Jenny/Edna), notable for her appearances in CATCO productions, such as Sex with Strangers and Avenue Q; Acacia Duncan (Maria/Scratchy), who, in addition to her CATCO appearances, is also a founding member of Available Light Theatre; Shauna Davis ((Quincy/Lisa), who most recently appeared in Trinity Theatre Company’s production of Ain’t Misbehavin and CATCO’s My Way, A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra; and Eli Brickey (Bart), whose recent credits include Carrie White (Carrie) at Columbus Immersive Theatre and Poppy (Noises Off) at Short North.
Read more about the cast here.
You’ll also find information about tickets, showtimes and the crew, and access a digital program.
CATCO artistic director and Mr. Burns Leda Hoffman says that this play is one of her all-time favorites because it serves as “a reminder that we can rebuild community after a world-changing event when we have each other. Working together we can develop new ways of thinking to help us define more clearly the values that shape us and our world.”
Notice a Simpsons theme from the characters listed above? Mr. Burns focuses on a famous episode of this widely popular animated sitcom. If you’re a fan of The Simpsons, you won’t want to miss it.
We can’t wait to share Mr. Burns with you. See you at the theatre soon!
We look forward to seeing you at the theatre in October!
