“When we were looking at shows to do, one of MunOpCo’s calling cards has always been a Lehigh Valley premiere or a show with a large cast,” says MunOpCo board member Daniel Petrovich, director of the Lehigh Valley premiere of “Catch Me If You Can,” Oct, 9 - 11, Scottish Rite Cathedral, Allentown.

“We opted to go with a Lehigh Valley premiere and a cast of 30,” Petrovich emphasizes of the opening show for MunOpCo’s 88th season.

MunOpCo Music Theatre, with MunOpCo an acronym for Municipal Opera Company of Allentown, which dates to 1927 and is believed to be the sixth oldest opera company in the United States and the oldest community theater in Allentown, almost didn’t have a 2015 - ’16 season.

MunOpCo is based at Scottish Rite. “That’s been our headquarters. We partnered with them in 2005,” explains Petrovich, adding, “With the departure of Larry and Terry, that was a big portion of that relationship.”

Larry Williams was MunOpCo artistic director, directed the musicals and conducted the orchestra. His wife, Terry Williams, choreographed the musicals. Larry and Terry Williams relocated to Florida.

Petrovich said the phone call from Williams came in late May-early June: “That was a major blow. They were around a long time. When they opted to leave, it was a game-changer for MunOpCo.”

Cheryl Dreas, acting board president, “let us know what was going on and rallied the troops to reorganize,” Petrovich continues.

MunOpCo held a meeting in July at the Scottish Rite. It was decided to reinstitute membership, which would elect a board of directors. Petrovich said MunOpCo moved away from membership when its bylaws were changed about 12 years ago. “The board that was in place had been in place for many years with no new faces.”

An interim board was formed. “Our goal was to stabilize the organization.”

As with most arts nonprofits, Petrovich says of MunOpCo’s finances, “We struggle like any theater company. The rising cost of royalties. MunOpCo still uses a union orchestra. Our core audience was aging. Quite frankly, they weren’t there anymore.

“We had to make a decision. Were we going to sit dark for a year, or were we going to forge ahead? If we would have sat dark for a year, that would have been the death knell for a theater company.

“We started to discuss shows. We narrowed it down to about four or five. Then, we came up with a very traditional old-fashioned musical and ‘Catch Me If You Can.’ One of the board members said, “We have to go big or we go home,”” says Petrovich.

The choice of “Catch Me If You Can” had to do with it being a Lehigh Valley premiere. “The other part of the decision was the appeal to a new age group,” says Petrovich, who’s been doing MunOpCo shows for 12 years.

Petrovich says MunOpCo is undertaking other moves to ensure its future:

“The board is looking to create two junior board positions for high school students. The idea is that when they come back from college, they assume leadership roles. The goal of the board is to get us to our 90th season and continue its run after that. ’Catch Us If You Can,’” quipped Petrovich, playing off of the show title.

“We are the oldest community theater company in the Lehigh Valley, and we want to remain that.”

With that goal in mind, MunOpCo couldn’t have chosen a better show.

“Catch Me If You Can” is based on the true story of Frank Abagnale Jr., a con man who from ages 16-21 posed as a Pan Am pilot, doctor and lawyer while scamming millions using bad checks. FBI agent Carl Hanratty pursued him in a cat-and-mouse chase.

Today, Abagnale is an authority on forgery, embezzlement and secure documents, and has been associated with the FBI for more than four decades.

The musical is based on the 2002 film, which starred Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks, and which was based on Abagnale’s 1980 autobiography.

“Catch Me If You Can” has a libretto by Terrence McNally (“The Full Monty,” “Ragtime”) with music and lyrics by Mark Shaiman and Scott Wittman (“Hairspray”). The Broadway show, which opened in March and closed in September, 2011, was nominated for four Tony Awards, including Best Musical and received a Tony for best actor. A national tour ran 2012 - ’13.

In keeping with MunOpCo’s renewed mission, the singing and dancing ensembles are composed of students and graduates from Dieruff, Northwestern Lehigh, Parkland and Whitehall high schools, including several recent Freddy Award recipients and nominees.

“We have a nice mix of seasoned MunOpCo performers and new faces in crowd,” says Petrovich.

“Catch Me if You Can” features some of Lehigh Valley’s veteran actors, including Ryan Doncsecz (Frank Abagnale Jr.), Kerry McGuire (Carl Hanratty), Beth Sucra (Paula Abagnale), Ted Williams (Frank Abagnale Sr.), Jillian Rossi (Brenda Strong), Geri Kery (Carol Strong) and Robert Calder (Roger Strong).

Choreography is by Kelly Jean Graham. The pit orchestra is conducted by Freddy Awards Music Director Frank Anonia. Parents, students and the Scottish Rite staff handled set construction and lighting.

“We’re excited about the stellar talent and musical direction of this show, which we think will tease audiences into believing that they’re sitting front and center of a real Broadway production,” says Petrovich.

“With our recent leadership reorganization, MunOpCo is in the process of reviving and reinventing itself, so this show represents a new beginning for us. ‘Catch Me if You Can’ provides the high level of energy needed to propel MunOpCo into the next generation of high-quality community theater that we’ve been known to do for more than eight decades.”

“Catch Me if You Can,” 8 p.m. Oct. 9, 10; 2 p.m. Oct. 11, Scottish Rite Cathedral, 1533 Hamilton St., Allentown; munopco.org; 610-437-2441