CATCH ME IF YOU CAN PREVIEW THOUGHTS — Page 3

Question for those who saw: which is the 11 o'clock number? Fly Fly Away or Goodbye?

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Warning: Lots of spoilers ahead.

I saw the show Tuesday. I had fun, it's an entertaining couple of hours. I think there's great potential here but some serious work needs to be done. It's worth mentioning that I'm a big Hairspray fan and I love Shaiman's work.

My biggest concern is with the framing device of the "TV show" within a show. I think this is a clever idea, a great way to get past this being yet another movie-to-stage adaptation. It's just too bad that the whole idea gets dropped after the first 10 minutes. If you're going to tell the audience that they are watching Frank Jr.'s fantasy TV show, then go with that concept. As it currently stands the TV show motif is quickly dropped and we just get a standard musicalized movie. Hanratty's interaction with the "TV show-within a show" doesn't make any sense. I'd rather see the evening start as an episode of "The FBI" with Hanratty and crew about to make a collar (complete with 1960s TV announcer voice-over) and Frank Jr. pulling one last con, turning it all into his personal Ed Sullivan variety show.

As I said before I'm a big Marc Shaiman fan. His ability to create new standards makes him a national treasure. To my ears this show's score has three elements - There are the classic big band era numbers like "50 checks" and "Butter Outta Cream" that are just perfect. I am in awe. There are the rock ballads, "Seven Wonders" and "Fly Fly Away" which are also stunning. Then there are the up-tempo rock numbers which seem to represent Frank Junior, such as "Live In Living Color" "Someone Else's Skin" and "Goodbye". These don't work for me. They don't evoke the Rolling Stones or the Beatles, they sound like something I might hear on "The Electric Company", or maybe an "Up With People" tour.

Yes, I'm a Hairspray fan, but there's too much Hairspray in this show. There were times where I felt the creative team should just trust the score and let the characters sing their songs without so many exceedingly clever bits of stagecraft. One example of this is "Don't Be A Stranger", the song Frank's mother sings to Hanratty. When I listened to the demo this song really stood out, it's a perfect 1960's bossa. What I loved in the demo didn't translate onto stage. Each verse is interrupted with long stretches of dialogue, and we have three tuxedoed men dancing with their backs to the audience. All this song needs is to be sung, nothing more.

As others have mentioned the sets mostly consist of a huge TV screen at the back of the stage. I have mixed feelings about video scenery, it seems akin to canned music unless handled very creatively. For the most part I felt like there was a really cool TV onstage, but not much was on. I did enjoy the dancing stewardesses. Obviously the video scenery could work nicely with the "TV show within a show" concept. I think the creative team has to decide if they want to go with that concept or not.

My last bit of nit-picking is with the ending. Frank mentions that he and Brenda ended up getting married after his jail time, but nothing much is made of that. At the very least have Kerry Butler come out and hug Frank when he says this! How about some mention of Brenda waiting for him, visiting him in jail, something! Did she rat him out, or did the FBI just follow her to the airport? I understand that the focus here is the connection between Hanratty and Frank, but it's just bizarre that no real resolution is given to the show's main romance.

I want to stress that this is a very entertaining show, not to be missed if you're anywhere near Seattle. My thoughts are geared towards changes that could help this be a hit down the road, not to keep anyone from buying tickets for this run. The cast is brilliant, especially Norbert and Tom Wopat. The orchestra sounds amazing, and we get to watch them for much of the show.

I look forward to watching this show develop, and hope to see a "New and Improved" version in New York next year.

Updated On: 7/30/09 at 03:50 PM

I understand what you're saying, but to me, there has to be a point to everything. I understand you may not agree, but to me what's the point of telling a story or doing a show if it's just for entertainment? There has to be some sort of bigger dramatic purpose. I mean, even fluff like 9 to 5 strived to expose how females were treated in the work place. I mean, maybe this does have some big dramatic purpose, or some big dramatic questions, but to me, with the use of narration and the whole like "flash back" thing, it doesn't seem like there's any dramatic tension throughout the show, so what's the point? It's like in 33 Variations. There were no dramatic ups and downs in that show, so it made it just a big history lesson. You have to throw in a little drama, or else it's just watching scenery fly across the stage.

You do realize that it's a true story, don't you? And it's about the story...the chase (for both of them) and more importantly finding self and love and drive/motivation.

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Quick question to those who have seen the show already.

My sister and I already have tickets to next Tuesday's show (on the 4th).

Looking at the 5th Avenue Theater's parental guidance page for the show, it states that there would be gunshots used during the show. My sister and I have developed an aversion to loud sudden noises (such as gunshots), so we were wondering if anyone can tell us when they are used in the show so we can prepare ourselves (as a guide, knowing that all this could change during previews).

Private replies are welcome so as to not spoil the show for others. Thanks!

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Choitoy
*Slight Spoiler Alert!*



The gunshots are at the very beginning of the show and at the end when Hanratty is chasing after Frank, and also in either "Breaking All the Rules" or "Needle in a Haystack", I can't quite remember which one. It will start with Frank Jr. with a target on his back, unless the show has been changed since I saw it. The shots are dubbed sound effects and they really aren't that loud at all. It's pretty much the same as gunshots you'd hear in a film at a movie theater. It shouldn't make you flinch or leave your ears ringing like a blank bullet that is sometimes used in shows.

Updated On: 7/31/09 at 08:51 PM

Saw the show last night (Saturday) and then drove back to my home four hours away so I am very,very tired. Despite its few flaws I thought the show was very good and enjoyable.

The highlight for me was Norbert's portrayal of Hanratty. Norbert really made the character his own and had me laughing the whole night. He does have one too many songs in Act 1 and could easily have one cut but he was the best part of the show.

The rest of the cast were all good. Kerry had the best number of the night with "Fly, Fly Away" and the audience applause confirmed it.

The set was simple but nice with all the cutouts. Sometimes the projections on the big screen got a bit monotonous and weren't used as creatively as they could have been (like they were for the dancing nurses in the "Doctor's Orders" number). They could be worked on. Like has already been said, the band is onstage in a big swoosh that moves forwards and backwards on stage depending on the number. It was nice to see the band used as set-piece.

There is a lot of 'breaking the fourth wall' in this show which for us, since we were sitting in the front row, was a lot of fun. There is a sing along number in act two where the ensemble comes out into the audience and interacts a bit encouraging all to sing.

My biggest complaint with the show has already been addressed by NotYourMemories. The TV-show-within-a-show concept I think is a good one but at this point it is not consistently carried throughout the show. At times I felt like I was watching a variety show and at other times it felt like a straight book musical. The concept needs to be ironed out.

All in all, we all had a fun night at the theatre and I encourage anybody who can to go and see this show. And Victor Garbor was there last night so that was nice too.

When RippedMan says "what's the point of telling a story or doing a show if it's just for entertainment?" I guess he's invalidating shows like....

BELLS ARE RINGING
PAJAMA GAME
DAMN YANKEES
L'IL ABNER
DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS
CITY OF ANGELS
ANYTHING GOES

....and dozens of other musicals that have "entertained" audiences through the years.

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Updated On: 8/2/09 at 10:41 PM

Caught this on Friday night. Just back in town now and wanted to post a quick message.

The show is wonderfully performed, and there are great numbers and a few moments that really show how great the show could be. I hope they take the time to work it into something tighter and stronger than what is currently there.

The trouble I had is that these characters are barely developed, and only in the final numbers of each act that what should be the heart of the show (the thrill of the chase and the highly unusual but fascinating connection between the two male leads) comes into focus. Beyond that, we have a whole lot flab about how Frank ended up a con man because his parents split up (um...) and Hanratty works really hard. Most of the musical numbers have virtually nothing to do with the plot, and they certainly don't move anything forward.

"Fly, Fly Away" is absolutely the musical highlight of the show. Kerry Butler (who I'm not usually fond of) sells the hell out of it. As well she should. It's the only opportunity she has at developing anything like a character.

"Bury Me Beside the One I Love" was the one cringe-inducer. Sung mostly by Brenda's parents after a ridiculous scene where her father grants Frank his daughter's hand in marriage, it not only has nothing to do with anything; it turns into a sing-along. Literally. They have the lyrics and a bouncing ball on the screen behind them. Note to everyone: don't milk me so hard. It chafes.

Aaron Tveit is in magnificent voice. Someday I'd like to see him given a character to play.

Norbert Leo Butz is brilliant. Again, not one of my favorite performers, but he brings his numbers to a new level. They aren't especially pleasing numbers as their is a throughline where he isn't a singer cause FBI agents don't do that and blah, blah, blah. But even in the speak-singing and one note character he is given, he manages to find some depth.

Felicia Finley is a delight as Cheryl Ann, and her one number is among the strongest.

The stewardess and nurse numbers, "The Jet Set" and ""Doctor's Orders" feel especially like audience pandering, and someone else mentioned it: why is every woman on stage (minus Brenda) a slut or a shrew?

Ultimately, the disappointment here is that there is such an amazing story and so much amazing talent involved that they should have been able to do better. ESPECIALLY with the book.

I do hope they'll rework most of this before trying to bring it to New York. There's too much potential in the material to let this be the final product by any means.

Hmm, but is the show narrated in the 1st person, because if not there is no reason to think the worldview is Frank Jnr's.

I might have just missed it, but did anyone post/know of the running time?

I have an extra ticket for Sat, Aug 15, 8PM, row H I am trying to sell if anyone is interested or knows anyone!




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