CATCH ME IF YOU CAN Reviews

Today is Sunday, April 10, marking the official opening night performance of CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, the new musical by Hairspray songwriters Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman and playwright Terrence McNally at the Neil Simon Theatre. Director Jack O'Brien and choreographer Jerry Mitchell helm the production. Set within the frame of a 1960's television variety show, the tuner began previews March 11.

Aaron Tveit stars as the suave, young con artist Frank Abagnale, who finagles his way to becoming an airline pilot, lawyer and doctor, and journeys across the world in search of fortune and adventure, all while eluding the FBI. Even the Feds ultimately fall for his charms. Joining Tveit is Tony Award winner Norbert Leo Butz, starring as FBI Fraud Agent Carl Hanratty who pursues Abagnale, Jr. and ultimately becomes a sort of father figure to the young fugitive.

The cast also features Tom Wopat as Frank Sr., Kerry Butler as Brenda, Rachel De Benedet as Paula Abagnale, Linda Hart as Carol Strong and Nick Wyman as Roger Strong.

The Catch Me If You Can ensemble includes Joe Cassidy, Timothy McCuen Piggee, Brandon Wardell, Sara Andreas, Alex Ellis, Will Erat, Jennifer Frankel, Lisa Gajda, Bob Gaynor, Kearran Giovanni, Nick Kenkel, Grasan Kingsberry, Michael X. Martin, Aleks Pevec, Kristin Piro, Rachelle Rak, Joe Aaron Reid, Angie Schworer, Sabrina Sloan, Sarrah Strimel, Charlie Sutton, Katie Webber and Candice Marie Woods.

Catch Me If You Can, according to production notes, "captures the astonishing true story of Frank Abagnale, Jr., a world-class con artist who passed himself off as a doctor, a lawyer, and a jet pilot — all before the age of 21. With straight-arrow FBI agent Carl Hanratty on Frank's trail, we're off on a jet-setting, cat-and-mouse chase, as a jazzy, swinging-sixties score keeps this adventure in constant motion. In the end, Agent Hanratty learns he and Frank aren't so very different after all, and Frank finds out what happens when love catches up to a man on the run."

Best to all involved!

- M

I, too, am very curious, but hope for the best, especially for Aaron's terrific performance.

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I loved this musical more than any other original musical in years, and I think the performances are dazzling and the production is state-of-the-art.

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Best to the cast, crew & creative team. Hope it all works and the critics are pleased.

I saw the show last night and loved it. The whole cast sparkles and the score is wonderful. Keeping my fingers crossed. Break a bounced check!

Reviews should start pouring in in the next hour or so. Good luck to all involved. (Why do I have this sad feeling that if Brantley reviews he's going to be BRUTAL on this show , sure hope I'm wrong!)

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^ Brantley is definitely reviewing as I saw him at the show last night. He seemed to enjoy himself, but I suppose you cannot really judge by facial expressions.... I think reviews will be mixed, with positive notices for Tveit.

Oh...AMNY (one of the fairly legitimate reviewers) is basically a slam. It gives it two stars, but follows up with this...
"But in spite of so much promise, "Catch Me If You Can" is so disappointing that it will leave you wishing you could travel back in time and watch "Hairspray" again."
It does have some (backhanded) praise for Tveit though.
http://www.amny.com/urbanite-1.812039/theater-review-catch-me-if-you-can-2-stars-1.2811110

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As SOMMS said: Anyone who doesn't love this show is a TWIT.
(said in good fun...)

That goes for reviewers, too.

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Updated On: 4/10/11 at 07:30 PM

Word of Mouth is like the Paula Abdul of judging.

Reggie - Aren't the people hand-picked out of many interviews, their statements somewhat scripted, and completely edited? It doesn't seem like it's a real good sample to me. Not saying their not enjoyable - I just doubt it's a good representation.

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Updated On: 4/10/11 at 08:03 PM

I've been looking foreward to this happening since I saw on a 20/20 show that the film would be turning into a musical. Plus, this is such an amzing cast: Aaron Tveit, Norbert Leo Butz, and Tom Wopat.

Chicago Tribune is mixed-negative.

"The piece certainly has its enjoyments: Tveit has an extraordinarily beautiful voice; Butz's craftful, big-hearted and wholly unpredictable acting is frequently fascinating to watch (his character emerges as the most powerfully wrought); Tom Wopat, as Frank's real father, has an interesting sadness; and the show, which features a set by David Rockwell, has a certain visual pop, even though the design is surely hampered by all those on-stage musicians. But "Catch Me," alas, didn't fully catch me. Frank slipped off into the night, and I don't feel as if I found him."

http://leisureblogs.chicagotribune.com/the_theater_loop/2011/04/catch-me-if-you-can-on-broadway-adaptation-couldve-stuck-more-closely-to-the-script.html

Updated On: 4/10/11 at 08:24 PM