CATCH ME IF YOU CAN review

[Demitri2]

Posted: 8/12/09 at 7:11pm

I loved it. Everything about it. The cast couldn't have been better. In recent years I thought the original cast of WICKED was a standout. Here you have three central roles played by the best Broadway has to offer. Aaron Tveit is a sensation. If it goes to New York he'll be assured a solid future as a major stage star. And what a great entrance. After singing the first few bars of the opening number ("LIVE In Living Color") he not only had the audience applauding wildly but had totally won them over by the time the song ended. Not only is he attractive and charismatic but he has one of the most appealing singing voices I've heard in a long time. Quite a feat these days to be able to give yourself over to a musical within minutes after the curtain has gone up. It reminded me of how good live theatre can be when in the hands of talented and experienced professionals. There was one moment midway in the first act when we're in one of the sixties variety show fantasies where the entire company is cued up diagonally across the stage before breaking into a traditional high kicking chorus line. The staging, voices, music, costumes and lighting were so uplifting that one couldn't help but feel they were watching a perfectly executed musical number from a vintage sixties musical. It was nostalgic in an authentic manner which never satirized the period but instead showed a real passion for the era of the June Taylor/Ernest Flatt dancers possibly costumed in outfits originally designed by this musical's own costumer Bob Mackie. I haven't felt this positive about a show in a long time. It's clever, slick yet has heart. The roles as written and performed are so well crafted and balanced that Butz can have the audience cheering yet never steals the show. What we have are musically solid solo numbers by Felicia Finley and Kerry Butler that make us remember what it's like to see theatre's best performing live for us. I look forward to seeing the last performance of the run. For a show that has only a couple of weeks under its belt I'm amazed at how tight the production is. It was also a treat seeing energetic musical director John McDaniel conduct the onstage orchestra. Having seen pre-Broadway Seattle engagements of HAIRSPRAY, YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, THE WEDDING SINGER and SHREK, CATCH ME IF YOU CAN is a revelation.

[i am the one]

Posted: 8/14/09 at 3:23am

No one commented on this. Aw.

[center or back]

Posted: 8/15/09 at 3:57am

I saw it too, I liked it, and feel it has the bones of a hit. Still needs a lot of fine tuning, a few songs are just bad, but 85% are good to great. Even though I love Bob Mackie, I personally didnt care too much for the ensemble costumes, but loved the leads costumes. The lighting was good, and I liked the choreography, which is pretty basic, and refreshing. I wasnt expecting the show to be so funny. I think the 3 male stars: Aaron Tveit, Norbert Leo Butz and Tom Wopat were SUPERB! However, maybe it was Tuesday nights show, But I felt Kerry Butler was a weak link. It's still too long (3 hours including intermission)But I saw it just 2 weeks after it opened, so I am sure with all the tweaking they are doing, it will get shorter. Overall, I would give it a B, but think with some fine tuning it can be an A. I would (and hopefully will) see it on Broadway in a heart beat.