Catch Me if You Can ; LA tour

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 3/15/13 at 11:44pm

Have a chance to see this show on Tuesday night, but after reading the Variety review which was a full out pan. Nothing nice to say about the show, set, actors. Having never seen the movie and no plan too, for those that saw the Broadway or current tour is the show worth the effort?

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 3/16/13 at 12:37am

I haven't seen this tour (it has not played anywhere near Toronto) but the friend who normally gos to theater with em was in Dallas on business and caught the tour there..he wrote me the following email:
I was hyped and in a good mood, so got a glass of Zinfandel and took it to my seat (a good one, center orchestra). Hopes were dashed by the show, sorry to say. The characters were two-dimensional, delivering decidedly unclever lines. Songs were completely forgettable, with the exception of "Seven Wonders" and possibly "Fly, Fly Away". Do you have the OCR?

The "set" (ahem) was non-existent: a couple tables, and a bar stand appeared now and then. Otherwise, it was pretty much a bare downstage. Upstage, the orchestra sat in a stepped formation, all facing audience left, in front of which was a giant unadorned wall cut into the shape of a wave. A giant digital video board behind the orchestra provided "scenery". I guess it takes a few trucks fewer than most to haul this road show around.

I didn't care a twit for the protagonist, whether he got caught or not. Too bad. The audience ought to be cheering for him, either way. But we weren't. Obligatory applause followed the numbers, sometimes just a faint patter, more out of sympathy than appreciation, as if to say "I'm sorry you had to find work doing this show". How cruel am I?! LOL Some folks stood at the end, but only for the lead's bow.

He also saw Rachel York in ANYTHING GOES and loved that.

Updated On: 3/16/13 at 12:37 AM

[darreyl102]

Posted: 3/16/13 at 12:46am

i am curious to know how the show compares with Broadway- it's coming right around the corner from me soon but was rather hesitant to go as after seeing it on Broadway and loving, i know i will just be comparing. especially when it comes to Linda Hart as i LIVE for her and love everything she does and can't see anybody comparing to her.

[StageDoor3]

Posted: 3/16/13 at 1:46am

I live in LA and saw "Catch" in Seattle and then again on Broadway. I'm going to see it at at The Pantages on Thursday the 21st. I'll report back.

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 3/16/13 at 2:25am

Frontrow, York was amazing in Anything Goes. That act one closer left me giddy with joy.

I think I will skip Catch, wasn't really too interested in it anyway, and it does not sound like it's a fun trainwreck.

[bk]

Posted: 3/16/13 at 2:26am

Do people really think a non-Equity tour of this show (I believe it's non) is going to make the show BETTER? It wasn't good on Broadway and I'm sure it's worse here.

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 3/16/13 at 3:47am

BK, the tour is non equity. It's a Trokia(sp)show.

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 3/16/13 at 7:21am

I saw it on Broadway and enjoyed it. Some of that may have been due to the performances of Aaron Tveit and Norbet Leo Butz. It is not a great musical IMO but it is entertaining.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 3/16/13 at 9:54am

I do reccommend seeing the movie -- it's really an interesting story. I'd even reccommend the book -- much more gritty than the film (even if not eloquently written).

The musical? Not so much....or at all.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 3/16/13 at 11:50am

For the record the cast is just as talented as their Broadway counterparts - maybe even more so since Tveit didn't receive the best reviews on Broadway. Just because it is non-eq doesn't mean it will be worse. Sure, the sets are smaller, but the set on Broadway was awful to begin with. The show is what sucks, not the production.

[lightguy06222]

Posted: 3/16/13 at 1:16pm

the production sucks too.

[TheatreKid3]

Posted: 3/16/13 at 1:18pm

In terms of quality, I thought it was the best non-eq tour I'd ever seen. The cast is great, the performances are great. It's not that much different from Broadway in all honesty. I agree the faults are with the show, not the production, but I honestly don't think the show is all that bad.

Updated On: 3/16/13 at 01:18 PM

[DAME]

Posted: 3/16/13 at 1:21pm

It is horrible. It was a chore to sit thru.

[Wildcard]

Posted: 3/16/13 at 2:03pm

I thought the graphics on the screen were terrible. They were poorly done and were not in a consistent style. There was no visual branding to the production. If they wanted to evoke Saul Bass style graphics, they should have stuck with it. Instead we got a mish mash of graphics. While I felt the same way withi the Seattle production, I'm surprised the Broadway and tour graphics got worse.

[Wicked Fanatic]

Posted: 3/16/13 at 2:07pm

Looks like Grigware liked it. I won't get my chance to see it until June when it comes to Costa Mesa.

https://losangeles.broadwayworld.com/article/BWW-Reviews-Fun-Pulsating-CATCH-ME-IF-YOU-CAN-at-Pantages-20130314

[rorschach37]

Posted: 3/16/13 at 2:53pm

roscoe, PLEASE don't let this show effect your chances of viewing the film. I've never seen the show on tour or Broadway, but the film is truly remarkable. Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, and Christopher Walken (especially Christopher Walken) give some of the best performances of their careers.

[nsguy45]

Posted: 3/16/13 at 3:55pm

The Seattle preview production was far superior to the Broadway production.

The show was ruined somewhere between Seattle and Broadway, as was 9 to 5 . . . whose Los Angeles preview production was so much better than what was presented on Broadway.

[mallardo]

Posted: 3/16/13 at 8:28pm

Just caught the show in LA and LOVED it! I had never seen a non-Equity touring show before, and I was wary, but the talent level turned out to be huge. Stephen Anthony (Frank) and Merritt David Janes (Hanratty) were both terrific as was, especially, Caitlin Maloney (Paula). If it was a budget production it didn't look like it. Go see it if it comes your way.

Updated On: 3/16/13 at 08:28 PM

[TheHappyPhantom]

Posted: 3/16/13 at 8:46pm

Saw it the night after opening and as someone already said, it was a chore to sit through. Just one irrelevant song after the other. Nothing good, memorable or clever musically and the awkward 11 o'clock number (Goodbye) was not only painful to watch, due to the lead's awkward movement and strained singing, but unnecessary to the show. None of the songs push the plot forward or give any information we don't already know, they just stop the show and make you wanna beg for it to be over, so we can move on. The book was messy, corny, unoriginal and played up every cliche you can name. The production and the show need to start from square one and find a focus. None of the repetitive dance numbers are inspired or have anything to do with the main story. It was two and half hours of the same dance number and the same damn song. It wasn't as offensive as some shows, Legally Blonde, Anything Goes, Shrek...those are mindless crap. At least this has decent subject matter, but the execution was amateurish at best. A surprise given who the production team was. How'd did none of these people realize the obvious flaws?? Also, the audience was READY to go. By the last song, people were getting up and heading for the doors. The curtain call, which featured only a marginal group in the back giving a pitiful standing ovation, was dwarfed by the people rushing for the doors. I've never seen that at a show. Also, it looked cheap as hell. The lighting was generic and just went from the same two or three looks and the set, minus the pointless use of the orchestra on stage, could have been for a high school. The screen was an obvious excuse not to spend money on the set. So glad I didn't waste my time seeing it in NY.

[Jack Hughes]

Posted: 3/16/13 at 9:20pm

Finally, a voice of reason. That "Anything Goes" was the worst thing I ever saw in my life. I don't know who the hell wrote the music for that piece of trash but I agree: offensive mindless crap.

[boggess]

Posted: 3/16/13 at 9:30pm

You really hated "Goodbye"? I loved that song when I saw the show on Broadway. I thought it was one of the better ones.

[TheHappyPhantom]

Posted: 3/16/13 at 10:05pm

jack, Anything Goes is Cole Porter. But I'm not a fan of the man, despite his influence.

As for Goodbye, the problem I had was that like every other song, I didn't need it and I was just ready for the damn show to be over. And the transition was ridiculous. The cop waits for him to sing a song before he arrests him??! Also, why are all the references theatrical? The show started off when him being inspired by TV shows.

[runaways]

Posted: 3/16/13 at 11:44pm

Stephen Anthony is a good Frank Abagnale, Jr. I thought his version of "Goodbye" was thrilling, and the only reason this tour is bearable is because his voice is damn near flawless.

My problem with the show, or perhaps just this tour, is the lack of commitment to the big band, television show aspect. It's an unnecessary concept. Plus, they focus entirely too much on his upbringing without saying much. Is that why Frank, Jr. becomes a con artist? It's hinted at, but that aspect of the drama is never fully realized.

[boylikethat]

Posted: 3/17/13 at 12:41am

The lack of commitment to the concept was the problem I also had with the show. I often felt that it couldn't decide whether it wanted to be a traditional book musical or variety show "revue". I also saw the show in both Seattle and Broadway and agree that it was better out of town. The set and costumes actually felt cheaper to me on Broadway. I don't think I could sit through the tour.

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 3/17/13 at 7:23am

Boggess - I agree, thought "Goodbye" was a very good song when I heard it on Broadway. I will also mention that I went to a CD signing with my daughter (Barnes and Noble) and it was performed there too and got wonderful ovation.