Saw the show last night. I got to the theatre at exactly 9 AM and was second in a very small line for student rush tickets. My friend and I took our seats (which were rear mezz- fine but far from great) and immediately seat upgrade contest via text. Five minutes before curtain an usher walked up and said my friend’s name. We were whisked down to the 5th row orchestra. I was right on the aisle, house right. Couldn’t have asked for a better seat.
I’m in the minority on this one (at least on here, not so sure about what the critics will have to say). I absolutely loved it.
Whereas “The Book of Mormon” (which I saw and adored) is the future of Broadway, “Catch Me If You Can” is a return to the classics. It’s fun, classy, charming and engaging. I personally quite liked the TV show concept. It was no doubt an odd choice, but I thought it worked very well and really musicalized the entire story. It allowed for some really fun moments and anchored Aaron even more firmly as the show’s center. Terrence McNally’s book is superb, making great use of the movie’s high points and presenting the story in a way that is, in many ways, hardly distinguishable from the source material. This isn’t a very direct screen to stage transfer. The creative team really worked this out through a theatrical lens. There were some problematic book moments, sure. Brenda’s character suffers a tad from a confused scene early in act one in which it seems the writer couldn’t decide if she is a sassy blonde or a sweet blonde. Minor quibble. I also wasn’t in love with the “stupid Southern cop” shtick that Brandon Wardell had to play throughout. I get what they were going for, but it just wasn’t all that funny.
The score is what it needs to be for this show. It’s a swinging, mellow jazz score with a few interjections of Broadway crowd-pleasers. The lyrics are hilarious and quite fun. I haven’t been able to get “Butter Outta Cream” out of my head since I left the theatre last night. I’m going to go out on a limb and say it’s my favorite new score of the year (granted I have not heard the score for “The People in the Picture.”) The two duds “Seven Wonders” and “The Man Inside the Clues” are far outweighed by the highlights. It’s a shame “Seven Wonders” is as “blah” as it is; Shaiman and Wittman can certainly write a better love duet than that. In my opinion, “The Book of Mormon” has the best book, but this one’s got the score.
Jack O’Brien keeps the whole thing moving briskly and with charm to spare. This is a real “concept” show, and he maneuvers it all beautifully. Jerry Mitchell’s choreography is good, though not spectacular. There are about ten big chorus numbers, and they’re all very good. It’s obvious Mitchell was drawing quite a bit of inspiration from period shows/television shows, as were the chorus girls (who my friend described as trashy, but I found them hilarious- in a good way).
The set is very simple and very classy. That orchestra in those white jackets- delicious! Very Sinatra. Very chic. The lighting was gorgeous. Very happy to say no projections are used in this production, and the show is better because of it. Long’s costumes are fabulous. I actually gasped when Rachel de Benedet made her act two entrance for “Don’t Be a Stranger” in that gorgeous blue dress. Just divine. The orchestra sounded fabulous. Definitely my favorite orchestrations of the season thus far.
Aaron and Norbert are terrific. This is Aaron’s star-making role, and he soars. He’s so charming and in perfect voice. I loved Radcliffe in “How to Succeed” but I really have a feeling this is Aaron’s year. It’d be a shame if he doesn’t take home the Tony.
Norbert is just about equally as fabulous. Hilarious. “Don’t Break the Rules” brought down the house. He has a perfect grip on that character and can only get better and better with it as he finds more.
Tom Wopat is wonderful as Frank, Sr. I’d love to see him nominated for featured actor, and, of what I have seen thus far this season, I’d say he’s got a pretty great chance at winning. Rachel de Benedet is fine as Paula, a role that, on both stage and screen, is so terribly unlikable. Linda Hart makes the most of her one scene.
Let me say for the record- Kerry Butler’s part is NOT that small. I had no problems with the placement of her number. In fact, I thought it worked beautifully with Frank telling her to “take the spotlight.” She made the absolute most of it, and “Fly, Fly Away” brought tears to my eyes. The best new song on Broadway this season- no doubt. Though Laura Benanti remains my favorite, I’d have trouble picking between she and Nikki M. James for that featured actress Tony. Benanti will likely be forgotten, so, if the Tonys don’t decide to shaft CMIYC, I think it could boil down to a two-way competition between James and Butler. Not sure how I’d pick with that one.
SPOILER: I do wish they’d remove that moment at the end of the play with Brenda ratting Frank out. Maybe it’s logical, but the audience just listened to her belt about being his “alibi, my baby.”
I’m a little upset by all the negative reception this show has gotten on here. I think it’s a remarkably enjoyable evening of musical theatre. It will play very well to older audiences, and I think younger audiences can find great things in it as well. So happy I saw it.
