Variety says odds of Catch Me if You Can making it to Broadway are looking GOOD!

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 8/12/09 at 9:26pm

Variety believes that the oddds of "Catch Me if You Can" making it to Broadway are looking good due to the positive reviews it got. From what I've seen I think the show has a lot of potential.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118007222.html?categoryid=3689&cs=1

Updated On: 8/12/09 at 09:26 PM

[adamgreer]

Posted: 8/12/09 at 9:34pm

I think there's something wrong with that link.

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 8/12/09 at 9:36pm

Hopefully it does.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 8/12/09 at 9:43pm

Hasn't that been the plan all along?

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 8/12/09 at 9:44pm

It was being treated as a regional production not a "direct" try out.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 8/12/09 at 10:23pm

The 5th Avenue production was not billed as pre-Broadway.

This show has potential but needs a huge overhaul. I hope they make the right choices and don't rely on the notoriously friendly (to your face at least) Seattle audiences.

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 8/12/09 at 10:38pm

"I think there's something wrong with that link."

I fixed it.

[AKTFan]

Posted: 8/13/09 at 12:41am

I'm definitely rooting for it to make it to Broadway next year. I can't wait to see the changes they make from the Seattle run if it gets there. I will be going on closing night for my 3rd time! (last time to see Aaron here in Seattle, sigh...)

[backwoodsbarbie]

Posted: 8/13/09 at 12:47am

I personally haven't seen the show or heard the score but I'm sure that it will be a huge ticket seller on Broadway based on the starpower alone. They aren't Matthew Broderick/Nathan Lane big names, but Tom Wopat, Norbert Butz, and Aaron Tveit will bring in huge audiences. I really hope this show can rise out of the ashes of some of the other movies to musicals that are crashing and burning.

[blaxx]

Posted: 8/13/09 at 1:06am

Tom Wopat, Norbert Butz, and Aaron Tveit will bring in huge audiences.

HUGE! (Who?!)

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 8/13/09 at 1:31am

These people are not house hold names.

[backwoodsbarbie]

Posted: 8/13/09 at 1:37am

Among people who know theatre, these are popular names. They have been in enough shows among the three of them that people who already like theatre will flock to this show. I said they aren't names of the Matthew Broderick or Nathan Lane calliber that average people will notice, but theatre fans will know these names.

[wickedfan]

Posted: 8/13/09 at 1:45am

That's untrue. First of all, "Among people who know theatre" is such a generic statement and to apply it at all weakens your argument. Tom Wopat has his share of fans, no doubt, from "The Dukes of Hazzard", but he isn't bringing in a large crowd, as "A Catered Affair" showed. Norbert Leo Butz has an even smaller fanbase, and Aaron Tveit has the smallest of all. In fact, "among people who know theatre", you would have to describe him as "the cute kid from Next to Normal" in order for them to understand. And even some of them would have trouble with that.

I know you stated that they aren't Broadway stars on the same level of Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick, but you DID say that they would bring in huge crowds. You DID say that ticket sales would be huge based on the star power alone. And that's untrue. This thing will sell because of its title. And, hopefully, off of good buzz.

[blaxx]

Posted: 8/13/09 at 1:46am

^ You are so cute.

Love, past 42nd street they are Nobody Jones, and these hordes of fans you are talking about aren't enough to sell out the theater for a week. The last shows Butz and Wopat performed in were FLOPS.

[backwoodsbarbie]

Posted: 8/13/09 at 1:48am

You guys are precious, loving all of it.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 8/13/09 at 1:53am

The show may well end up being a hit, but it won't be because of those three names, as talented as they all are. Although some of the reviews have referred to a "star MAKING" (emphasis mine) performance, that hasn't happened yet. The initial hook for this show will be the title, and the fact that it's "from the people who brought you Hairspray."

This is not meant to belittle the very considerable talents of any of those three men, mind you.
Updated On: 8/13/09 at 01:53 AM

[colleen_lee]

Posted: 8/13/09 at 6:44am

The 25 people that post on BWW do not fill a house (and most don't even buy full price tickets anyway!) and few beyond BWW and ATC will have any idea who Norbert Leo Butz and Aaron Tveit are.

As we've seen with 9 to 5, Young Frankenstein, The Wedding Singer, Tarzan, et al. title recognition does not guarantee any sort of success. This show will be a hit with good word of mouth and a good marketing campaign and not because of any sort of name that is currently attached to it.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 8/13/09 at 9:37am

Ah, I didn't realize they weren't billing it as Pre-Broadway.

And I love that backwoodsbabrie decided that Kerry Butler was a no-name with no potential draw. Of the four, Tom Wopat (because of Dukes of Hazzard) is the biggest name, with Butler and Norbert Leo Butz behind him (For Xanadu and Wicked respectively). Aaron Tviet was the gazillionth replacement in two shows, and originated a role in a show that probably won't make it much past Labor Day.

When the show had Nathan Lane, it had a star. When Christine Ebersole was in, it had a star. Right now, it has some one strong-ish name, two theatre names and what's essentially a newbie. (Not to discredit anyone, as I like all of them for the most part)

[byebyebaby12]

Posted: 8/13/09 at 9:44am

I saw the clip of the opening song on 5th Avenue's YouTube and loved it.

I do hope it goes to Broadway.

[iamchanging9]

Posted: 8/13/09 at 9:55am

I'm listening to the new demo and i'm LOVING it. I really hope it come to broadway.

[hushpuppy]

Posted: 8/13/09 at 10:18am

It could end up like THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE, which was also based on a successful movie, came into NY without a 'bankable star' (Sutton who?) and went on to develop good word of mouth, win the Tony, and have a respectable run. What makes me a little nervous is that should the show come to New York and be a hit, once Aaron leaves the show it could become a dumping ground for American Idol runner-ups. But that's way down the road, now isn't it?

[adamgreer]

Posted: 8/13/09 at 10:27am

Of the four, Tom Wopat (because of Dukes of Hazzard) is the biggest name, with Butler and Norbert Leo Butz behind him (For Xanadu and Wicked respectively). Aaron Tviet was the gazillionth replacement in two shows, and originated a role in a show that probably won't make it much past Labor Day.

I don't mean to argue semantics, but I wouldn't for a second say Kerrly Butler is any more "known" than Tveit.

It doesn't really matter because there are no stars. What you have are four talented actors, all of whom have originated roles in musicals before. Not stars.
Updated On: 8/13/09 at 10:27 AM

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 8/13/09 at 11:12am

^ I'd say she's fairly well known in the theatre world, alongside Norbert.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 8/13/09 at 11:18am

But the theater world also knows who Aaron Tveit. They'll account for around 1% of the ticket buyers, and would have seen the show regardless of who was starring in it.

The bottom line is the 4 leads aren't really selling any tickets to this show.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 8/13/09 at 11:28am

Butler was on a soap, right? Not that I think anyone remembers or cares, but just tossing that out there.

The show will need good reviews and a good word-of-mouth to be successful. Cry-Baby had no real stars in it except its creative team and the title, and it flopped, so we'll see. So far I'm not exactly loving what I'm hearing or seeing.