Theater Review: Catch Me if You Can

The ensemble. Photo by Joan Marcus

Turning This Film into a Musical Proves Evasive
By Lauren Yarger
Catch Me if You Can refers to the taunt of a master check-forging criminal to the FBI agent trying to catch him, but in the case of the Broadway show, the phrase also could apply to the attempt to find the right formula to turn this popular feature film into a stage musical.

Book writer Terrance McNally keeps the story pretty much to the plot of the Dreamworks film which starred Leonardo DiCaprio as teen con man Frank Abagnale, Jr. who ends up working for the FBI white collar fraud unit after agent Carl Hanratty, played in the movie by Tom Hanks, finally brings him in.

Here, Frank and Carl are played very well by Aaron Tveit and Norbert Leo Butz in the game of cat-and-mouse during which the young Frank forges checks in the US and in Europe while posing as an airline pilot, a doctor and a lawyer in the 1960s and ‘70s. The life in crime really is an attempt to win the approval of his divorced parents, down-an-out Frank Sr. (Tom Wopat, who gives a nice performance) and Paula (Rachel de Benedict), a dissatisfied war bride who wants the finer things in life.

Life on the run seems less satisfying, however, when Frank meets up with Brenda Strong (Kerry Butler) and her father offers him a job at his law firm. Linda Hart stands out in a minor comical role as Brenda’s mother, Carol.

The plot, based on the true story, is interesting and the chase, as well as the relationship that develops between the pursuer and the object of his hunt is engaging – hence the hit movie. The problem comes in trying to turn what should have been a play into a musical. It’s almost as though director Jack O’Brien and choreographer Jerry Mitchell said, “Let’s just go over the top with it.”

First we’re bombarded with the Frank Abagnale, Jr. players, a 19-member chorus featuring the women dressed in busty airline hostess and nurse outfits (William Ivey Long, design) performing overwhelming choreography to never-ending big production tunes (Marc Shaiman, music and lyrics with Scott Wittman which at times are cumbersome). There are many big sets (David Rockwell, design), the most effective of which is a nice transition to the FBI office. Just for good measure, we have a dancing ink bottle, a bottle of glue and a knife to depict Frank’s forgery.

Butz is fun as the uptight, caring FBI agent and Tveit has a lovely voice which we get to enjoy in a couple of nicer ballads, but we don’t get to see the full development of their characters and their relationship – the real heart of the story – amidst all the clutter. Butler seems under used, getting to sing only one solo – she waits around in the wings most of Act One before her character comes into play.

Catch Me if You Can takes off at the Neil Simon Theatre, 250 West 52nd St., NYC. For discounted tickets, visit http://www.givenik.com/show_info.php/Masterworks/282/individual.

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