Catch Me If You Can
My thoughts on Catch Me If You Can or…”high flying adored”
I came to Catch Me If You Can just to enjoy it and did not plan on reviewing it. However, this tuneful telling of the life of con man extraordinaire Frank Abagnale, Jr. based on the Dreamworks film and featuring a score by Mark Shaiman and Scott Wittman with a book by Terrence McNally, is so well staged by Runway Theatre, I had to memorialize it. Furthermore, there are four star turns in this show that you should not miss.
Director and Set Designer Hayden Casey creates a set evocative of those variety shows of the 60’s. It’s three tiered, brightly painted with railings running the length of each tier. It’s the type of set from which lovely, leggy chorus girls would descend while Dean Martin crooned, and it is perfect for the “show” that Frank puts on “Live in Living Color” telling his many escapades.
Music Director Christina Major Davis has the cast in fine voice for the nineteen songs in the musical. The score seems to have one big production number after another and Mikki Hankins Peterson’s dazzling, energetic choreography is amazing to watch. Sarah Ann Miller provides what must be dozens of authentic looking period costumes. The lighting is by Seth Merrifield and the sound is by Thomas Bartke.
Director Casey enlists the help of a group of “showgirls,” who also play various other parts in Abagnale’s complex story. They provide much pizzazz and sing and dance like there’s no tomorrow. Indeed these “showgirls” along with other members of the ensemble are in almost constant motion as they change the scenery by maneuvering large panels around the stage and carry on and off furniture and props at a fast pace.
The story has a bit of a Les Mis vibe as the teenage master con man Frank Abagnale, Jr. played by Trenton Mosty, who becomes an airline pilot, a doctor, and a lawyer without any qualification, is pursued by FBI agent Carl Hanratty played by Jacob Catalano. Imagine a much younger and very guilty Valjean and a nerdy, mildly depressed Javert. One has to forgive Frank a bit as he is influenced by his con artist and swindler father played by Brad Echols. Frank Sr. explains appearance versus reality to his son in the song, “Pinstripes Are All That They See,” which Echols performs smoothly and later teaches him about survival with the memorable song “Butta Outta Cream.”. Frank Jr. has major Daddy and Mommy issues.
About that mommy…Star turn #1. Enter Paula Abagnale, Frank Jr.’s French war bride mother and disillusioned wife of Frank Sr. Chelsea Schmidt plays the elegant and beautiful Paula with grace and coolness and a flawless accent. There’s something about Schmidt that reminded me of those striking blonde movie stars of the 1940’s like Veronica Lake. Schmidt’s captivating presence and easy sophistication had me transfixed and made Paula Abagnale a most appealing character. It’s a perfect melding of character and part.
Star turn #2. Enter the perfect ingenue. In Act II, while impersonating a doctor, Frank Jr. meets and falls in love with Brenda Strong played by Katelyn Sarbach, a young nurse who is from a wealthy New Orleans family. (Shout out to Lee Anne Gierisch and Greg Kozakis who are great fun as Brenda’s parents.) Brenda is reluctant at first but eventually falls for Frank Jr. Sarbach, an actor who can communicate so much with a small gesture or expression, makes Brenda an irresistibly human character. She lets the character’s inner strength shine through as she stands by her man even knowing his faults and crimes. Sarbach gets the big 11 o’clock number with the power ballad “Fly, Fly Away” which she performs with a dynamite belt. Just amazing.
Star turn #3 Get ready for Hanratty. Jacob Catalano has a field day with the part of the relentless FBI agent. Catalano makes Carl Hanratty slightly schlubby and always tired. Hanratty believes strongly in right and wrong, and his job is his only escape from the loneliness of his life. Catalano nails the character giving him nerdish charm and humor. He is terrific interacting with the agents who almost always accompany him played by Cole Lucas, Danny Macchietto, and Alejandro Farmer-Rodriguez, who also sing and dance with Catalano in “Don’t Break the Rules.” Catalano has a powerful voice and even shows off some moves as Hanratty and I admired how Catalano portrayed Hanratty’s growing respect for and attachment to Frank Jr. Norbert Leo Butz won a Best Actor Tony for originating the role of Hanratty, a performance I saw and can honestly say I enjoyed Catalano just as much.
Star #4 Drum roll please and get ready for an OMG performance because Trenton Mosty is a sensational Frank Jr. Until Catch Me I had only seen Mosty in supporting roles and had no idea that he is a powerhouse actor/singer/dancer who can carry a show and bring so much incredible energy to the stage that he reminded me of a young Hugh Jackman. It’s stunning work in a role that requires a range of emotions. Frank Jr. is a master liar and deceiver and Mosty delivers that aspect of the character with cunning charm but is also adept at delivering the pathos required in scenes with Brenda and the ultimately tragic Frank Sr. Then there’s all that singing and dancing that Mosty performs with boundless enthusiasm. Although Frank Jr is a criminal for sure, Mosty wins our hearts by putting his heart and soul into Frank Abagnale, Jr. Bravo. sir.
Catch Me If You Can at Runway Theatre is hugely entertaining with its big splashy dance numbers and humor, but there is also a lot of heart in this show. And wow performances. You gotta catch Catch Me.
Photography by Amy Jackson
