Last Sunday I watched Catch Me If You Can at the Pantages. I really should have posted this earlier because the run ends on the 24th. So probably you won’t be able to catch it. Which is a shame, because Catch Me If You Can is a fun show.
The music is by Marc Shaiman who did Hairspray. I liked Hairspray better, but Catch Me If You Can has moments but just didn’t grab my ears like Hairspray. I think the best parts of Catch Me If You Can are the cast, the choreography and the massive visuals in the background. The stage is set up with the orchestra in the background which I always enjoy. Behind them is a massive screen that sometimes can be a little distracting but gives a fun feel to the show.
Stephen Anthony plays Frank Abagnale, the lead, and he’s charming and the whole show rides on his dancing and voice. I also liked the guy who played Carl Hanratty, Merrit David James but … the show really focuses on Frank and how cute he is and his merry misadventures. The show could be called “Cute Boy Sings and Dances His Way Into Your Heart” but … I think that would feel awkward for some audience members. Probably best if we go through the motions of not objectifying the cast…
I should have written this post days ago because now my brain is just filled with this trivial recollection of events. Fairly confident that I want to buy the Original Broadway Cast with Aaron Tveit and Norbert Leo Butz. It won’t have Stephen Anthony but I think I’ll manage. Heck, I put up with the OBC of Next to Normal and that has Aaron Tveit and not the Gabe I saw, Kyle Dean Massey.