Catch Me If You Can - The Musical Hits Surprising Highs and Lows

It seems I'm on a theatre roll lately, but considering it is their award season (with the Tonys only weeks away), lets keep the reviews coming. Catch Me If You Can - The Musical is an original musical based on the life of eventual FBI analyst Frank Abagnale Jr. After Abagnale's own autobiography and the film version of his life, as directed by Steven Spielberg (starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks),  some may wonder how this story can still be told and compel audiences. Well, here's apparently what you do: bring in a witty lyricist (Scott Wittman), stylish composer (Marc Shaiman), an experienced and clever writer (Terrence McNally), a choreographer that can give panache to even the most odd of dance sequences (Jerry Mitchell), a director with a strong vision (Jack O'Brien), and throw in some of the finest performers that have graced Broadway in the last decade (we'll name some names in a bit).

Aaron Tveit with "The Jet Setters"

For the uninitiated, here is the basic plot: The show begins at the end of the line for Frank (Aaron Tveit) as he is finally caught by FBI agent Carl Hanratty (Norbert Leo Butz) at an airport. Yet, we don't know why Frank needs to be caught or why he has a suitcase full of cash; that's what the rest of the show is for. In order for Carl to even understand exactly why and how we are here; we must follow Frank's lead and go back to his youth during the 60s. After witnessing the quick demise of his parents' (Tom Wopat & Rachel de Benedet) marriage, a sixteen year old Frank decides to go in search of the happiness, fortune, and women that he was not finding at home. After an early con went all too right (the boy managed to masquerade as a teacher at his own school for a week before anyone figured out that he was having parent-teacher conferences and planning a class field trip), Frank decides to forge checks (defrauding the government of nearly 3 million dollars in the process) and worm his way into a number of professions (doctor, lawyer, air pilot) that he is in no way qualified to perform. These are the events that cause FBI grunt Carl to latch onto the case, chasing Frank across the continents, exploring now their mutual past and present leading to their many fateful encounters. Of course, it all ends up coming down to a girl, Frank's paramour Brenda Strong (Kerry Butler), but we're then getting into the real spoilers and nitty gritty of the fun.

Aaron Tveit

Aaron Tveit has had a staggeringly impressive career on Broadway including turns as Link in Hairspray (which was written by Wittman & Shaiman, choreographed by Mitchell, and directed by O'Brien), Fiyero in Wicked, and probably most famously, originating the role of Gabe in the Pulitzer-prize winning musical Next to Normal. Where Tveit has primarily been a supporting player in the past, here he practically holds the entire show on his shoulders. If you don't like Frank, you're not going to like Catch Me If You Can, thankfully you should like Aaron and therefore Frank here. Tveit has the slick charm that makes every inconceivable thing Abagnale actually did seem plausible. His strong voice and dance skills hit each note on a technical level, but it is only when he hits his final solo number (the aptly titled "Goodbye") that he really seems to let his voice and heart soar. You are not only seeing Frank in wonder over the audience that he has held captive, taking in his story, you get to see a glimmer of Tveit's own glee (which may not be professional but its refreshingly fun to see). Hopefully we will see much more of him on stage (although I'm sure some of his fan girls would love him to go back to Gossip Girl for weekly doses).

Norbert Leo Butz & the Ensemble

Norbert Leo Butz has been in the original Broadway and Off-Broadway casts of shows that have defined the last two decades of theatre (Rent, The Last Five Years, Wicked), performed in a number of solid plays that had unfortunately abbreviated runs (Enron, Is He Dead), and even won the Tony for the inescapably catchy Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Amazingly this may be Butz's finest hour as the beleaguered Hanratty (a debate could still be made for Scoundrels); having already won the Fred Astaire Award for Best Male Dancer and nominated for the Best Lead in a Musical Tony for his performance. He hits every joke, even some of the less-than-appealing jests, and grounds his search in wonder over who Frank could be without ever letting the audience forget that he is looking to arrest the kid in the end. His chutzpah and bumbling joy make this man come alive, elevating it significantly in comparison to Hanks' dour turn in the movie version. His act one number, "Don't Break the Rules" is a showstopper in the best of ways: jubilant, exciting, and the best demonstration of the casts' dance talent; first time I've ever seen an audience give a standing ovation before an intermission.

Aaron Tveit & Tom Wopat

The supporting cast is strong. The standout is Wopat as Frank Sr. who shares a number of scenes with Tveit, where you'd understand why Frank Jr. idolized his wayward father. It is in his scene with Hanratty (where they bemoan the father-son dynamic) that he really gets to shine. Frank Sr. is not the showman his son is proving to be, but a glimmer of a man who dreamed so big that his kid could only hope to put it all into action. In the hands of Wopat its not a kill joy, but a celebration of life with a chaser of regret. Those expecting to just see a variation on his The Dukes of Hazzard role are in for a wake-up call. De Benedet has elegant grace as Frank's French mother, who has her own illusion acts to play on the authorities when the knock on her door. Then there is Butler (veteran of many shows big and small herself) who brings a sweet vulnerability to the naive Brenda, who gets involved with Frank while he's under one of his aliases. It's shame she didn't get more time for the audience to develop a rapport with her because her number "Fly Fly Away" is a lovely glimpse at a plot that could have been developed nicely in her hands. Yet, this show really is for the boys.

Aaron Tveit & The Ensemble

The set (by David Rockwell), costumes (by William Ivey Long), and lighting (by Kenneth Posner) convey the time and aesthetic of the show in unique and sometimes surprising ways (especially when we see Brenda's "family tree"). Mitchell's choreography is big, brash, and captures the early 60s variety show style admirably. Wittman & Shaiman's respective lyrics and score have a rhythmic bounce, cohesive theme, and a flow to them that will make the cast soundtrack enjoyable, but this is not the show you're really listening to the soundtrack for songs to pull to your iPod on their own (maybe, maybe "Don't Break the Rules" but its still not as standalone like "Defying Gravity" or "Take Me Or Leave Me" havebecome). McNally's book effectively tells the story that has been told many times before with some fresh reveals, clever one-liners ("I Like Girls" will be a popular T-shirt, I forsee), and generally solid structure. Some may gripe that the father-son metaphors are a bit too heavy-handed between Frank and Hanratty, particularly at the end of Act One, but its a necessary evil for the most part based on the story being told. Director O'Brien uses his stage well, every inch is utilized to tell the story and keep it moving; there are no awkward pauses for expansive sets or dancing girls to be moved here.

Aaron Tveit & Kerry Butler

Hopefully Catch Me If You Can enjoys a long life being performed, its a solid piece with an incredible back story (wait till you hear what Frank did after the songs inevitably end). Any fans of Tveit or Butz need to make their way to see the show now before they move on to the next big thing. Their chemistry here is strong and its fun to think how despite having played some of the same roles before (Fiyero, Roger) that they are such drastically different performers to make this such a culture clash of age and precision. This is also one of the few shows I would recommend to men who don't normally like the theatre; the swinging big-band style and evocative male relationships really seemed to move the men surrounding me in the audience. Plus, there's beautiful chorus girls wearing tiny costumes and always with a seductive smile for you (now there's quite a perk).

The show is currently playing at the Neil Simon Theatre with tickets available through ticketmaster, by phone (212) 757-8646, and the theatre's own box office located at 250 West 52nd St. (between 7th and 8th Avenues).

All production photos by Joan Marcus.

Larry Kramer's Normal Heart Opens on Broadway

Larry Kramer's blisteringly politically and highly emotional 1985 play The Normal Heart opened on Broadway last week. This is Kramer's Broadway debut, but considering how old the play technically is it was submitted for awards as a revival and the nominations are already coming in. The play was nominated for five Tony Awards (winners will be announced in June) including Best Revival of a Play, and a number of acting nominations. Lets consider what the play is about, and how the new production fairs...

Joe Mantello

The story follows writer Ned Weeks (Joe Mantello) as he begins to see his friends dying of a mysterious and fairly new disease during the early 1980s known as AIDS. He seeks the advice of Dr. Emma Brookner (Ellen Barkin), one of the few physicians in Manhattan willing to treat patients, who sends Ned on the quest to tell men that the key to stop spreading the disease is for gay men to stop having sex. This is easier said than done for Ned, who instead teams with friends Mickey (Patrick Breen), Tommy (Jim Parsons), and Bruce (Lee Pace) to start an organization to raise money and awareness for research of the disease. As this is occurring Ned is fighting with his brother Ben (Mark Harelik) about finances and reputations; as well as developing a relationship with a style editor named Felix (John Benjamen Hickey) that he meets during the "campaign trail" for publicity and funds.

Joe Mantello & John Benjamen Hickey

Mantello last acted in his Tony nominated turn as Louis Ironson in Tony Kushner's Angels in America. In the intervening two decades he has carved out a celebrated career as a director of Broadway shows such as Wicked, Take Me Out (Tony win, Best Director of a Play),  Assassins (Tony win, Best Director of a Musical), and Love! Valour! Compassion! Here Mantello provides a strong, grounding performance as Ned that finds a fascinating mix of wit, charm, and snark to highlight the many sometimes difficult to understand facets of his character. His primary partner in crime is the equally wonderful Hickey, who provides a nuanced performance that slowly builds with his character's many revelations and twists. It's a painful role, difficult to convey the polar opposites of this man we meet so full of life at the beginning, and whom we leave at the end of the play so lost. If anyone is going to risk making you cry, it's Hickey for his sheer gal and evocative readings of the dialogue.

Lee Pace, Jim Parsons, Joe Mantello & Patrick Breen

Pace, Breen, and Parsons have the difficult task of conveying a complex friendship in as few words as possible. Each of these men have created vivid characters that you know, you know who they are as soon as they come through the door and the role they will play here, but still manage to surprise you. Pace in particular stands out of this group as Ned's primary antagonist/accomplice in the organization with a startlingly simple monologue of a gruesome crime. It's hard to hear, the description so horrid, but laid out that you can see every worry line that has now come across his brow from the experience. For those who enjoyed Pace's time on the short-lived Pushing Daisies, you will love him here and be surprised by just how strong a performer he truly is. Parsons handles much of the comedy in the show, a great relief actor that the Big Bang Theory star handles nimbly. Breen, who made a splash on Broadway in Next Fall, is both hysterical and a startling voice of reason to each of the character's at varying moments. Somehow, he manages to strike just the right chord at the right moment where you'll consistently nod your head along to him, even when it seems contradictory to what he's said before.

Ellen Barkin

It's hard to determine whether Barkin's performance is one of the best or worst things to happen to this production. She clearly is unused to live theatre, she is straining to be heard in the large space and does not understand how to convey her body language either throughout most of her performance. This is unfortunate because of how large Dr. Brookner's part is in the show. So you may wonder why she has gotten positive notices, award nominations and the like, and that is because of her eleventh hour turnaround during a monologue towards the end of the show. It is in one single monologue that she manages to get across everything else that got lost in translation about this woman and her beliefs and her regrets. You will spend ten minutes sitting in wonder as to when this woman finally arrived to the game, and she does to great effect.

As directed by Normal Heart alum Joel Grey (who was an early replacement Ned during its first Off-Broadway run) with assistance from George C. Wolfe the show is kept crisp and clean. There is no filler or distracting stage business occurring to deter the audience from focusing on the words, the interplay, the facts, and the message of the show. His use of actors as near set pieces, ghosts and reminders in the background is not to be ignored. There is a reason he has certain people there, saying nothing, but there for the audience to witness their presence.

The Cast of the Normal Heart

A fair warning to anyone who comes to see the show during the run, if there is a man outside the theatre as you exit handing out a flyer, stop and speak to him. The flyer is a letter from Kramer about the story behind his play, what happened to the original cast, and what his hopes are for this production. The man handing out the flyer is Kramer, who is all too pleased to discuss the play with patrons that have experienced his play, and wish to engage him. I was not originally aware of this when I saw the show, and did not get to spend much time with him, for which I'm truly remorseful. It's a poignant work that pulls no punches. A distinct portrait of what exactly AIDS was developing, and how difficult it was for people to accept that it was even real (I'm looking at you Ed Koch).

The play is currently playing at the Golden Theatre (252 West 45th Street, Manhattan) as a limited engagement through till July 10th. You can get tickets either at the theatre's box office or from www.telecharge.com. Go see this play, hear its message, and be better for it.

All production photos credited to Joan Marcus.

Following last night's explosive new episode of Glee with McKinley high celbrating that time honored tradition of prom many fans are now eagerly awaiting the season two DVD set to release this fall. The episode featured surprisingly good music, shocking twists, and the welcome return of Jonathan Groff as Jesse St. James. For those who wish to live in nostalgia of the high school milestone itself, let's look at five great TV episodes about prom that you can find on DVD right now!

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: "Prom" - This sci fi action epic of a series from wunderkind Joss Whedon managed to eloquently parallel the horrors of high school with creatures of the night. A wonderful example is when our hero Buffy (Sarah Michelle Geller) must stop a nefarious nerd from unleashing hell hounds on the school prom by sacrificing her own pictaresque dreams of what the night could entail. The episode is made all the more bittersweet when Buffy finds out what her peers truly thought of her when the prom awards are announced, and when she sees her soon-to-be departing love, Angel (David Boreanaz) at the dance. Truly a night to remember.

Dawson's Creek: "Promicide" - This sudsy flagship series for the dearly departed WB is shockingly daring and heartbreaking in retrospect. The episode foretold the inevitable couplings that would end the series, cemented the concept of soul mates as an actual thing that we should be invested in, and somehow managed the show's tradmark theatrics without becoming too schmaltzy. It's a night that rocked the creek as everyone got swept up in prom fever and contemplating their uncertain futures with graduation looming in the near future. This is also the episode where primetime's first gay teen, Jack McPhee, (a pitch perfect Kerr Smith) risked his heart and the potential derision of the school by taking a boy to the dance long before audiences fell in love with Glee's Kurt and Blaine.

Friends: "The One with the Prom Video" - This season two episode finds our six friends coming across a video of Monica (Courtney Cox) and Rachel (Jennfier Aniston) preparing for the big night. Here we discover that the ladies did not always look as trendy or hip when they were growing up in Massapequa, NY. It is also this episode that the currently bickering Ross and Rachel are forced to remember a sweet aside that has enough comedy and romantic whimsy to be believable and help you root for this complicated pair. Plus, who doesn't love big 80s hair?!

Gossip Girl: "Valley Girls" - On a show that routinely features lavish affairs, these Upper West Side teens do manage to pull out every trick for their prom night. Queen B herself Blair (Leighton Meester) desperately seeks a single goal, Prom Queen, which she will go to any length to achieve. It is only when Chuck (Ed Westwick) shows his true colors that the viewers get to realize just how seemingly mature, but so wistfully young these kids actually are. It's a big episode for fans of the couple, watch to see who is coronated, and the amazing fashions.

How I Met Your Mother: "Prom" - Prom doesn't always have to be attended when its at your high school or even when you are a teenager as we learn in this delightful comedy. Lily (Alyson Hannigan), Robin (Colby Smulders), and Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) break into a local NYC high school's prom to see the band, The 88 (playing themselves), who are being considered for the sweet gig of Lily's wedding band. As they listen to the music Lily remembers her own nightmare-ish prom with ex-boyfriend Scooter (Harris' partner Dave Burtka); wondering if she didn't rush into a relationship with her now fiance Marshall (Jason Segel) because of how bad that night so long ago was. This episode features great music, awesome prom fashion, and great Barney hijinks.

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