There’s a lot of dazzle and little in the way of character development in Catch Me If You Can, which recently toured in Milwaukee. Based on the 2002 Dreamworks film and the true story that inspired it, Catch Mechronicles the rise and fall of con artist Frank Abagnale, Jr. Remarkably, Abagnale was able to pass himself off as a pilot, doctor and lawyer before being caught by the FBI. All this happened before Abagnale was 21. By then, he had cashed nearly $2 million in counterfeit checks.
The movie, directed by Steven Spielberg, was a relative success compared to the Broadway musical that followed it. This was surprising, as almost the same production team made a smash hit out of “Hairspray.” Like “Hairspray,” Catch Me is a period piece. This one is set in the early 1960s, just as the age of color TV was dawning.
In 2011, Catch Me if You Can opened in the Neil Simon Theater, once of Broadway’s largest houses. The show earned a few Tony nominations but won in only one category: Best Actor, for Norbert Leo Butz. The Broadway show also starred Wisconsin-born Tom Wopat, who played the father. Butz was recognized for playing FBI Agent Carl Hanratty, a detective who stays on Abagnale’s trail for years before capturing the elusive con artist.
The show’s format works well on tour, as a large orchestra is parked between a projection screen (backstage) and a sloping ramp (in the front). There’s also enough room downstage for full-throttle production numbers, of which the show has too many to count. The non-Equity cast performs well, sometimes spectacularly.
As the charming con artist, Stephen Anthony is a star in the making. His appearance is handsome and trim – somewhere between Neil Patrick Harris and Michael Fox. He moves well and has a strong voice. This is in addition to his above-average acting talents (which can be difficult to gauge because the show moves so quickly). In an instant, his character must buck up after hearing of his parents’ divorce so he can get going on his successful (if illegal) schemes.
Playwright Terrence McNally creates an incredibly sympathetic character in this crook. After amassing a large amount of ill-gained fortune, for instance, Frank Jr. finds his dad and offers him a large envelope of cash to “help him get back on his feet.” What a guy! And instead of thumbing his nose at the law (OK, he does do this sometimes), Abagnale even calls his FBI nemesis on Christmas Eve to wish him merry holidays.
What gives the second act its sizzle is that Abagnale’s pursuer, Agent Hanratty, starts to see many similarities between himself and his target. He seems relieved but also deflated when it’s time to drag Abagnale off to jail. As Hanratty, Merritt David Janes is too nebbishy to evoke much interest. Even his own subordinates don’t respect him. While Abagnale lives a number of high-flying lives, Hanratty appears to have none.
Another weak note is Dominic Fortuna as Abagnale’s father. The script requires him to be flashy and poised, yet Fortuna makes these qualities seem forced. When his wife leaves him for another man, Fortuna doesn’t have enough lines in the script to make his downfall credible. That’s not his fault, of course. But Fortuna doesn’t appear to make the most of what he has.
However, Abagnale’s innocent love interest, Brenda, is another story. Brenda never suspects that her fiancé isn’t a doctor (he meets her at the hospital where she’s a nurse). Aubrey Mae Davis fleshes out this stock character with effortless ability. Part of her appeal is a terrific voice, which she demonstrates in “Fly, Fly Away.” It’s one of the show’s best numbers.
Doubtless, the show’s producers are hoping the tour will recoup some of the investment they lost on Broadway. This production is light-hearted and splashy enough to charm audiences around the country. It could be a better show, but it’s certainly not a bad one now.
