By Eliza Een
Catch Me If You Can (book by Terrence McNally, music by Marc Shaiman, and lyrics by Shaiman and Scott Whittman) opened at the SCERA Center for the Arts in Orem, UT, on April 15, 2022. Catch Me if You Can is based on the life of Frank William Abagnale Jr., known for his string of forgeries and other fraudulent activity in the 1960s and 70s. After his conviction and jail time, Abagnale published an autobiography chronicling his diverse experiences titled Catch Me If You Can, which was turned into a movie of the same name, directed by Steven Spielberg in 2002 and starring Leonardo DiCaprio as Frank Abagnale Jr. The musical debuted on Broadway in 2011 and was nominated for four Tony awards that year. Catch Me If You Can, like Abagnale himself, has drawn in audiences from all over the world, and with the SCERA’s help, you could be next!
The musical begins on the day Frank (A.J. Nielsen) is cornered by the FBI in the Miami airport, when Frank responds to a taunt about his theatrics by breaking the fourth wall and bringing the audience back to the story’s beginning. We’re introduced to Frank’s disenchanted mother Paula Abagnale (Samantha Frisby) and his father Frank Abagnale Sr. (Nathaniel Noyes), who is always running a game of his own. When his parents get divorced, Frank steals away to New York City, where he begins to find creative ways to achieve the lifestyle he wants and tries to help Frank Sr. get back on his feet and win back his mother. The plot highlights some of Abagnale’s best-known crimes: check fraud, impersonating a pilot, doctor, and lawyer, and the plight of the FBI agent Carl Hanratty (Mark Gordon), who is always hot on his tail. Along the way, Frank meets nurse Brenda Strong (Rebecca Boberg) and they fall in love. This incredible chase leads them to the Miami airport where we see a glimpse into Frank’s future as we say goodbye.
A great con man requires a great actor, and here A.J. Nielsen fits the mold perfectly with his smooth charisma and excellent comedic timing, which makes the audience feel like they’re always on the inside of the joke. His dashing smile and impressive (faked) résumé makes him irresistible to flight attendants, nurses, and prospective in-laws alike as this roguish antihero finally runs out of runway and decides to close the curtain on his life as an outlaw. Nielsen doesn’t shy away from those lost and vulnerable moments either, and with his co-star Mark Gordon, he finds a shoulder to lean on. Gordon’s portrayal of straight-laced Agent Carl Hanratty steals the show during his jazzy showstoppers, especially “Don’t Break the Rules” as his dulcet tones have the audience rooting for the good guys again. Gordon humanizes the man behind the desk, leaving the audience laughing as Hanratty is duped time and again by Frank’s smooth-talking antics. Gordon’s scenes with Frank Sr. (Noyes) talk through their generational trauma and Hanratty’s fatherly instincts toward Frank help him say goodbye to his aliases at last.
The show’s ensemble rotates through professions as quickly and seamlessly as Abagnale, appearing as New York Yankees, flight crews, doctors and nurses, and in Garett Woolley’s case, a series of easily duped and disinterested blue-collar workers. Their harmonies and synchronized dance steps supported the fantastic journey and larger-than-life image of Frank Abagnale Jr. The crew behind the scenes (or on-screen in a small cameo for Director Michael Carrasco) worked hard throughout, like the mouse churning cream into butter that spread effortlessly across the stage. Allison Books (music director), Shawn Herrera (choreographer and scenic designer), Elizabeth Griffiths (lighting designer), Deborah Bowman (costume designer), Christy Norton (props designer) make sure it is smooth sailing from beginning to end.
If you’re looking for a sweet escape from the mundane, book a trip to see Catch Me if You Can at the SCERA Center for the Arts in Orem and join the cast on the ups and downs of this thrilling adventure before they say goodbye on May 7.
SCERA Center for the Arts
Catch Me If You Can
SCERA Center for the Arts, 745 South State, Orem, UT, 84058
April 15–May 7, 2022 at 7:30 PM (Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays)
Tickets from $12 (children/Seniors) $14 (Adults), all seats reserved
801-225-2787
SCERA Website
SCERA Facebook Page
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