The Tony nominated show Catch Me If You Can will close on Broadway after its last show on September 4, 2011. It will have played 32 previews and 170 regular performances when it finishes. A nation wide tour for the show has been announced for 2012 but no word yet about stops here in New Jersey.
Catch Me If You Can is the musical adaptation of the movie of the same name which tells the story of Frank Abagnale Jr., one of the youngest and most inventive check frauders that the world has ever seen. Leo DiCaprio played the lead role in the movie and Aaron Tveit plays the role on Broadway. With his boyish good looks and powerful voice, Tveit is fantastic in the role.
Movie fans will also recall that Tom Hanks played the over zealous FBI agent, Carl Hanratty. In the Broadway show, Norbert Leo Butz plays this role. His work earned him the Tony Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical. His big featured number has the audience exploding in applause nightly.
The cast is terrific, the dancers are marvelous, the full live band is right onstage for the entire show. So what other reasons would one need to go see this show?
1. The storyline follows the movie very closely until the end when they wrap it up. Rarely these days do you see a Broadway show and a movie follow as closely as this one does. It is interesting to watch how they represent the characters from the movie in the show and how they represent the actions that were obviously written for an on screen version so accurately.
2. The style of the show is a throw back to the big, splashy musicals that used to dominate Broadway. The production numbers are well choreographed and well orchestrated. The singing is excellent. The original score fits a typical Broadway tell the story approach without a corny side.
3. The dancers are a wonder to watch. They have a number of scenes where they are featured and for good reason – they are an amazing group.
4. It’s an upbeat story that tells the tale of a kid gone wrong, but who redeemed himself in a big way. Don’t we need that kind of story these day?
5. Finally, and maybe the biggest reason of all to see this show: it is FUN. You will walk out of the Neil Simon Theatre with a smile on your face after having laughed, clapped, and maybe even sang a bit with an outstanding group of people who give their all to their performances.
To get more information about the show or to buy tickets, go to the official website.
