WLS Theater Review: "Catch Me If You Can"

What's a delicious recipe for a Broadway treat? Take a stylish, successful detective film (based on a true story!) and add a score by Marc Shaiman ("Hairspray"; Billy Crystal's medleys for THE ACADEMY AWARDS). Then serve it up with a well-loved TV icon & theater veteran (Tom Wopat of THE DUKES OF HAZZARD; ALL MY CHILDREN; CYBILL). How could you not have a theatrical delight?

On paper, "Catch Me If You Can" seems to have it all, and for this it has been met with great expectations—eager anticipation that has been heightened by the fact that the production has been in development for almost a decade. Is the finished product greater than the sum of its parts? Maybe not. But it is, for the most part, just about as rewarding as an informed Broadway audience would expect.

The show's music is certainly not as instantly infectious as "Hairspray"--but it does have one of those promising new scores that serves up at least half a dozen original songs that just might grow up to be Broadway standards, someday. By the same token, the glam factor and the pacing of the stage production are no match for the film's gorgeous whirlwind of cat-and-mouse hijinks—the celluloid adventure reminiscent of Stanley Donen's Charade or Hitchcock's North by Northwest. But let's be fair—the mere fact that "Catch Me If You Can" even invites such comparisons speaks for itself. Also, it's not a revival and it's not a jukebox musical. It's something new, and for that alone it is appealing.

The show is not entirely without knock-your-socks-off moments. In fact, for anyone who has ever been a fan of Tom Wopat (Frank Abagnale, Sr) or Norbert Leo Butz (Agent Carl Hanratty), "Catch Me If You Can" is an absolute must-see. Both gentlemen are perfectly cast and both somehow manage to exceed the aforementioned, rather unrealistic expectations. The multi-talented Wopat, in addition to his TV work, has released a slew of solo albums over the years and has even held his own on-stage opposite Susan Lucci (of all people!) in the 1999 revival of "Annie Get Your Gun"—a role for which he received a Tony nomination. His Frank is charming, complicated, and tragic, with Wopat synthesizing his talents and experience into another Tony-worthy performance.

The other real standout talent is also a Tony man, the hunky and hilarious Butz, adorable even through his ugly-old-man make-up. He consistently gets the biggest laughs, even while playing against type. Interestingly, I found myself imagining what Wopat or Butz could have done with the lead role, back in the day. Frank Jr. is a very dominant protagonist and the role demands a challenging balance of adult charisma and adolescent naivete. Aaron Tveit, a relative newcomer (who was, admittedly, fantastic as Gabe in Next to Normal) couldn't quite convince me that Frank Jr. could pull off such an ingenious crime spree—or even of his motivations for doing so. Yes, unfair, challenging comparisons are in play once again. It's not right to expect DiCaprio up there on the stage, and Tveit's performance is much like the show as a whole... entertaining, new, pleasant to listen to, and nice to look at. But at times, it's mildly frustrating to watch so many living legends of the Great White Way put together a great play, and make a great Catch, only to end up fumbling it after just a few yards. Perhaps after some strategic cuts (the show is almost three hours long!) and maybe even a new leading man (I'm thinking GENERAL HOSPITAL's Jonathan Jackson!) Catch Me If You Can could be this year's Big New Broadway Classic.

Here's the S.A.S.S. (Short Attention Soap Summary):
WHAT IS IT: "Catch Me If You Can," a musical based on the film of the same name, now playing at The Neil Simon Theater.
WHY SOAP FANS WILL LOVE IT: It's a Tom Wopat and Norbert Leo Butz vehicle with tons of family drama and plot twists! You can also catch former ONE LIFE TO LIVE actress Kerry Butler as Frank Jr.'s love, Brenda.
BOTTOM LINE: It's a good show. With some adjustments, it could be the best new "real" musical of 2011—but it just isn't quite there yet.
VERDICT: Manage your expectations and you'll have a great time. And if you love Tom or Norbert, see it soon—just in case it doesn't quite “catch” on.

Kevin Mulcahy Jr. is a staff contributor at welovesoaps.com.