Review: CATCH ME IF YOU CAN at Colony Theatre

Frank Abagnale Jr. was a con artist, a fraud, and a rapscallion. He was also charming, bright, and magnetic. He sought the glamorous life until age 21, having posed as a doctor, an airline pilot, and a police officer, in addition to many other crimes and misdemeanors like forgery, fraud, and auto larceny. After spending time in French, Swedish, and U.S. prisons, he went straight, taking on legit jobs, even working for the FBI. In 1980, he published his autobiography, detailing his misadventures in crime, and in 2002 Steven Spielberg directed a film based on that autobiography, with Leonardo DiCaprio playing the lead role. The movie was a big success, nabbing two Oscar nominations and pulling in more than $350 million. Then, in 2011, the story hit Broadway with theater legends Marc Shaiman doing the music, Shaiman and Scott Wittman on lyrics, and Terrence McNally writing the book, snagging four Tony noms and a win in the Best Actor in a Musical category.

That show is now at the Colony Theatre in Burbank, and director Michael Donovan has brought to the stage a splashy, fizzy, joyful treat, a perfect complement to his jubilant “The Wedding Singer” at this same theater earlier this year with the same leading man, Blake Jenner. It’s a vivacious and colorful show making the most of its 1960s setting to dazzle us with period fashions and backdrops.

Jenner is so appealing with great vocals and comic timing. His range is astonishing and with each role he exhibits more of it. He also has that all-American quality that is pivotal to his role and pivotal to selling the story. We need to believe why these people fell for Frank’s lies; he’s the bad guy but you need to be in love with him so that you’re still rooting for him, and Jenner has the presence and affability to make it work. He has fantastic chemistry with the entire ensemble, but especially with Kevin Bailey, who plays his father, Frank Sr. Joe Abraham, who plays FBI agent Carl Hanratty, who becomes obsessed with capturing Abagnale, meets Jenner head-to-head, commanding the stage as well. There’s a mutual respect between the two characters that is critical to the balance of the chase, and the two performers nail it. Gabbie Adner, as Brenda, a nurse Frank falls for, helps ground the piece with a genuine kindness and soaring vocals.

Casting directors Donovan and Richie Ferris have cast a shining ensemble, as has Brent Crayon, who oversees the musical direction. The live band on stage adds so much energy, and being able to see them play makes the music that much more joyous. The scenic design by Molly Cornell is fantastic to look at and is also a great set-up for the dazzling choreography by Natalie Iscovich. With a bi-level set, there is space for a large ensemble to launch into their parts with verve. Costumes by Jennifer Deck and wigs by Leland Stephens complement the time period well, the colorful fashions a perfect bridge between the late 1950s and the swinging ’60s yet to come.

What really makes the story work, though, is its heart. Despite everything Frank is doing, all the people he’s betraying, he’s really just a kid in over his head, and it’s easier to keep running than to stop and take ownership of his deeds. He’s not a bad guy, not in his heart, but once he’s on his trajectory, he can’t stop. His relationship with Hanratty elevates CATCH ME IF YOU CAN from just a chase to something deeper and more meaningful. While Hanratty’s character is fictional, he gives the story balance, with just the right amount of respect and compassion to give it some emotional weight. Their relationship makes the chase worthwhile.

Photos by Ashley Erikson

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