Catch Me If You Can at HCT

Last night I went to see the musical Catch Me If You Can at Hale Theatre.  I liked the movie but I am not a fan of the current trend on Broadway of turning popular movies into stage productions.  I rarely like the musical as much as the movie. However, to my surprise, I actually really enjoyed this adaptation. That is due, in no small measure, to the brilliance of the two lead actors.  Keith McKay Evans is charm personified as Frank Abagnale, Jr., a real-life con artist who impersonated a Pan Am pilot, a doctor, and a lawyer (he even passed the bar exam) and embezzled close to two million dollars.  Evans is equally adept at portraying the fast-talking confidence man as well as the vulnerable teenager who ran away from home.  He has a great voice and so much charisma that I couldn't take my eyes off him whenever he was on stage.  Kelly DeHaan is simply amazing as Carl Hanratty, the FBI agent obsessed with catching Abagnale.  With his horn-rimmed glasses, fedora, black suit, Brooklyn accent, and stoic demeanor, DeHaan's characterization is hilarious and I loved his facial expressions! His performance in the song "Don't Break the Rules" is definitely a crowd pleaser! The supporting cast is excellent and I especially enjoyed Eden Benson as Carol, an over-the-top southern belle.  I did feel that Bre Welch was slightly miscast as Brenda because her voice is too sweet and pretty to sing the blues (in the song "Fly, Fly Away"). The music and choreography is almost a pastiche of the variety shows on television in the 1960s (such as Laugh-In) but it works.  All of the big song and dance numbers are incredibly entertaining, especially "Live in Living Color," "Jet Set," and "Doctor's Orders."  The costumes, particularly for the female ensemble, are a lot of fun.  I loved the Pan Am stewardess uniforms!  The stage is quite innovative with three giant illuminated arrows in the floor, a motif that is echoed in many of the set pieces and props. I entered the theatre with very low expectations and I ended up having a great time!  I recommend this show for a really fun evening!  It runs through November 29 and tickets can be purchased here.