Review: 'Catch Me If You Can' by Amity Creative Theater

“Live in living color,
Something special's up tonight”

Woodbridge, CT - The Amity Creative Theater production of CATCH ME IF YOU CAN was ready for take off on opening night and I was thrilled to have a first class seat to catch the premiere performance of another outstanding Amity musical. Every year I head to the regional high school thinking that this year’s show can’t possibly top last year’s amazing work, and then director Robert Kennedy and the current crop of Amity thespians prove me wrong. CATCH ME IF YOU CAN managed to move the bar higher than cruising altitude.

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN is a musical with a libretto by Terrence McNally, music by Marc Shaiman with lyrics by Mr. Shaiman and Scott Wittman. With a nod to sixties television variety shows, it follows the story of a globe-trotting con artist named Frank Abagnale Jr. The musical is based upon the 2002 Dreamworks motion picture of the same name, which was based on the 1980 autobiography of the same name by Mr. Abagnale and Stan Redding. The show opened on Broadway in April 2011. The production received four Tony Awards nominations, including one for Best Musical, winning Best Actor in a Musical for Norbert Leo Butz (WICKED.)

I loved everything about this show, from the splashy production numbers, to the catchy score, to the star vehicle lead character roles. In the more than capable hands of Mr. Kennedy and his co-director Andrea Kennedy and the rest of the full-page production team, the stage-full of talented teens made this musical soar to new heights.

Act One opened with a powerhouse version of “Live in Living Color” and never looked back, well, at least until the reprise in the second act. Marcia Rizzotti lent her talent as musical director. The smallish, mostly student orchestra, decked out in white tuxedo jackets and seated upon a platform at the back of the stage, was led as always by teacher/conductor Phil Dolan. The musicians captured the Big Band sound and flew with it.

There are only seven principal roles, so the ensemble (35 young performers strong) had lots to do. The young men and ladies played pilots, party goers, agents, doctors, commuters, bank tellers and marks and did it with a Broadway flair. Every dancer coached by choreographer Mrs. Kennedy and her associate choreographer Kelsey Sullivan was in perfect synch; special mention to the young men who “stepped” up to keep up with the ladies. This ensemble could win any award for which they are nominated.

I know that I always rave about the Amity costumes and this year will be no exception. Julie Chevan and Brenda Burt outdid themselves in clothing that large ensemble in an ever-changing wardrobe for the aforementioned characters, while keeping the leads in perfectly researched period pieces. I suspect that this year may have proved even a bit more challenging than those monkey costumes for TARZAN. Once again with the help of a massive costume crew and Mrs. Kennedy in charge of wig and makeup design, they made it all look easy.

The scenic design by Ryan M. Howell was large and “light up;” it featured two connecting staircases and two trap doors to allow set pieces to slide in and out. “Impressive” doesn’t begin to describe this masterpiece and it was beautifully lit as always by Dan Hassenmayer. Kim Goclowski gets the credit for designing the lobby that turned the hallways into an airport terminal...seriously. The 100-page letter-sized program book was described as Amity’s biggest yet; the parent volunteers and business community support is mind-numbing.

In my mind, Amity sophomore Ryan Kennedy (Lucas Beineke in last year’s THE ADDAMS FAMILY) is ready for Broadway right now, but I pray that he will wait until he graduates from high school. This young man, who lives in Bethany with his directors/parents, is such a huge talent that I just can’t take my eyes off of him when his appears on any stage. The leading role of Frank Abagnale, Jr. is the second one he has played at Amity this year, having led the cast as Christopher in THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME in the fall. The stage presence that young Mr. Kennedy brings to every role was perfect for the charm that defined Frank Jr., and of course, he can sing and dance as well as he acts. Ryan will fly high in theater, doing what he loves to do.

Marty Gnidula was unforgettable in the demanding role of Carl Hanratty, the FBI agent that eventually caught Frank Abagnale, Jr. Mr. Gnidula played the role of Uncle Fester in THE ADDAMS FAMILY last year and also appeared in THE CURIOUS INCIDENT as Ed Boone. As Hanratty, he had to sport a mustache, horned-rim glasses, a vintage fedora and a gun in a holster at his waist, all while singing and running across the stage. He and Mr. Kennedy became an unlikely team as the FBI agent led the team to “catch him if they can.”

Hayden Nork, a senior from Bethany who is also a songwriter, performer, writer and visual artist, took on the role of the elder Frank Abagnale, Sr. and captured the angst of his Frank’s father. Junior Tayla Braverman (Judy Boone in THE CURIOUS INCIDENT) played his estranged wife Brenda with a strong French accent and a great wardrobe and dance moves to match. Amity freshman Audrey Jurzyk was Frank, Jr.’s love interest Brenda Strong in her first production at Amity. Junior Sofia Halepas and freshman Nolan Young played Brenda’s Lutheran parents. Junior Sophia Soldra was great in the featured role of model-callgirl Cheryl Ann; she was the Elizabethan ancestor in ADDAMS.

The boys in the ensemble had to double and triple their roles. Junior Evan D’Onofrio played FBI Agent Branton, an Atlanta doctor and Jack Burns, Jacob Lee (Jacob in THE CURIOUS INCIDENT) was Agent Cod, and junior Dylan Chizmadia (ADDAMS) was Agent Dollar. Kabeer Kumar, a one-year exchange student from Pakistan, appeared as a nerd and an intern, Max Hemstock was a jock and an intern, senior Carly Chervenak wore a great curly wig as a school principal. Freshman McKenna Maxwell played Betty in her Amity debut, junior Kyle Magri (Mendel in FIDDLER) was a judge and a bartender, a Pan Am Executive and the motel manager, and Jacob Lee came back as a railroad agent. Junior Aoi Tischer, who had the honor of playing the flight attendant ancestor in THE ADDAMS FAMILY, was a bank teller and Dr. Wannamaker, and freshman Macie Cox measured Frank for his pilot’s uniform as a tailor.

Stewardesses included Lilli Querker, now an Amity senior from Orange, as Mindy, senior Lily Swain as Cindy, junior Blythe Reis (Bielke in FIDDLER ON THE ROOF) as Lindy, junior Caitlin Carlson (Flapper in ADDAMS) as Jane, sophomore Grace Blanchard (THE CURIOUS INCIDENT, TARZAN) as Kellie, senior Sophie Benjamin (Native American in ADDAMS) as Shellie. The Fly, Fly Away Trio included freshman Gillian Fuchs, Zola Kneeland, and sophomore Antonia Tzepos. Shout out to the Stage Manager/Props Master, senior Avital Sutin and Abigail Slanski, the busy Costume Crew Head.

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN at Amity

Nancy Sasso Janis has been writing theatre reviews since 2012 as a way to support local theatre venues. She posts reviews of well over 100 productions each year. In 2016, she became a member of the Connecticut Critics Circle. She continues to contribute theatre news, previews, and audition notices to local Patch sites. Reviews of all levels of theatrical productions are posted on Naugatuck Patch and the Patch sites closest to the venue. Follow the reviewer on her Facebook pages Nancy Sasso Janis: Theatre Reviewer and on Twitter @nancysjanis417 Check out the NEW CCC Facebook page.