Catch Me if You Can is the story everyone has dreamed of living out. A young man, Frank Abagnale Jr., leaves home and successfully pretends to be a pilot, a doctor, a lawyer, and who knows what else. He cashes millions of dollars in falsified checks, always one step ahead of the man chasing him, Carl Hanratty, and his crew. He gets to live the high life, jet setting from town to town, until he falls in love with Brenda Strong, and thus meets his undoing. It’s a story that captures each of us, and it was a genuine pleasure to get to watch it played out onstage by the cast at MunOpCo.
Our show opens on a stage that, for the most part, is open. Set design by Jeffrey Dreas, features nothing more than a pair of doors and a couple flights of steps. 
And that’s all you need.
Through excellent lighting, projections, and tasteful set pieces, the stage perfectly serves the show.
Lighting designer Darren Dreas gives us several stunning silhouettes throughout the performance, allowing the lighting to tell as much of the story as the plot does. His stunning use of bold colors made it easy to feel drawn in, like you were watching the story play out on screen.
Director Daniel Petrovich has taken on a huge task in bringing this musical to the local stage, and he’s made it look easy. The cast is completely strong, with not a single cast member sitting back or giving less than one hundred percent. Petrovich has led his cast well, delivering clear direction and staging.
When a company decides to take on a show as challenging and demanding as Catch Me if You Can, one thing is for sure. No matter what else happens, they need to have an amazingly strong lead. Someone who can charm the audience, carry the pacing of the show, and, though playing an eighteen year old, rival even the most seasoned of performers.
Luckily for us, MunOpCo has found the perfect Frank Abagnale Jr. in Ryan Doncsecz. From the first minute of the show, the audience is rooting for him, even though he is a criminal being chased by the ‘good guys.’
Doncsecz is a force to be reckoned with. His acting is endearing, perfectly embodying the role of the desperate Frank Jr. His voice could knock down walls, it’s so powerful. Though there is scarcely a scene he isn’t in, he seems tireless as he sings and dances from curtain to close. It was a true pleasure to watch his performance, and his interactions with fellow cast mates only boosted each performance.
Ted Williams, as Frank Jr.’s father, Frank Abagnale Sr., gave us a wonderfully touching performance as our lead’s at-times misguided father. The pair’s ‘Butter Out of Cream’ was a charmingly delivered ditty, making it easy for the audience to buy them as a father and starry-eyed son. Williams made his role memorable, and more than a little bittersweet.
One high point of the show is Williams’s duet with Kerry Mcguire, who plays Carl Hanratty, the lead detective heading the search for Abagnale Jr. “Little Boy, Be a Man” is a great break for the usually-serious Hanratty, and the two actors played off of each other brilliantly.
As Frank Jr.’s mother, Beth Sucro was tasked with pulling off one of the most difficult numbers of the show. During ‘Don’t Be a Stranger,’ she delivers heart-tugging dialogue without stopping dancing. It was a fantastically directed/choreographed number, and allowed the audience to see a bit more of her too-small character.
Jillian Rossi, as love interest Brenda Strong, delivered a wonderfully heart-wrenching performance. Her rendition of ‘Fly, Fly Away’ is worthy of any recording studio, and another high point of the show.
Geri Kery and Robert Calder, playing her mother and father, also do a wonderful job. Though small roles, they play them convincingly and endear themselves to us easily.
The ensemble shines in each number. With several group dances and songs, this ensemble upped the show quality with ease. It was hard to find a face onstage that wasn’t completely into the performance, each dancer performing as if the spotlight was shining on them alone.
The dancing, choreographed by Kelly Jean Graham, was exactly what I was hoping for from this show. Intricate and interesting, and perfectly suited to both the dancers and the story. Each number was unique, both from the other numbers in the show and other performances of ‘Catch Me if You Can.’ The choreography really took the show to a whole new level, the icing on top of the cake.
Music Director Frank Anonia hit this one out of the park. The chorus was well trained and perfectly directed in each number. He brought the best out of his leads, giving us performances that were a lot of fun to listen to. The orchestrations are full and beautiful, creating a wonderfully complete sound.
I highly recommend this show to anyone who loves a good musical. You can’t be disappointed by this music, and the performances will leave you smiling. Don’t miss it!
MunOpCo only offers one more opportunity to see ‘Catch Me if You Can,’ Sunday, Oct 11 at 2pm. Call 610-437-2441 for tickets and more details.