Catch Me If You Can
at El Dorado

Reviewed on March 17, 2018

Lila Holley
San Juan Hills
Submitted for publication to Orange County Register

El Dorado's Catch Me If You Can shines in living color
written by Lila Holley, a junior at San Juan Hills High School

Catch Me If You Can at El Dorado has all the makings of a showstopper- jazz, sex, crime, and a little bit of love. As they weave through Frank Abagnale Jr.'s cat-and-mouse with the FBI, the cast balances this facade of a 60's TV program with his reality. For every smooth number, there is family strife; for every suave encounter, there is loneliness; and for every criminal, there is an FBI agent to track him.

The leading man, Frank Abagnale Jr. (Alex Avila) does his best to hide inner turmoil underneath a suave facade as he opens the show. His showstopping vocal control allows for jazzy riffs in his proudest moments contrasted with softer ballads later on.

Frank's nemesis, and eventual partner, Carl Hanratty (Justin DeTevis) proves to be a fitting counterpart for Avila's fast-paced demeanor. His focus and rigidity balances the fluidity of Avila's performance, especially in their duet "My Favorite Time of Year." Connected by telephone on opposite sides of the stage, the lonely men confide in each other, isolated from the joy of Christmas.

Alone on stage, Sophia Scarsi as Brenda Strong exudes passion with her powerful ballad "Fly, Fly Away." Arms outstretched and head tilted back, Scarsi illustrates her devotion to Frank Jr. with raw emotion, ending in an angelic harmony with the Fly Away Trio (Abigail Klausmier, Jordyn Murray, Julia Chau).

Carol Strong, played by Brittany Cotter, is the stereotypical 60s housewife. Her random spurts of phrases and over excitement create a delightfully quirky woman who lights up the stage as she playfully interrogates her future son-in-law.

To invent countless hotel rooms, restaurants, and more, the Set Design team (Cory Wright, Brittany Cotter, Jenna Young, Julia Chau, Kelli Nilsen) created three reversible walls that are dressed to shift locations. The simple set exudes a 60s TV show vibe which reveals the cracks in Frank Jr.'s story as he begins to realize where he went wrong.

Riddled with lessons along the way, El Dorado's Catch Me If You Can is both bright and honest in its storytelling. Frank Jr. and Hanratty's back-to-back stance at the end of "Stuck Together" presents an uplifting ideal: there is hope for everyone, even those who commit millions of dollars of fraud.

Natalie Smale
Mater Dei
Submitted for publication to OC Cappies Facebook

El Dorado's "Catch Me If You Can" is a fast paced adventure
written by Natalie Smale, a senior at Mater Dei High School

Frank Abagnale Jr., always a clever boy, leaves home at sixteen after his parents' divorce, hops a train to New York City, and quickly becomes one of the most wanted con artists in the world. Seemingly always one step ahead of the FBI agents chasing him, Frank is warned that one day he will make a mistake and be caught. El Dorado's entertaining production of "Catch Me If You Can" explores Frank's transition from suave to sweet as he makes the biggest mistake of all: falling in love.

Alex Avila's smooth, powerful, and utterly remarkable voice allows him to shine in his leading role as Frank Abagnale Jr. But what makes his performance truly breathtaking is his ability to carry so much emotion in his inflections as he slowly changes from a calculated con man to someone deeply in love. Sophia Scarsi is beautiful as his counterpart, Brenda Strong, and their relationship is sweet and pure as Frank serenades Brenda in the song "Seven Wonders." Scarsi perfectly embodies the role of the innocent but loving girl, always moving with a bounce in her step and gazing at Frank with wide, fascinated eyes. Her brilliant voice and doe-like facial expressions transform her song "Fly, Fly Away" into something truly stunning.

Justin DeTevis, playing Carl Hanratty, gives a phenomenal supporting performance, capturing the strict but ultimately caring FBI agent who allows his job of chasing Frank to take over his life. DeTevis and Avila share a sweet moment when finally Frank is captured, but instead of handcuffing Frank's two hands, DeTevis cuffs his own to Frank's. Their sweet hug that ensues captures an honest moment of acceptance.

Brittany Cotter brings a comic light to the show as Carol Strong, Brenda's embarrassingly loving mother. Her twangy southern accent and infectious energy brighten the stage as she pokes her head in between Brenda and Frank and squeals with excitement over their engagement.

Costumes, designed by Aimee Asch, Natalie D'Allura, Krista Eliot, and Emily Hunt, complement well both the characters' personalities and the time period. Dressed in all yellows, the Strong family's joy and innocence is captured, whereas Frank and Hanratty find themselves dressed in all black and white to convey their more serious backgrounds.

Bringing laughter, entertainment, and a heartwarming story, El Dorado's "Catch Me If You Can" delights audiences.

Jamie Auer
San Juan Hills
Submitted for publication to OC Cappies Facebook

"Fly, Fly Away" with El Dorado's Catch Me If You Can

With spectacular vocals and dance, El Dorado presents a vibrant rendition of "Catch me If You Can." The story follows the life of infamous con artist Frank Abagnale Jr., who was able to cheat his way into earning $1.8 million before age twenty.

The suave leading man was masterfully portrayed by Alex Avila, delivering the illusory showmanship of Frank Abagnale jr. through a beautiful high tenor voice and aura of confidence. Balancing his boyishness with fabricated charm, Avila was able to embody the character through cocky gestures to the emotional high notes in his final "Goodbye" to fraud.

Avila's romantic counterpart, Brenda Strong was beautifully depicted by Sophia Scarsi. From her apprehensive introduction filled with flailing body language and a timid voice, she was able to evoke her heartbreak with devastated expressions in "Fly, Fly Away." Her characterization of an mortified daughter to her family's embarrassing song in "(Our) Family Tree" proved an effective foil to the Strong's (Brittany Cotter & Justic Watkins) amusingly choreographed dance number.

From lively opening numbers filled with synchronized high kicks to Paula Abagnale's sensual dance all by herself in "Don't be a Stranger," Sam Pietenpol is able to cleverly choreograph each number in a connected yet original way. The visual of each jetsetter framing themselves around Frank (Alex Avila) in the final moments of "Live in Living Color" accentuates his egotistical showmanship. The divide between Frank's parents is mirrored through Frank Sr. sitting at the bar and Paula (Pietenpol) dancing by herself across the stage during "Don't be a Stranger." She accomplishes the theatricality of Frank Abagnale jr.'s narration through a polished and skillful vision.

The design of the 60s was cleverly reimagined through revolving set pieces that served as backdrops and interiors throughout the story. The versatility of the set pieces was achieved through a quick and efficient running crew that rotated each piece according to the setting. The patterns and colors of the set matched well with the designs of costumes who were able to capture the loud colors of the 60s perfectly. Contrasting the Abagnale's troubled home life with the Strongs' lively charisma, Frank jr. was outfitted in darker shades versus Brenda's bright yellows.

With show-stopping numbers and vibrancy, El Dorado High School retells the story of infamous con man Frank Abagnale jr. spectacularly.