I hate goodbyes.

I just want to apologize for yet another Catch Me If You Can post. Then again, I shouldn't be apologizing- it is a great show. Still, I'll even admit I have gone a bit overboard. (When Tom Wopat, Frank Abagnale Sr., tells you you need to get a life, you know you're a bit crazy).

Cut me some slack! It was closing day today!

Now the most incredible performance one will ever see is a closing performance of a great show whose run was cut short. I'm not saying this was the greatest show I've ever scene, because it's not (Next to Normal still holds that place in my heart) but I must admit, during this performance I could feel the energy, the "going-all-out" of the performers in the same way I felt it at N2N's closing performance, but this had this lack of satisfaction for it's run- which in a way added to it's energy. I do understand why it was cut short. The past three times I have gone to see it, it wasn't even close to being sold out. What I don't understand is why that is. It's such an uplifting show with performances by some of the most incredible Broadway performers I've ever seen. At this stage door, I would tell everyone I was so sad to see it go and they would all say "Me too," not "It was time" like the cast said at N2N.

I do have to say, this performance was definitely satisfying. Even from all the way in the nosebleeds. Row T, Seat 7, Mezz. I felt the energy. From the very beginning you could feel that no one, not a single performer or anyone (including the audience) was holding back. Nine times seeing the show, and this made me feel like I was seeing it for the first time all over again. Act I went by far too quickly and during intermission I was dreading what was yet to come. This show made me so happy and it was seemingly unfathomable that it had one more act and then would be over. Still, all good things must end.

Act II began and of course, none other than Marc Shaiman was on stage! After that the show went on as usual. The normal hyperventilating during Seven Wonders because of Aaron Tveit's lack of clothing- and he can sing too! Then the tears at the end of Kerry Butler's chillingly beautiful Fly Fly Away. And not even to bring up how much of a wreck I was at Goodbye. That song makes me sad already because it leads to the end of the show, but for this entirely phenomenal number, I was only thinking about how this was actually goodbye. And boy! Aaron Tveit really did not hold back! I thought he was phenomenal normally but it was nothing compared to this. And it's safe to say that he finally got some recognition that he deserved from the very beginning: a full house standing ovation at the end of that song. His face as he was tearing up staring at Norbert Leo Butz, who was just smiling at him is his natural fatherly fashion as Carl Hanratty. You had this sense of Norbert saying "I told you that you were incredible, and no damn Tony committee can say otherwise". (Okay, I really don't know if that's interpreted correctly, all I know is that that is what I was thinking).

Marc and Scott at the curtain call

Thanking Aaron for being incredible

Once the show was over, Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman came on stage and made a little speech. Marc told this beautiful story of how he was helping a kid who come out and spoke a bit about Catch Me. I always love those sentimental speeches. Finally, the show had finished and it sure had a happy ending. I got out to the stage door, chaos almost reaching the point of How to Succeed (Damn teenage girls are CRAZY. Hehe). I had the opportunity to talk to a lot of cast members (also Marc and Scott and Jerry Mitchell! and Jack O'Brian walked by me.) about how amazing the are, Brandon Wardell actually stuck around to have a conversation with me witch was pretty cool. Then, after basically everyone left, I broke out into song and sang that one line of Goodbye, "The show is done now!" then my friend Anna slapped me. Just a quick shout-out to her: Thanks, I needed that. I stuck around for quite a while afterwards talking to people coming in and out of the stage door. Though I couldn't go backstage because they were cleaning up the set, I did manage to pull off a lot of souvenirs. I got various props, Tom Wopat's door sign, a music book from the orchestra and the Catch Me book that people can buy. Oh, and a lot Rachel de Benedet's old stuff.

It was yet another very successful day at the theatre. I promise this is my last Catch Me post for at least a few months now!

I'd say catch it, but you can't.

Catch it before it closes

Catch Me If You Can. I may not have mentioned it yet, but I absolutely love this show. As of recently, I have scene it six times. SIX. And I must admit, it should be seven. Because I had gotten selected for Catch Me's blogger night on the 18th- a small contest for two free tickets to the show. I, however, was going to be on a plane at the time, so I couldn't go.

Still, the last times I saw the phenomenal show, I had the pleasure of seeing it with the understudy for Brenda, Alex Ellis, and Carl Hanratty, Joe Cassidy. Both amazing.

Joe Cassidy.
Let's just say Joe Cassidy really has some big shoes to fill. Norbert Leo Butz is a bit of a legend (to put it lightly) and won a Tony for this role, I'd be a nervous wreck if I were Joe- not to mention I saw him his first night on as Agent Hanratty. He was an absolutely wonderful performer, one of the things that was a bit off from the average "Norbert-esque" just because when Butz was talking about the role in an interview, he said it to be not one for singing and dancing. I don't imagine Agent Hanratty to be a good singer or dancer, I think of him to be this shlumpy, short, quirky, uncoordinated, lonely guy. Joe Cassidy was a bit too good on his feet, a bit too coordinated, not to mention tall. Then again, I must mention the "Don't Break The Rules" number with this guy. Truly great. Still, the dynamic was thrown off because they were missing one male ensemble member so, especially in the beginning, there was a gaping hole in the choreography. Still, another thing worth mentioning, the chemistry between Aaron Tveit and Norbert Leo Butz is like nothing I have seen before. The energy that they give off from each other, the authenticity that you feel when you see them perform together is incredible. In all the shows that I have seen in the past months (14 to be exact), I haven't experienced something like this. And this is the final reason that Norbert's shoes are so hard to fill, and unsurprisingly- Joe didn't quite fill them.

Alex Ellis.

Aaron Tveit as Frank Abagnale, Jr. and Alex Ellis as Brenda Strong

Well, since I first heard she was the understudy for Brenda, I had been dying to see her perform. I really always liked Alex from all the Catch Me vlogs, and I had also seen a video of her performing Fly Fly Away, in which I thought she was brilliant. Needless to say, she definitely lived up to that in her performance as Brenda. Though Kerry Butler is absolutely amazing, I found that Alex Ellis has a very similar atmosphere to her. The only thing that I really missed about Kerry was the joke about the other nurses being so very tall. Unfortunately, Alex couldn't make that joke because she was just as tall as the rest of them.
Also, thought I'd not that when she and Aaron were singing Seven Wonders, Alex nearly fell off of the bed. Ah- I live for those moments in live theatre.

Finally, in all the Catch Me performances I've seen I've never had the pleasure of seeing Jay Armstrong Johnson, who I've heard such great things about. Hopefully one day in the near future, I'll have the pleasure of having that experience.

Another thing worth noting, in the most recent performance I saw, Norbert completely smacked Aaron in the face with his tie during Strange But True, and the reaction of everyone on stage (especially Aaron) once again reminded me why Broadway is brilliant.

The 1st Annual Bombers Boomers Broadway Celebrity Softball Games

Wow. That was a mouthful. Today was a day I had been anticipating for quite a while now. It was the day I would attend the 1st Annual Bombers..... I must say, when I decided I was to be in attendance I really had no idea what it was, aside from the fact that the money went to charity and it had Broadway people playing softball at Yankee Stadium. Yes, that is enough to make me want to go.

Aaron Tveit singing the Star Spangled Banner

I got there at 10am this morning to be surprised with a wonderful continental breakfast and great coffee, the only thing I really need in the morning. Of course it did help that when I got outside and sat anywhere I felt like in Yankee Stadium, the weather was beautiful and Aaron Tveit sang the Star Spangled Banner. Not to mention Rachelle Rak, Alex Ellis, Dominic Scaglione, Jr., Matt Bogart, Mitch Jarvis, Tom Wopat and many other Broadway people that I admire were there, nonetheless playing softball! I happened to be rooting for the Broadway Bombers, mainly because Catch Me if You Can is my favorite current Broadway show and that was team with the Catch Me people. Still, the Bombers suffered a sad defeat. Congrats to the Times Square Slammers though! And yes, it was still fun to watch.

Aaron Tveit

Dominic Scaglione, Jr. at bat

After the Broadway game ended, the Boomers-Bombers game was set to begin. These teams consisted of various famous people from various places, most of whom I had never heard of (excluding Edie Falco), so I found that game much less interesting. It was during this point in the day that I decided to relax in the air-conditioned Legends Suite, where the event took place. I am so lucky to have been in the Legends Suite once before due to my friend and her extra ticket and once you see a Yankee game there, you can't really go back. Still, I just hung out there for most of the time, lots of the Broadway players were filtering in and out so it was nice to see them, and the food was delicious.

Edie Falco at bat

After the second game ended, there was a reception with more food and drink. Honestly, I am astounded that I did not explode at some point throughout the day. I sat down, got some food (yet again, I might add), listened to nice Jazz, and drank water in a wonderfully air-conditioned room filled with incredibly nice and talented people following two celebrity softball games. Yeah, it was a good day.