“Catch Me If You Can” begins in an airport, where con artist Frank Abagnale, Jr.- played by senior Paul Phillips- is caught by the FBI. Abagnale makes a deal with FBI agent Carl Hanratty- played by sophomore Mason Taylor- to tell his story to the audience. In exchange, Hanratty will receive a full confession of his crimes.

When the deal is set, Frank Jr. launches into the first musical number of the show, “Live in Living Color.” The piece features the entire cast as well as a live band. Aves Theatre performed this number both during the regular production as well as for the eighth graders when they visited the high school the following week.

Juniors Emma Steward and Kayla Kramer (right and left) along with senior Samantha Ciricillo (center) dance during “Live in Living Color.” Abagnale introduces them as part of “The Frank Abagnale Singers and Dancers.” They appear in multiple songs throughout the show.

Abagnale introduces his mother and father, Frank Abagnale, Sr. and Paula Abagnale, who are played by junior Isabella Gonzalez and senior Timothy Leonard, respectively. In the story, the couple met in a social hall during Frank Sr.’s time in the U.S. military. “I am not leaving France without that woman,” Frank Sr. said when he saw Paula.

As “Live in Living Color” continues, Hanratty observes from the side. A part of Taylor’s research with the character, he said, was watching cop movies. “This play takes place in older times, and I wanted to see how the cops moved, how they spoke, how they acted, even how they held their guns,” Taylor said.

The “Frank Abagnale Singers and Dancers” kick and pop to the jazzy tune of “Live in Living Color.” The show was choreographed by Jay Goodlett, who has worked with the theatre program in the past. Goodlett is a professional dancer who was a senior soloist at the Cincinnati Ballet and is now the Associate Artistic Director at the Children’s Theater of Cincinnati.

Paula, Frank Sr., and Frank Jr. all gather within the Abagnale home. During this time period, televisions had 13-inch screens, as Frank Sr. points out during the show. Their comical comments on money lead up to the father-son duet, “The Pinstripes Are All That They See.”

Frank Sr. launches into the song “The Pinstripes Are All That They See.” Within the piece, he discusses his principle that people see only what is on the outside of a person. Leonard performed this song with three of the principal dancers: juniors Megan Haupt and Frannie Levy, and senior Evelyn Garrett.

Frank Jr. gets caught posing as a substitute French teacher for two weeks. The principal, played by Ciricillo, is charmed when Frank Sr. presents her with a necklace. This, of course, only causes tension with his wife, Paula.

As Frank Jr. escapes from consequences from the principal, he gives advice to one of the students, played by junior Frannie Levy. The student is charmed by him. She plants a kiss on his cheek.

As Frank Jr. returns home, he finds his mother having an affair with a family friend, Steve McQueen. McQueen is played by senior Jonathon Rollins. Rollins also plays trombone, and has played in the theater pit as well as performed on stage in past shows.

Frank Jr. and Paula argue over Paula’s affair with McQueen. This scene is one of the serious dialogues that are interlaced with the large dance numbers and witty jokes. This is also the tipping point for Frank Jr.’s opinion of his 16-year-old life.

Senior Benjamin Cohen plays the judge as well as other parts within the show. He gives the verdict for the divorce of Frank Sr. and Paula. This is the conflict which causes Frank Jr. to run away from home and become a con man.

Frank Jr. and the ensemble sing “Someone Else’s Skin,” which is about Frank’s decision to run away from home. Already talented in posing as other characters- substitute teachers, for instance- this is when Frank begins to forge checks. He is only 16 years old when he becomes a millionaire.

As a quick interjection, Frank Jr. gives a “word from our sponsors.” This small section is all comedic relief, completely unrelated to Frank’s story other than simulating a commercial break. The three sponsors presented are played by juniors Kayla Kramer (left), Haupt, and Steward.

Meanwhile, Frank Jr. is being hunted by the FBI. The curtain closes on the main stage, and the audience first gets a glimpse of FBI life with agents Dollar, Cod and Branton. These three are played by juniors Graham Lutes (left) and Mitchell Singstock (right), as well as senior Jennifer Adamec (center).

Agents Hanratty calls over Agents Dollar, Cod and Branton to look over a check that just does not “look right.” This is when the FBI first begins to realize that someone is forging millions of dollars in checks. Their suspect goes by the names of Frank Taylor, William Frank, Frank Williams, and other aliases.

Ciricillo sings her solo in the song “Jet Set.” She is a part of the stewardesses who are the main motivation for Frank Jr. to become a copilot. “I like girls,” is Frank Jr.’s reasoning.

The entire line of the Jet Set sing their song in flying fashion. All of them play the sensual interests within the show, including nurses and dancers. Junior Amara Clough plays the love interest Brenda Strong in the second act.

The pilots take their turn to sing within the song “Jet Set.” They are played by junior Noah Silverman (left), Rollins (center), and junior Bradley Haupt (right). The three, along with sophomore Braden Garrett, appear in other songs throughout the show as the “Frank Abagnale Singers and Dancers.”

The large number “Jet Set” finishes off with a kiss behind a hat between Frank Jr. and Evelyn Garrett. Evelyn plays as one of the principal dancers within the show. She choreographed Gonzalez’s and Leonard’s song “Stranger,” which takes place in the second act of the show.

Agent Hanratty begins telling the story of his childhood- why he is how he is- to Agents Dollar, Cod and Branton. “Other kids wanted to play cops and robbers, I only wanted to play cops,” he said. This is the start to the large musical number, “Don’t Break the Rules.”

Agents Dollar and Cod tease Hanratty constantly within the agency, even though he is their boss. Hanratty has a quirky personality in general, and is obsessed with catching Frank Jr. Why? The 16-year-old broke the rules, and as the musical number says, “Don’t Break the Rules.”

The ensemble joins the four FBI agents on stage for “Don’t Break the Rules.” Much of the choreography for the piece was full of jerks and pointed movements, especially for Hanratty. “He’s a stiff character, and it’s fun, being able to be awkward,” Taylor said.

“Don’t Break the Rules” features complex choreography and, in this section, slow-motion movement. The piece, similar to “Live in Living Color” and others, was rehearsed more often than other pieces. This was because most of the cast performed in the songs, while other songs were duets or even solos.

Frank Jr. meets with Frank Sr. to present his copilot status and attempt to give his father money. His hope through the entire story is to get his parents to remarry. However, Frank Sr. gives the news that his mother has gone with McQueen, with whom she had first had the affair.

Junior Lexy Rile and freshman Julie Whapham work on the sound booth during the show. Rile was the stage manager for the show. Her duties did not just extend to the sound booth, but to making sure the show- in its entirety- ran smoothly.

Senior Shelby Scaffidi and junior Emily Misali run the lights booth during the show. “Catch Me If You Can” featured hundreds of light effects, which were run by key switches as well as spotlight crews in the balconies. The light booth operated all fixtures within the Main Auditorium.

Agent Hanratty, along with Agents Cod, Branton, and Dollar (left to right) discover another tell-tale forged check from Frank Jr. In this scene, the FBI has found Frank Jr.’s hotel room, and have a warrant to search the area. Frank Jr. comes dangerously close to being caught.

Taylor sings the slow, blues-like tune of “The Man inside the Clues.” This was one of the songs within the show where there is a lone actor on stage performing the piece. In it, Hanratty goes through his thought process as he looks through Frank Jr.’s belongings and trash.

Frank Jr. poses as an Agent from the U.S. Secret Service. Though Hanratty is suspicious at first, he soon warms up to this “Barry Allen.” What he discovers soon after is that Barry Allen is the secret identity of the Flash, Frank Jr.’s favorite superhero.

The ensemble gathers on the set to sing a verse of Christmas carols. Even though there is Christmas cheer outside, Hanratty remains working in his office. Hanratty, though played by Taylor in the musical, was a real person who lost his family, and held onto his job as the only thing he had left.

Frank Jr. makes a surprise call to Hanratty’s office. Hanratty pieces together the fact that Frank Jr. is calling because he does not have anyone else to talk to on Christmas Day, just like him. Outside of the production, Taylor and Phillips played out this scene in real life by calling each other on Christmas Day and acting as their characters over the phone.

Hanratty answers the phone to Frank Jr., who he figures out is only a teenager. The story of “Catch Me If You Can” is a true one, and Frank Jr. and Hanratty eventually became partners and good friends. Frank Jr. himself came to see the premiere of the Broadway musical in 2011. He now does clinics with the FBI on identifying fake checks.