When Life’s a Scam, the Stage Becomes a Playground of Jazz, Tricks and Broadway Mischief. Catch Me If You Can Arrives in Fort Lauderdale on October 11th.

September 22nd, 2025

As the Broward Center prepares to welcome Catch Me If You Can, audiences are in for a theatrical thrill ride that promises glitz, jazz and a hint of mischief. Director Patrick Fitzwater, juggling last-minute preparations in the lobby, shared an insider’s view of what makes this stage adaptation both a nod to the classic story and a fully modern theatrical experience.

“Catch Me If You Can is a different medium for people who’ve only seen the movie or read the book,” Fitzwater explained. “It’s not just about telling the story—it’s about making it live, making it immediate, and making it fun.”

And fun, indeed, is what audiences can expect. The production embraces the energy and style of the early 1960s while sprinkling in contemporary flair. “We present it like a variety show,” Fitzwater said. “Think Lawrence Welk meets Johnny Carson, but make it Broadway. Frank puts the audience through flashbacks and musical numbers that capture key moments in his life. It’s very cinematic, but it also keeps the immediacy of live theater.”

Big dance numbers, rapid scene changes, and a three-story set make the production as kinetic as the cons themselves. “The set allows for chases, almost like a giant mousetrap,” Fitzwater said. “Frank is always two steps ahead of Agent Hanratty, and the audience feels every twist and turn. The combination of fast pacing and mid-century modern furniture really transports you to the 1960s while keeping the story visually dynamic.”

Costumes do more than evoke the era, they tell Frank’s story through the women, the uniforms, and the personas he adopts. Pan Am pilots, flight attendants, nurses, and doctors aren’t just period detail; they illustrate his obsessions, his desires, and his upbringing. “Each job he lands in, he’s surrounded by beautiful women,” Fitzwater said. “It’s part humor, part psychology, part spectacle. You see his influences like his mother’s attractiveness and it all plays out on stage in a lively, sometimes cheeky way.”

But the production isn’t all sparkle. The emotional core lies in Frank’s relationship with Agent Carl Hanratty. Carl’s moral steadiness and his personal backstory, a childless life devoted to work, provide a counterpoint to Frank’s audacious schemes. “Frank becomes a sort of son Carl never had, and Carl becomes the father Frank should have had,” Fitzwater said. “It adds layers to the story that audiences can emotionally invest in, beyond just cheering for the cons.”

Modern technology and production design elevate these moments even further. LED lighting, choreography by Kat Pagano, and precise ensemble numbers heighten tension, humor and emotion. “When you’ve said all the words you can in a scene, a musical gives you a tool: sing or dance. Add those, and the scene reaches heights the book or movie could never hit.”

The music itself reinforces time and tone. Jazz-infused numbers, composed by the team behind Hairspray, evoke smoky lounges, intimate romance and a playful noir vibe. “Everybody’s smoking, everybody’s holding a rocks glass,” Fitzwater said, chuckling. “It adds sexiness and sophistication while keeping the story grounded in the 1960s. Then, the ensemble’s precision high-kicks and choreography give it a Broadway spectacle feel that keeps you anchored in the moment.”

Despite the glamour and humor, the story is relatable. Frank’s clever tricks and financial cons allow the audience to root for him without moral conflict. “He’s not malicious,” Fitzwater explained. “No one gets hurt. He’s outsmarting systems to build the life he wants, and audiences can’t help but get swept up in that audacity. There’s a moral dilemma, but it’s irresistible.”

Even today, the story feels contemporary. “History repeats itself,” Fitzwater said. “People are always pushing systems, looking for glory or facing consequences. Some modern ‘Franks’ may be behind keyboards instead of airline counters, but the thrill of outsmarting the system persists. The story is timeless; the technology just changes.”

For those who have never experienced live theater, Fitzwater emphasized the communal magic it provides. “Now’s the time to come to the theater. We all breathe the same air, share the same moments. In a world that often pulls us apart, live theater reminds us we can still experience something together.”

With jazz, dazzling choreography, clever sleight-of-hand and a moral center that keeps audiences rooting for the antihero, this production of Catch Me If You Can promises to transport viewers into a world where life’s a scam and the stage is the ultimate playground. Humor, spectacle, emotion and audacity collide in a show that invites everyone to live boldly, colorfully, and unapologetically.