You’re transported to a 1960s airport terminal — women with poofed hair cross the stage in polka dots and A-line skirts as bright colors reflect under the stage lights. Music begins, and the Spring musical at Buchholz High School opens with a choreographed ensemble number.
The production, “Catch Me If You Can,” follows the story of Frank Abagnale Jr., a teenager who takes on multiple identities — including a pilot, doctor and lawyer — while being pursued by an FBI agent. The musical is based on the same story as the 2002 film of the same name and is set in the 1960s, combining large ensemble performances with smaller scenes centered on family relationships and self-identity.
The show was selected as the school’s Spring musical in part because of its scale, according to student co-director Mia Gwaltney, a 16-year-old BHS junior. The theater program typically stages a larger musical in the Spring, providing more opportunities for students to participate both on stage and behind the scenes.
“We really wanted to do something big, bright and fun this year,” Gwaltney said. “And we thought that going out with a bang would be pretty cool.”
Senior Katie Kenny, 17, who plays Brenda (Frank’s love interest), has been involved in theater since elementary school and is performing in her second production at Buchholz after transferring before her senior year.
In this production, Kenny performs a featured ballad and participates in ensemble numbers, including one of her favorite scenes: a large family-centered number that marks a shift in the story’s tone. She said the role has required her to balance vocal technique with emotional delivery during rehearsals.
“It’s a really challenging, emotional song for me,” she said. “But that’s also the rewarding part because I get to put on a performance that makes people think and feel.”
The production includes a full ensemble cast, choreography-driven musical numbers and technical elements such as lighting, set design and live music. This season, the show incorporates a live student band, a shift from some previous productions that relied on recorded tracks.
Student co-director Gus Meucci, an 18-year-old BHS senior, said the decision to use a live band required additional coordination during rehearsals, particularly in balancing sound and staging.
“I was horrified to use the band,” he said. “But with this show, it is a pleasant surprise, it’s better than I thought it would be.”
Meucci said some songs benefit from live instrumentation, while others require adjustments to ensure the performers remain clearly heard. The musicians are incorporated into the stage space, which also influenced how scenes were blocked and how performers moved throughout the set.
Casting the production involved evaluating both vocal ability and acting performance, according to the directors. Because the show includes emotionally driven scenes in addition to large musical numbers, Meucci said they looked for performers who could handle both.
Meucci said directing required coordinating multiple elements of the show.
“Creating my own interpretation that the director paves the way for is beautiful,” he said. “All scripts are a story that gets passed on.”
Buchholz High School’s production of “Catch Me If You Can” opened April 16 and runs from April 16 to 18 and April 22 to 25.
Contact Aaliyah Evertz at aevertz@alligator.org. Follow her on X @aaliyahevertz1.
Aaliyah is a second-year journalism student in her second semester at the Alligator. She is the Avenue's spring 2026 entertainment reporter. In her free time, she enjoys reading and baking.
