Show Synopsis:
Frank Abagnale, Jr. is stopped by the authorities at Miami airport and tells them the long story of how he got away with a life of conning. He grows up amusing others with his deeds of deception. His parents divorce, and instead of choosing who should have custody over him, he runs away and begins creating fake checks to cash at banks all over the country. He flies to New York and becomes a pilot because of all the attractive women, earning enough money to offer his father financial help, though he refuses. FBI Agent Carl Hanratty begins to investigate the trail of fake checks and tracks down Frank?s hotel room, where Frank disguises himself as a Secret Service Agent to get rid of him. Frank begins pretending to be a doctor at Atlanta General Hospital, where he has his pick of beautiful women, and Hanratty tracks down Frank?s parents but gets no information out of them. Frank falls in love with a nurse named Brenda who takes him to meet her family right before Frank proposes. Frank realizes that Hanratty is closing in on him and comes clean to Brenda, who refuses to confess anything to Hanratty because she loves Frank. Back at the airport, Hanratty tells Frank that his father has died, and Frank realizes that he has nowhere else to run to but jail. After seven years in prison (amended from fifteen) Frank becomes a consultant for the FBI to find criminals.
Character:
Frank Abagnale, Jr., an extremely confident and intelligent young man who resorts to a life of deception and crime out of desperation to take control.
Song Context:
Frank finds out that his father is dead and realizes that it is time to stop running and face the consequences for what he did. He bids an emotional goodbye to the wandering lifestyle he has become accustomed to.
Fun Facts:
1) This musical is based on the popular 2002 movie of the same name, which was based on the true story of Frank Abagnale, Jr.
2) In an interview with Talkin' Broadway, lyricist Scott Wittman said that the book writer Terrence McNally would often give them a monologue for a character, and Wittman's songs with co-lyricist/composer Marc Shaiman would grow out of that monologue.
3) The role of Frank Abagnale, Jr. was originally played by Aaron Tveit.
"It's my happy ending,
Now its time to say goodnight.
We can stop pretending,
Tell the spotlight man turn off my light.
?Cause the show is done now,
And its time to leave the stage.
Yeah, the good guys won now
And the band has no more songs to play.
It?s a happy ending so I?ll say
Goodbye,
Goodbye to all the make believe,
Goodbye.
There?s no more magic up my sleeve.
There?s nothing left to act up here,
I?ll take my bow and disappear.
No questions left for answering.
There?s only one word left to sing-
Goodbye.
It?s a happy ending,
To the greatest show on earth.
Now the curtain?s descending
And I hope you got your money?s worth.
Gonna stop the show now
?Cause I wanna leave on top.
So get up and go now.
?Cause there?s nothing left inside my head.
Everything that?s left to say?s been said.
Goodbye,
Goodbye to all the song and dance,
Goodbye.
Off stage I stand a better chance.
The show is through, the part?s been played.
No standing in the wings afraid.
No violins or phony tears.
The word that?s music to my ears is goodbye.
Well goodbye, goodbye, goodbye!
I?m not afraid of stopping,
This end could be my start.
I wanna live a life and not just play a part.
I?ll walk into the sunset,
I?ll sail across the sea,
The final word, the last you?ll hear of me, of me
Is goodbye, goodbye to every night alone.
Goodbye, goodbye to lives I don?t own.
I?m tired of living on the stage,
A life that?s only on the page.
Empty lies are in the past,
I?ve tried before but here?s the last goodbye.
Now goodbye, goodbye, goodbye!"