Article by: Lavender Ibrahim, Contributing Writer
Theatre USA brought friendship, music, and adventure to the stage with its production of A Year with Frog and Toad, a musical based on the children’s books by Arnold Lobel. This musical was directed by Haley Green, an adjunct professor at South and a teacher at Murphy High School. The production follows two very different friends as they navigate the changing seasons and discover the importance of friendship. The performances ran at the Laidlaw Performing Arts Center at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 25 and 26, as well as Oct. 1 and 2. Along with this, there were two matinees at 2 p.m. on Sept. 25 and 26. A Year with Frog and Toad was first produced in 2002 and offered audiences a lighthearted story centered on Frog, who is cheerful and adventurous, and Toad, who is more reserved and grumpy. Throughout the story, the pair plants gardens, goes swimming, rakes leaves, and goes sledding, which strengthens their friendship.
Although the story is designed to appeal to younger audiences, its message extends beyond childhood. Frog and Toad’s relationship demonstrates how friendship can thrive despite differences in personality. Their adventures highlight the importance of patience, kindness, and being present for the people who matter most. Theatre USA takes advantage of this by providing two field trip opportunities to primary and secondary school students to enjoy and be immersed in the production.
The musical’s jazzy score, witty humor, and colorful cast of swamp characters contribute to its playful atmosphere. The production combines music, dance, and comedy to bring Lobel’s stories to life onstage. These theatrical elements help transform familiar childhood adventures into a live performance for audiences of all ages. The elements also provide the students of Theatre USA with an interesting challenge of bringing the once-illustrated world to life on stage.
The production’s technical elements helped bring the story’s whimsical world to life. Each cast member was dressed as a different animal, including frogs, mice, raccoons, and a snail, with the exception of the human narrator. The snail’s costume featured a life-sized shell worn on the actor’s back, adding to the production’s cartoon-like aesthetic. The set featured separate homes for Frog and Toad, creating a visual representation of their individual spaces while keeping their friendship at the center of the stage. Lighting also played an important role in the production, providing visual cues for the changing seasons and helping establish the passage of time throughout the story. The Theatre USA students had a big hand in these creations, being producers and designers for different sets and the lighting design.
Through the production’s focus on friendship and shared experiences, A Year with Frog and Toad offered a reminder that meaningful relationships do not depend on commonality; rather, the musical celebrates the simple moments that bring people together and the value of having a friend through every season.
