The Chicago Children’s Theatre is kicking off their 8th season with a charming new production of “A Year with Frog & Toad.”
The Tony-nominated musical is based on Arnold Lobel’s beloved books that feature two lovable friends and their year-round adventures.
Directed by Henry Godinez (currently a residence artist at the Goodman Theatre) the play is chock-full of Vaudeville-inspired song and dance numbers that will get your toes tapping and your kids smiling. At one point, during a cute song about raking leaves, my 7-year-old turned to me and said, “I didn’t know raking leaves could be so funny.” I attribute this observation to both to Willie Reale’s witty lyrics, as well as Tommy Raplay’s clever choreography. The inviting set, designed by Geoffrey Curley, brings Lobel’s cozy drawings to life with innovative uses of nylon sheets to simulate water and snow. New to this production are special lily-pad seats where families can sit onstage as they watch the action unfold.
Karl Hamilton is pure joy as Frog, the upbeat and kind-hearted foil to “grumpy old” Toad. Of course, under Toad’s crusty demeanor is a heart of gold, which is evident with Mark David Kaplan’s spot-on performance. The rest of the ensemble includes Christine Bunuan, Brittani Arlandis Green and Shawn Pfautsch who are all equally engaging as Frog and Toad’s woodland friends. If you are a fan of Lobel’s books or just want to give your kids an authentic theatre experience, I highly recommend hopping over to “A Year with Frog & Toad.”
“A Year with Frog & Toad” runs through November 24 at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts,1016 N. Dearborn St., Chicago. For tickets, visit the CCT website or call the box office at 872-222-9555. Be sure to ask about their “autism-friendly” performance on November 1, as well as their ASL-interpreted performances on October 25 and November 19. The play runs 70 minutes long with no intermission and is best suited for kids 4 and older.
