A Year with Frog and Toad - Content Guide

A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD • AGES 3 & UP

“ONE THING THAT WILL NEVER CHANGE: FROG AND TOAD WILL ALWAYS BE GOOD FRIENDS.”

Charleston Stage, now celebrating its 47th Season, is South Carolina’s largest professional theatre company in residence at the Historic Dock Street Theatre. Charleston Stage’s acclaimed full-scale productions light up the stage with stunning scenery, dazzling costumes, and brilliant lights! Productions feature a Professional Resident Acting Company and over 100 professional actors, singers, designers and theatre artists. All performances take place at the Historic Dock Street Theatre, “America’s First Theatre,” in the heart of downtown Charleston.

Music by Robert Reale

Book and Lyrics by Willie Reale

Based on the Books by Arnold Lobel

Originally Presented on Broadway by Bob Boyett, Adrianne Lobel, Michael Gardner, Lawrence Horowitz and Roy Furman

World Premiere at The Children’s Theatre Company Minneapolis, Minnesota

Direction and Choreography by Rylee Coppel

Music Direction by Sam Henderson

BRIEF Synopsis:

A Year with Frog and Toad is a heartwarming and whimsical musical that brings to life the charming adventures of the two best friends, Frog and Toad, based on Arnold Lobel’s beloved children’s books. As the seasons change, so do the delightful escapades of these lovable amphibians, from planting gardens to sledding down hills. With catchy tunes and endearing characters, the musical unfolds as a series of vignettes capturing the essence of friendship, nature, and the simple joys of life. Featuring a refreshing blend of humor, warmth, and toetapping melodies, A Year with Frog and Toad is a joyful celebration of the enduring magic found in the everyday moments shared between friends.

CHARACTERS:

FROG

TOAD

MAN BIRD

MOUSE

SNAIL

LADY BIRD 1

LADY BIRD 2

LARGE AND TERRIBLE FROG

TURTLE

LIZARD

SQUIRREL 1

SQUIRREL 2

YOUNG FROG

FATHER FROG

MOTHER FROG

MOLE 1

MOLE 2

the creative team

Robert Reale (Music)

After graduating music school and touring for several years in jazz and rock bands, Reale moved to New York in the mid-80’s where he responded to a demand for authentic, high-end music for film and television. He started out playing in orchestras for off-Broadway shows, then soon began collaborating on songs for musical theatre with his brother, Willie. The pair had several Off-Broadway successes before A Year With Frog and Toad, which was their first show to make it to Broadway. Robert received a Tony nomination for Best Original Score Music.

While continuing to bring musical stories to the stage, he founded 4 Elements Music, a company that provides music for major network news shows, film and television, and commercials. The 4EM library now includes over 5,000 cuts by a roster of over 40 accomplished composers and regularly provides music for ABC’s Good Morning America, 20/20, and PrimeTime. Other regular clients include NBC, CBS, Showtime and many others. 4EM has now recently expanded worldwide, having signed deals with sub publishers and distributors throughout Europe, Asia, and Australia.

In addition to composing for many demanding television and film projects, Rob continues to work on several musical theatre productions, including Johnny Baseball, which ran in August 2012 at the Village Theatre Festival Of New Musicals in Seattle. Outside of work, Rob is passionate about cooking, perfecting his tennis game, and spending time with his son Gabe.

Willie Reale (Lyrics)

Willie is an American playwright and lyricist who often works with his elder brother Robert Reale. In 1981, he founded the 52nd Street Project, an organization that brings inner-city children together with professional theater artists to create theatrical works. He served as the artistic director for eighteen years and produced hundreds of plays with the Street Project, which has been replicated at twelve sites across the United States, using a series of publications called the Kid Theater Kit. Reale is married to producer Jenny Gersten. They have two children, Augustus and Leonardo. He has won an Academy Award for the song “Patience” from the musical Dreamgirls and two Tony-awards for his work on A Year with Frog and Toad.

Spoiler alert, you may not want to read this before seeing the play.

The Birds have come back at the end of winter ready for spring. They look in on Frog and Toad, still in hibernation in their homes (“A Year With Frog and Toad”). While still asleep, Frog and Toad sing about their friendship and the new year ahead (“It’s Spring”). Frog then wakes and decides to get his friend out of hibernation for the new year.

Once convinced it’s spring, Toad decides that he wants to plant a garden. Frog gives him some seeds. Toad plants them but is very impatient that they grow quickly. He sits up all night with his seeds. He feels bad because he’s yelled at them and worries that the seeds are afraid to grow (“Seeds”). He sings for them. He dances for them. He plays the tuba. By morning, they have begun to grow.

Now that it’s morning, Toad knows mail should be delivered. He is sad, however, because he never receives mail. Frog goes home to write Toad a letter. He asks Snail to deliver it for him (“The Letter”).

Frog and Toad go to the pond for a swim. Toad is uncomfortable that Frog will see him in his bathing suit. (“Getta Load of Toad”). Frog promises not to look until Toad is in the water. Toad asks Frog to instruct Turtle to leave so she won’t see him come out of the water. Instead, Turtle calls mouse and lizard over to look at Toad. Freezing, Toad must eventually leave the water (“Underwater Ballet”) and everyone gets a good look at Toad in his bathing suit.

Later Toad brings lunch to Frog. But frog is not home. He’s left a note that he wants to be left alone on the island. Toad worries that Frog is sad. He rides a log out to the island and accidentally falls in the water, getting all their sandwiches wet. It turns out that Toad is not sad. He is happy. He just wanted time alone to think about how happy he really is (“Alone”). Together, they eat wet sandwiches.

Meanwhile, snail is still on his way to deliver Frog’s letter to Toad (“The Letter – Reprise”). Frog and Toad are at Toad’s home preparing dinner. They make cookies intended for desert but can’t stop eating them (“Cookies”).

Frog has a kite which Toad tries to help him fly. (“The Kite”). The birds laugh at their failed attempts. Finally, the kite flies.

It’s now the end of summer (“A Year With Frog and Toad”) and leaves cover the ground. Both Frog and Toad plan a surprise by secretly raking the other’s yard (“He’ll Never Know”). They clean one another’s yard but as soon as they leave, the squirrels come and mess up their neat piles of leaves. Neither ever finds out the good deed they’ve done for one another.

Frog and Toad visit at home. It is a dark and stormy night. Frog thinks it’s a good night for a scary story (“Shivers”). He tells the tale of a young frog, presumably himself, who escapes the clutches of a Large Terrible Frog before he is eaten.

Synopsis of a year with frog and toad

Meanwhile, Snail is still on the way to deliver Frog’s letter to Toad.

It’s now winter. Frog and Toad are on top of a hill prepared to sled down it, despite Toad’s fear of sledding (“Down the Hill”). On the way down, Frog accidentally falls off the sled. Toad continues down the hill. He takes the wrong path – the dangerous and bumpy path. When Toad reaches the bottom of the hill he is so mad Frog made him sled that he says he will never to talk to Frog again.

Snail arrives with Frog’s letter to Toad. In the letter frog tells Toad how he can’t be happy unless his friend Toad is happy. Toad decides to talk to Frog again. Snail, having delivered his first letter, is very proud (“I’m Coming Out of My Shell”).

It’s now Christmas Eve. Toad is in his kitchen. He’s terribly worried because Frog is late. He imagines all the terrible things that could have happened to Frog (“Toad to the Rescue”). Frog arrives. He’s been wrapping Toad’s present. Toad tells him how worried he’s been (“Merry Almost Christmas”).

Now back in hibernation, Frog and Toad are in their beds. It’s almost spring again! The Birds sing (“Finale”) as Frog and Toad get ready for another fun-filled year.

ABOUT THE BOOKS

Each book contains five simple, often humorous, sometimes poignant, short stories chronicling the exploits of a Frog and his friend, a Toad. They have many adventures that include: attempting to fly a kite, cleaning Toad’s messy house, and figuring out the ethics of being.

In 2008 three of Arnold Lobel’s uncolored, unpublished, Frog and Toad books were discovered in an estate sale. They were consolidated into two books and colored by Lobel’s daughter Adrianne Lobel, however, these books appear to be very different from the original set.

The Frog and Toad books, in order of publication date, are:

Frog and Toad are Friends (1970)

Frog and Toad Together (1972)

Frog and Toad All Year (1976)

Days with Frog and Toad (1979)

Ribbiting Frog Facts

• Frogs are amphibians. The word amphibian means “two lives.” Frogs live part of their lives in water and part on land.

• Frogs go through big changes. They start out as eggs laid in or near water. In their next stage, most change into fish-like creatures called tadpoles. They stay in the water and breathe through gills. Adult frogs spend a lot of time on land, taking in oxygen through their lungs and skin.

• Frogs are survivors. Two frogs you might hear calling this spring are wood frogs and spring peepers. These frogs survive winter in an amazing way. They burrow underground and turn into frozen frogsicles! Sugars in the blood act as antifreeze that protects the organs from damage, while the rest of the body freezes solid.

• Frogs call in spring. Some frogs start calling very early in the spring, while some wait until the weather warms up. A frog’s calls will be slower in cold temperatures than warm ones, because the muscles that control the sounds work more slowly.

• Frogs are leapers. Frogs are some of the best jumpers in the animal kingdom. They can leap more than 20 times their own length. If you’re 4 feet tall, that would be like you jumping the length of two school buses—and then some!

• Frogs have awesome vision. Why is it so hard to sneak up on a frog? Because with those big bulgy eyeballs, the frog can see in all directions without moving its head – even when everything but its eyes and nose are underwater.

• Frogs use their eyes to swallow! When a frog swallows a meal, it squeezes its large eyes closed. The eyes actually sink down into the frog’s head, helping to push the food down the frog’s throat.

TOADS

are different than Frogs, ya know!

• Fact 1 - Definition: A toad is a tail-less stout-bodied amphibian with long hind limbs for leaping. There are semi-aquatic and terrestrial species. Most toads have a rough, warty skin in which are glands that secrete an acrid fluid.

• Fact 2 - Toads are generally terrestrial in their habits except during the breeding season, when they seek water.

FROGS, AND TURTLES, AND TOADS! OH MY!

• Fact 3 - Most toads burrow beneath the earth in the daytime and come out to feed on insects at night.

• Fact 4 - Though frogs and toads are different species, they both belong to the same family. The frog and toad are amphibians which means that they live part of their life in water and the other part of it on land.

• Fact 5 - Toads tend to have dry, bumpy skin whereas the frog has smooth skin.

• Fact 6 - Frog’s eyes tend to be protuberant whereas the toad has more recessed eyes.

• Fact 7 - Frogs have small teeth like fish teeth whereas toads do not have any teeth.

• Fact 8 - Frog eggs are laid in tight circular batches whereas Toad eggs are usually laid in long strings.

• Fact 9 - The American toad uses its tongue to snap up insects.

• Fact 10 - Common toads usually walk rather than hop.

• Fact 11 - Toads hibernate during the winter.

Common Toad stats and facts

Weight: 20-80 g

Length: 8-13 cm

Habitat: Cool and moist places

Lifespan: 20-40 years

Diet: Toads eat insects, insect larvae, spiders and flies

Western Swamp Turtle

• They live in swamps.

• They are found in only 2 swamps in Western Australia.

• Most of the year they sleep in a hole.

• They wake when the winter rain comes.

• They eat shrimps and worms.

Western swamp turtles were thought to be extinct, because none had been seen for over 50 years. However, in 1953 a Perth schoolboy brought one to a pet show. A conservationist was

FROGS, AND TURTLES, AND TOADS! OH MY!

there, and the turtle was unfamiliar to him so he investigated further. A search was made, and several more western swamp turtles were found and taken to Perth Zoo. The zoo continues to breed the turtles, assisted by Adelaide Zoo, and each year some Western Swamp turtles are released into the wild.

Physical features

The western swamp turtle has a squarish brown shell about 14 cm long. It weighs about 400 grams.

Behavior

The western swamp turtle spends the summer months buried in soil and leaves. It becomes active when the winter rains come and the habitat floods. They are found only in two swamps, both near Perth, Western Australia. The swamps are formed by the winter rainwater staying on the clay ground.

Food

Western swamp turtles eat tadpoles, insect larvae, shrimps and worms, which they find in the shallow water and around the edges of the swamps where they live.

Life Cycle

After the turtles mate in September, the female digs a hole with her front legs, lays 3-5 hardshelled eggs in a hole which she then covers with leaves and soil. Western swamp turtles are the only kind of turtle or tortoise known to dig with their front feet. Six months later, in the first winter rain, the eggs hatch. The young grow slowly and take 10-15 years to mature. The turtles live for about 40-50 years.

Conservation Status

Although numbers have increased, the western swamp turtle is still Australia’s most endangered reptile. There are about 200 in the zoo breeding program, and about 130 now in the wild.

The Reasons They Became Endangered

• Swamps have been drained for farming.

• Drought and bush fires have also reduced their habitat.

• They were killed by foxes, and feral dogs and cats.

Authorities have established a safe wild habitat where the zoo-bred turtles are released.

Why do birds fly south for the winter?

Birds regularly move north and south following the apparent movement of the sun in search of warm climatic conditions. When the Northern Hemisphere is having winter, the Southern hemisphere will be experiencing summer conditions and birds fly towards south. Now (November) the sun is in the southern hemisphere and continues to move towards the Tropic of Capricorn. So they fly towards south. This phenomenon is called bird migration. There are reports that some birds fly from one pole to the other regularly to live always in summer conditions.

Some birds do not migrate at all, but live in the same range all year long. This is especially true in warmer climates, but some birds even stay in the Arctic all year. Some birds that migrate move in other directions, such as east or west, or from higher elevations to lower elevations, to get to where they can find food or shelter in the winter.

And or course, in the Southern Hemisphere, most birds fly north in the winter.

DISCUSSION before THE PERFORMANCE

1. The birds fly south for the winter. What do you and your family do for the winter? Do you have a ritual that you do every year?

2. Do you have a best friend? What do you do to show that friend that you care about him or her?

3. Have you read the Frog and Toad books? What are some of your favorite parts or stories from the books? How do you think they will be played on stage?

DISCUSSION AFTER THE PERFORMANCE

1. What do you know now about frogs, toads, birds, and snails? How do they move? How did you believe the actors were playing those animals?

2. What were the visual elements of the play that make you believe the setting? What was on the set? Were there specific props that helped yo believe the setting? How did the lights help?

3. What costumes did the actors wear that helped you acknowledge what kind of animals they were?

The official Musical Theatre International A Year with Frog and Toad website: http://www.mtishows.com/show_detail.asp?showid=000254

The Original Cast Recording of A Year with Frog and Toad on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Year-Frog-Toad-Original-Recording/dp/B0001IN0LW

Official Internet Broadway Database for A Year with Frog and Toad: http://www.ibdb.com/production.php?id=13478

dock

For almost 300 years audiences have delighted in performances at the Historic Dock Street Theatre which stands on the site of the very first theatre building in America which opened its doors in 1736. The current building, originally The Planter’s Hotel was built in 1803 and in 1937 was converted into the Dock Street Theatre know today. Charleston Stage presents over 150 performances at the Historic Dock Street Theatre playing to theatre goers from every state in the union and many foreign countries. The Dock Street Theatre, newly renovated in 2010, is currently owned and managed by the City of Charleston. Other performing arts groups including Spoleto Festival USA perform here annually.

On February 12, 1736 the Dock Street Theatre opened with a performance of The Recruiting Officer. Built on the corner of Church Street and Dock Street (now known as Queen Street), the Historic Dock Street Theatre was the first building in America built exclusively to be used for theatrical performances. Flora, the first opera performance in America, took place at the Historic Dock Street Theatre.

The original Dock Street Theatre was probably destroyed by the Great Fire of 1740 which destroyed many of the buildings in Charleston’s French Quarter. In 1809, the Planter’s Hotel was built on this site and in 1835 the wrought iron balcony and sandstone columns of the Church Street facade were added. A number of notable persons worked and patronized the Planter’s Hotel including the noted 19th Century actor Junius Brutus Booth (father of Edwin and John Wilkes Booth). Robert Smalls, an African-American Civil War hero, who stole a steamboat in the harbor and sailed it out past the Confederate-held Ft. Sumter and turned it over to the blockading Union Fleet, served as a waiter in the hotel’s dining room prior to the war. Charleston’s famed Planter’s Punch was first introduced here.

After the Civil War, the Planter’s Hotel fell into disrepair and was slated for demolition. But in 1935, after Milton Pearlstine made the property available to the City of Charleston and at the urging of Mayor Burnet Maybank and other notable citizens, the original building became a Depression Era WPA (Works Progress Administration) project. At that time, the present theatre was constructed within the shell of the

Planter’s Hotel. The hotel’s grand foyer became the grand foyer of the theatre and the hotel’s dining room now serves as the box office lobby. The beautiful woodwork and mantels of the second floor drawing room were salvaged from the Radcliffe-King Mansion (circa 1799) which stood at the corner of George and Meeting Streets and was razed to build the College of Charleston gymnasium, another WPA project. Modeled on eighteenth century London playhouses by Charleston architect Albert Simons, the present Dock Street Theatre’s new stage house and auditorium were built in the hotel’s courtyard. The local carpenters who were put to work as a part of this Depression era relief effort utilized locally grown and milled native black cypress for the beautiful warm wooden interior. Following this $350,000 renovation, The Historic Dock Street Theatre’s second grand opening took place on November 26, 1937. Notables in the audience included author DuBose Heyward (Porgy) who was named writer-inresidence.

The Historic Dock Street Theatre reopened for the third time on March 18, 2010 after a three year, $19 million dollar renovation by the City of Charleston. This extensive fullscale renovation brought the historic theatre into the 21st century with state-of-theart lighting and sound, modern heating and air conditioning, and new restrooms and seating. In addition, the theatre was made seismically secure and fully handicapped accessible. Extensive sound-proofing was added to ensure that outside noises no longer intruded on performances inside.

Acting Classes

200+ Students Attend Acting Classes

After School

Charleston Stage’s TheatreSchool offers classes year round for students from kindergarten through high school at Charleston Stage’s West Ashley Theatre Center. Acting classes for students of all ages and abilities are taught by members of Charleston Stage’s Professional Resident Acting Company. Classes range from beginning classes to performance workshops and performance troupes. We are now offering a new full-year registration. Tuition scholarships are available for need-based students. Register online today at CharlestonStage.com/education!

ArtReach In-School Workshops

Bringing Professional Actors Into the Classroom

Charleston Stage’s Professional Resident Actors provide dynamic workshops in area schools throughout the Lowcountry. Workshops use theatrical skills to teach academic subjects and can be combined with a school matinee performance experience. For information on booking ArtReach workshops, contact Rylee Coppel, Director of Education and Engagement, at rcoppel@charlestonstage.com or (843) 225-3900.

TheatreWings High School Apprenticeships

A Tuition-Free Apprentice Program For Teens

The TheatreWings High School Apprentice Program is designed to allow talented young people the opportunity to work directly with theatre professionals and gain first-hand experience in professional theatrical production. Students explore stage management, lighting and sound, as well as set, prop, and costume design and construction. Designed for highly dedicated students, TheatreWings requires more than 100+ hours of apprenticeship each season. For more information, email TheatreWings Co-Coordinators Ravyn Meador or Caleb Garner at wings@charlestonstage.com.

For more information on our Education programs, call the Education Office at (843) 225-3900 or visit CharlestonStage.com/education.