Digital Playbill: A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD

a YEAR with

FROG and TOAD 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.

A Year with Frog and Toad TYA Is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com ANY VIDEO AND/OR AUDIO RECORDING OF THIS PRODUCTION IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.

Props Designer Christy Norton

Producer SCERA President & CEO Adam J. Robertson Director/Music Direcetor Kelsey M. Thompson Choreographer Rebecca Boberg

Scenic Shop Manager Zippy Hellewell Hair & Makeup Designer Kelsea Smellie Carpenters Zippy Hellewell Ethan Harrison Emma Goslin Story Anderson

Stage Manager Danielle Berry Scenic Designer Scott Sackett Lighting & Sound Designer Audio Engineer Projections Chase Elison

Stitchers Kelsey Seaver Deborah Bowman Deck Crew Emma Goslin Fly Operator Ethan Harrison Prop Assistants Kaysie Norton Paige Wright

Scenic Artists Faith Sage Kalicia Moore Brighton Aland Vashti Coray

This project is supported by the Utah Arts Council, with funding from the State of Utah and the National Endowment for the Arts, which believes that a great nation deserves great art.

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Cast of Characters

Photos by Rachael Gibson

Frog....................................................................................................................................................... ERIC SMITH Toad.............................................................................................................................................. ADAM GOWERS Bird / Snail / Lizard /Father Frog / Mole..................................................................CAMPBELL GORDON Bird / Mouse / Squirrel / Young Frog / Mole................................................................................... KATRINA SMITH Bird / Turtle / Squirrel / Mother Frog / Mole...................................................................EMMA ROLLINS

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Director's Note Arnold Lobel’s Frog and Toad books are silly stories about two friends. In the Level 2 reader (reading with help), Lobel’s books give us a wonderful narrative on the two-sided, introverted and extroverted friendship.

Photo by Rachael Gibson

Frog is outgoing, outspoken, and all-around energetic, while Toad is a homebody with some insecurities and a grumpy side.

Together, they complement each other and have a safe and healthy friendship.

After I was asked to direct, I bought all the books and read them to my daughter, Kody. I had not read the books in many years, so the experience felt fresh to me. I found myself fully enthralled and emotional about these two friends.

Reading the books also made me think about myself and my husband, Jake. He is Frog and I am Toad. Jake is energetic and magnetic, while it takes me a few minutes to feel comfortable in a given space. He is optimistic and eager to learn and grow. I take much more time to adapt to new experiences. Together, we laugh, we cry, and we ground each other.

In truth, we can all find ourselves in Frog or Toad. In our relationships, carefully nurtured, we find the balance we need to experience joy in the little and even mundane things in life.

To the cast of this sweet show: I truly adore each of you. You bring so much life and joy to this story and I am humbled to have worked with you.

To Rebecca, Danielle, and the production team: Your love of this story sustained me. Thank you for being creative, collaborative, and supportive.

Finally, to my family: Jake, Kody, and Jack. My favorite people. My partner and beautiful children. Thank you for balancing me. For looking past my insecurities and helping me be brave.

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Scenes & Musical Numbers SPRING Opening: A Year with Frog and Toad..................................................Birds, Frog, Toad Spring.........................................................................................................Frog, Toad, Birds The Letter #1.................................................................................................................... Snail SUMMER Getta Loada Toad .............................................. Toad, Frog, Turtle, Mouse, Lizard Underwater Ballet Dance...................................................................................Birds The Letter #2........................................................................................................ .Snail Cookies ............................................................................................ Frog, Toad, Birds .

AUTUMN Leaves ...................................................................................................................Birds He’ll Never Know ................................................................................ Frog and Toad He’ll Never Know (reprise) ................................................................ Frog and Toad Shivers ..................................................................................Frog, Toad, Young Frog Father Frog, Mother Frog WINTER Snow Ballet ........................................................................................................ Moles, Snail The Letter #3..................................................................................................................... Snail Down the Hill.......................................................................................... Toad, Frog, Moles The Letter #4..................................................................................................................... Snail I’m Comin’ Out of My Shell........................................................................Snail and Moles Toad to the Rescue.....................................................................................Toad and Moles Merry Almost Christmas........................................................................ Toad, Frog, Moles SPRING Finale: A Year with Frog and Toad.......................................................................Company

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Cast & Staff Bios (in alphabetical order by last name)

DANIELLE BERRY

designed lighting for many of SCERA’s Theatre for Young Audiences productions, most recently for A Christmas Story The Musical and The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley. “I dedicate my work to my grandparents Jerry & Barbara. They introduced me to theatre and music at a young age. My grandma taught me piano for many years, and I had the honor of working with my grandpa for several productions here at SCERA. Love and miss you guys, ‘Ya done good!’”

(Stage Manager) Danielle works as SCERA’s Production Manager and Administrative Assistant, and has stage managed more shows than she can count. A favorite experience was stage managing three shows at the 2018 Edinburgh, Scotland Fringe Festival. Danielle has costume designed shows for SCERA and COPA Youth Theatre. “Thanks to the cast and production team who remind me why I love this crazy world of theater, and the biggest thank you to my friends and family for supporting me in what I love to do.”

CAMPBELL GORDON

(Bird / Snail / Lizard / Father Frog / Mole) Campbell is so excited to be back at SCERA and performing in her first TYA show! She is a hair stylist, Dr. Pepper addict, and has loved performing ever since she was a little girl, when she played the Baby Elephant Bird in Seussical. Campbell has also been featured as Mal in Descendants The Musical, Belle in Beauty and the Beast, Cosette in Les Misérables, and Jack in Into the Woods. She wants to give a huge shout out to the amazing production team for giving her this opportunity, and to her friends and family for their constant love and support!

REBECCA BOBERG

(Choreographer) While Rebecca has been performing in Utah County for 18 years, she has now found a new love in choreographing shows! Her most recent projects have been Mary Poppins, Newsies, Cinderella: The Tale of the Glass Slipper, The Fantasticks, The Addams Family, and The Drowsy Chaperone. Rebecca currently works at SCERA as their Dance Director and Volunteer Coordinator but aside from dancing and work, she finds absolute joy in raising her wonderful little boy, Banks, with her husband, Mitchell.

She is grateful for the opportunity to work with such a wonderful cast and also for the many people on the production team.

ADAM GOWERS

(Toad) Adam is excited to be back at SCERA after being in the ensemble for the 2018 SCERA Shell Outdoor Theatre production of Shrek The Musical! Adam graduated from UVU in 2022 with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and is so pleased to be in one of their favorite shows ever. Other recent credits include an Ancestor in The Addams Family (TCT) and Leonato in Much Ado About Nothing (GSC). When not acting, Adam does stage management, lighting design, and directing.

They would like to thank their partner for all the support!

CHASE ELISON

(Sound & Lighting Manager) Chase has been involved in theatre since he was 11 in SCERA’s Oliver. At age 15, he began working at the Lehi Arts Center, where he has run and designed countless productions in lighting and audio. Chase currently serves as SCERA’s Sound and Lighting Manager, and has 8

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ZIPPY HELLEWELL

Players). Emma wants to give a big thank you to friends and family who always support her and make life sweeter. It truly means the world!

(Scene Shop Manager) Zippy graduated from UVU with an AA in Theatre Arts. He has been doing theater since 5th grade when he was in his elementary school's production of Guys and Dolls Jr. and has loved it ever since. Zippy started off acting, but he also found his love for backstage along the way. He started working in technical theater in junior high and high school, as well as some classes at UVU. He’s spent the past few years at SCERA working on sets and backstage, and recently designed the set for The Play That Goes Wrong, Cinderella: The Tale of the Glass Slipper and A Christmas Story: The Musical.

SCOTT SACKETT

(Scenic Designer) Scott started performing at the age of 5 when he was Tiny Tim at the Hale Center Theater Orem and he hasn’t stopped since. He has performed with Hale Centre Theatre in Sandy and West Valley, HCTO, SCERA, BYU Young Ambassadors, BYU Vocal Point, and performed two summers in Edinburgh at the Fringe Festival. Favorite roles include Bert in Mary Poppins, Jinx in Forever Plaid, Private Sam Taylor in The Civil War, and Entertainer/Doctor/ Escapologist/Student/Cook/Sergei in Matilda.

In 2016, Scott took over the drama program at Orem High School and started learning all he could about the technical aspects of theater, which led him to earning his Masters in Theater Production and Design in 2022.

He is SO excited to be making his set design premiere! Thanks to Kelsey and Adam for giving him this chance, Zippy and the scene shop for their patience with his craziness, and his family, especially Shelly, for their constant love, support, and encouragement. Keep smiling!

CHRISTY NORTON

(Props Designer) Christy grew up in Orem and remembers going to SCERA as a child. She taught dance for 20+ years and was the Youth Dance director at SCERA for four years. Christy started designing props for SCERA in 2014. Her first production was The Cat in the Hat and since that time she has designed more than 80 productions. Christy loves the unique creative challenge of designing props to help tell the story! Special thanks to her husband Ben and three children and to her SCERA family for believing in me and supporting me.

KELSEY SEAVER

(Costume Designer) Kelsey is grateful for the opportunity to design and work in the SCERA Costume Shop for the last sixteen years. Some favorite shows she has designed are Singin’ in the Rain, Mary Poppins, The Addams Family, A Christmas Story, Seven Brides, Willy Wonka, The Little Mermaid, My Fair Lady, Seussical, Shrek, Aida, Beauty and the Beast and many others too numerous to mention. "Thanks to my family for their support, and my husband and three great kids that put up with late nights!

EMMA ROLLINS

(Bird / Turtle / Squirrel / Mother Frog / Mole) Emma couldn’t be happier to be back on the SCERA stage doing this incredible show with such a wonderful cast and directors. Some of Emma’s favorite theater memories have been these amazing TYA shows. Emma was last seen in SCERA Shell’s production of Oklahoma! this past summer, and some favorite past shows include Descendants (HCTY), Cinderella: The Tale of the Glass Slipper (SCERA TYA), and Nuncrackers (PG 11

Cast & Staff Bios (in alphabetical order by last name)

Fiddler on the Roof and Sister Act. Katrina's love of theater continues to grow with each show, and she is excited to start sharing this wonderful community with a family of her own.

ERIC SMITH

(Frog) Eric is thrilled to be a part of this production playing the role of Frog...especially after having performed the role of Toad in SCERA's full length production of the show in 2020. Eric has also appeared in other roles, including as Dr.Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in Jekyll and Hyde, Captain Phoebus in The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Ghost of Christmas Present in A Christmas Carol. By day, Eric works as a Realtor, and is married and has a baby girl with whom he loves to spend his free time.

KELSEY MARINER THOMPSON

(Director / Music Director) Kelsey holds a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from UVU. She has performed throughout the United States, as well as in the UK and Spain. In her career, she has directed, music directed, stage managed, and taught voice lessons - though her most fulfilling role is that of wife and mother. Favorite directing/music directing credits include: Mary Poppins, The SpongeBob Musical (SCERA Shell); The Addams Family (SCERA, CYT Houston); The Legend of Sleepy Hollow TYA, Rapunzel: A Very Hairy Fairy Tale TYA (SCERA). Favorite stage credits include: Marguerite St. Just in The Scarlet Pimpernel, Fantine in Les Miserables, Anita in West Side Story, Vi Moore in Footloose, Eliza Doolittle u/s in My Fair Lady (SCERA), Belle in A Christmas Carol (HCTO), Grandma in The Addams Family, Mrs. Dashwood in Sense & Sensibility (Lehi Arts), and Revered Mother in Nuncrackers (PG Players). “Everything for Jake, Kody, and Jack. My absolute favorites.”

KATRINA SMITH

(Bird / Mouse / Squirrel / Young Frog / Mole) Katrina has been a part of theater since she was a little girl. After growing up watching her siblings star on stage, she took matters into her own hands and did theater all through high school, including The Wizard of Oz and Fiddler on the Roof. After graduating , Katrina found the beautiful culture of community theater and performed in PTC’s Cinderella as the scullery princess herself. Since then, she has performed in The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Shrek the Musical,

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Photo by Rachael Gibson

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Scera Team SCERA Board of Directors Nancy Hale (Chair) Jerry Loveland (Past Chair) Bryan Pope (Secretary) Abbie Scott Dave McCann Delynn Rodeback Jason Craddock Jeanette Herbert Karlyn Norton SCERA President & CEO Marketing/Development Adam J. Robertson Operations Manager Marketing/Development April Berlin Administrative Services Manager Lesa Pulham House Manager Linda Campbell Production Manager Administrative Assistant Danielle Berry

Project & Volunteer Coordinator Rebecca Boberg

Asst. House Managers Dahl Jenkins Quin Swallow Betty Sager Julia Krebs Jakob Ellinger

Rentals & Special Events Coordinator Brodee Ripple Costume Shop Manager Kelsey Seaver

Facilities Staff Natacia Buckner Skyler Grant Dean Millard Makay Anderson

Costume Shop Staff Deborah Bowman Crysta Lamb

Graphic Design Stephanie Bird April Berlin

Scene Shop Manager Zippy Hellewell Prop Shop Manager Christy Norton

Photographers Rachael Gibson Derick Wolsleger

Sound & Lighting Manager Chase Elison

Concessions/Ushers SCERA Volunteers scera.org/volunteer

Box Office Staff Melanie Holdaway Tiffany Swank Ali Pangan Kroff Hadley Knight Jeanette Smith Kirstin Millard

PRESIDENT'S ADVISORY COUNCIL Brandon Fugal Bryan Farris Craig Werner Cynthia Gambill Glen Overton

Jennifer Durrant Jim Evans Mary Robinson Laurie Stokes Rita Wright

Greg Olsen Greg Reed James Clarke Heather Osmond Jeanette Bennett

Sam Cardon Terri Lindorf Will Fowlke Yevon Romney

NATIONAL ADVISORY BOARD Jim Brickman Composer/Entertainer Ashly Delgrosso-Costa Professional Dancer Crystal Gayle Entertainer

Gary Herbert Former Utah Governor Michael McLean Composer/Entertainer

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Michael Martin Murphy Entertainer Alan Osmond Producer/Entertainer Ben Vereen Broadway Star

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