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Regional Reviews: Philadelphia A Year with Frog and Toad A Year with Frog and Toad is an educational show. In fact, early in the first act of this musical, I learned something - but from an unlikely source. I was sitting in the second row at the Arden Theatre, watching the hapless Toad getting aggravated by the fact that the seeds he had planted did not seem to be growing into flowers fast enough. Watering them hadn't made them grow. Stomping on them hadn't made them grow. Doing a wild, interpretive dance for them hadn't make them grow (although it did make nearly everyone in the theater laugh). Finally, Toad ran into his house, then emerged from it with a tuba in his hands. "Seeds, I will play the tuba for you," he sang. That's when I learned an interesting fact. At that moment, I heard a whisper in my right ear: "In the book, it's a violin." That whisper came from Bridget Poserina, my eleven-year-old niece. She has been coming to the Arden's annual Christmastime musical for several years, along with her brother Jake (seven years old) and her sister Sarah (almost fourteen). This year I tagged along. And what did I discover observing them - and the show? Well, if you're about Jake's age or younger, you'll probably like A Year with Frog and Toad a lot. If you're a little older like his sisters, you'll probably enjoy it a bit, but feel you're too mature for it. And if you're a grownup like me, you may find something to enjoy, but for the most part you'll probably just grin and bear it. Based on a series of books by Arnold Lobel, A Year with Frog and Toad tells stories about the two titular best friends as they gallivant through the seasons. In the spring, they plant seeds. In the summer, they go swimming. In the fall, they rake leaves. In the winter, they go sledding. That's about all there is to this show. Each scene is a self-contained story, lasting just long enough to hold a small child's attention. Just when it seems as if the children might be getting bored, there is a resolution and the next story begins. The music by Robert Reale is gentle and moderately catchy, and has few surprises. There are sweet, tender ballads like "Alone," 1920s-style jazz numbers like "The Kite," and upbeat songs like "Getta Loada Toad" that sound as good as most of the stuff that passes for children's music these days. The book and lyrics by Willie Reale (Robert's brother) have few surprises either. There are no words here that will puzzle a small child, but the words are so plain, and the rhymes so predictable, that they won't hold the interest of older children, or adults, for very long. That's probably appropriate for the material. Arnold Lobel's "Frog and Toad" stories were simple tales told simply - usually about universal, undeniable truths like "friendship is what bonds us together" and "cookies are tasty" - and this show never lets you forget that. The creators of this show aim to entertain Lobel's original audience, and nothing more. Concocting a fuller story that let us get involved more with the characters, and give the characters a bit more depth, would have helped the show appeal to more than just a narrow age range. Fortunately, this production of A Year With Frog and Toad does have something that will keep viewers of all ages interested: a wonderful cast. Jeffrey Coon seems to be having a great time playing Frog; his light touch and his confident, knowing smile make him seem to be gliding through life without worries. But who needs worries when your best friend worries enough for two people - er, amphibians? Ben Dibble gives Toad a sharp, anxious comic style that makes him a perfect counterpoint to Frog. Where Coon is totally smooth, Dibble is one big sharp edge. They make a nice team, especially on the soft-shoe number "He'll Never Know." Keara Hailey and Maggie Lakis lend charming support as various other animals in the forest. But Joshua Lamon steals the show as "The Snail with the Mail," who keeps turning up in a running gag to announce that, yes, he is still attempting (slowly) to deliver a letter. His soaring tenor and broad comic style are delightful. As Bridget put it, "He's good! He's a good character, and he has a good singing voice." (Although she did notice how the Snail behaved differently when the lights went down: "He walks very slow, but then he runs offstage!") Director Whit MacLaughlin does a nice job of staging this show on the Arden's three-quarters thrust stage, letting the actors play to all sides and making the children in the audience feel comfortable. There's even a question-and-answer session after the show for any kids wondering how the hard things get done - for instance, how does the scenery move? A Year with Frog and Toad isn't aimed at adults, but how do kids feel about it? Sarah thought it was well done, and liked the actors a lot, but thought that she was too old for the show. I asked Bridget if it was better than other musicals she'd seen this year, like West Side Story (in a production for students at the Arden), Annie Warbucks (at the Walnut), and Seussical: "No, kinda worse," she said. "I really liked Seussical." And what about Jake - a rambunctious seven-year-old who only sits still for movies like The Emperor's New Groove and Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow? "I really didn't think I was gonna like it very much," he said, "but I really enjoyed it!" Now that's an opinion that matters. A Year with Frog and Toad runs through January 23, 2005 at the Arden Theatre Company, 40 North 2nd Street, Philadelphia. Tickets range from $12 to $28 (depending on age) and may be purchased by calling the Arden Box Office at 215-922-1122, or online at http://www.ardentheatre.org , or by visiting the box office.
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