 A Year with Frog and Toad!! June 25- July 26
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. - Saturday 10 a.m. (No show July 4th)
Introducing children to the performing arts at a young age is our way of inspiring future artists and building future audiences!
A hit on Broadway,A Year with Frog and Toadwas nominated for three Tony Awards, including “Best Musical.” This stage musical remains true to the spirit of award-winning writer and illustrator Arnold Lobel’s original stories of two friends, the cheerful Frog and the grumpy Toad.
Waking from hibernation in the spring, the two friends proceed to plant gardens, swim, rake leaves, and go sledding. Snail, Mouse, and the rest of the animal gang join the pair in kite flying and cookie munching. Along the way, the frog and toad celebrate important life lessons about friendship. (Young Audiences version - one hour musical)
A Year with Frog and Toad is being directed and choreographed by Bill Mutimer, the Artistic Director at The Main Street Theatre as well as a Partner/Artistic Director in the short lived Centre for the Arts on Main. The set designer is C. Scott Robinson, design assistant for last year's productions of Fiddler on the Roof and Pump Boys and Dinettes. Costume designer is Lex Gurst, whose costume design credits include Psycho Beach Party and Belle Reprieve for the Theatre Outlet. The lighting designer is Travis Johnson, a junior at Muhlenberg College who has been a lighting designer in the greater Philadelphia area for eight years.
Frog is played by Tom Kelleher, a recent graduate of Muhlenberg who has previously appeared in the MTA’s Pippin, The Pirates of Penzance, Big Love!, and Set. Toad is played by Gabriel Martinez, who recently appeared in the MTA’s Ruddigore and the studio production Working: The Musical. . Zachary J. Chiero plays the Snail, and the inventive ensemble of creatures also includes Jessica Alex, Natalie West, Scott Parkinson and Carolina Millard. Musical director is Kristin M. Sgarro, a Parkland graduate who has performed at Civic Theatre of Allentown as well as for the Muhlenberg Theatre Association.
 The Legacy of Frog and Toad
The story of A Year with Frog and Toad begins in 1970, when Arnold Lobel's classic book Frog and Toad are Friends was first published. Lobel received a Caldecott Honor award, and went on to publish three additional volumes of Frog and Toad adventures. In 1973, Frog and Toad Together was named a Newbery Honor book, making Lobel one of only a handful of authors to have received honor citations from both of children's literature's highest awards.
In 2002, Adrianne Lobel, the author's daughter, and a successful designer and producer in her own right, commissioned a musical based on her father's most beloved characters. Willie Reale was asked to write the book and lyrics and his brother Robert would compose the music.
A Year with Frog and Toad, which incorporates stories from all four books, premiered at the Children's Theater Company of Minneapolis on August 23, 2002. The next stop was the off-Broadway New Victory Theater, specializing solely in family-oriented fare. After stellar reviews and a sold out run, the show transferred to Broadway, where it opened at the Cort Theater on April 13, 2003. A Year with Frog and Toad received three Tony nominations, including Best Musical. The “Young Audiences Version” of the musical was released this year.
STUDY GUIDE for GRADES K-4
Our study guide includes: A profile of the author Arnold Lobel, a preview of the show, a list of characters you will meet, a list of new words from the show, activites to share with Frog and Toad, and questions and activites to try after viewing the performance.
We have also included some hints on being a good audience!
Don't miss the chance to design a new bathing suit for Toad, or to write your favorite actor a letter!
To view the study guide in PDF format,
CLICK: A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD STUDY GUIDE!
Musical Theatre for Children at MUHLENBERG COLLEGE
Our children’s theatre programs are considered to be among the finest work being mounted for young people in our community. Our goal is to excite and preserve the innate joy and creativity in children and parents by sharing the experience of the live performing arts. The live performance of musical theatre for children ages 4 - 10 introduces a new generation of artists and audiences to the value of the performing arts. For developing young college artists and performers, these expanding programs offer professional opportunities to perform, direct and design, and to learn as well as participate in the main stage season.
The thousands of children who attend these productions each summer are beginning a lifelong appreciation for the performing arts. We play to large audiences of multi-generational families and groups from the community, including area day care centers, private and public schools, summer workshops and special care programs. Don't miss the opportunity to introduce the youngsters in your life to the joys of Muhlenberg Summer Music Theatre.
An intimate 50-square foot performance space that allows for creative scenic design and flexible staging, the Studio Theatre is located on the lowest level of the Trexler Pavilion for Theatre & Dance. The intimate performance space is the home for the Muhlenberg Summer Music Theatre's productions of musical theatre for children. Click to see the performance calendar.
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2400 Chew St.