A year with Frog and Toad
PARKTOWN – The National Children's Theatre is currently showcasing 'A year with the Frog and Toad' play.
The National Children’s Theatre in Parktown is currently hosting A year with Frog and Toad play until 11 October.
The show broke new ground in New York by bringing professional children’s theatre to Broadway and was nominated for several Tony Awards.
The story starts with Arnold Lobel taking on a happy trip following the adventures of perky Frog and worrywart Toad as the two amphibians and their animal and bird friends live through the seasons.
This delightful musical weaves together well-known and loved short stories, and the audience will see how real friends encourage and take care of each other.
The play reveals how they deal with the challenges of daily living – waiting for seeds to grow, embarrassed at being seen in a swim suit, sending a letter by snail mail.
As the year progresses, the duo fly kites, rake leaves, Frog tries to frighten Toad during a thunderstorm with a scary story and the song Shivers.
Finally, as winter is approaching, Snail arrives to deliver the letter to Toad, proclaiming Frog’s satisfaction with their friendship – and then, all too soon, it’s time to hibernate again.
This kind of friendship – trustworthy, steadfast, and forgiving – may sound old-fashioned but Lobel’s books tell it in an engaging way: True friendship never goes out of fashion.
Directed by Francois Theron, A Year with Frog and Toad is fun and energetic. It is an enchanting musical for the whole family.
The musical score bubbles with melody and wit, upbeat jazzy and catchy songs that will replay in the audience’s mind long after they have left the theatre.
“There is much of educational value in the show,” said Moira Katz, CEO of National Children’s Theatre.
“Learning about the seasons, the behaviour of frogs and toads, metamorphosis, the beauty of friendship – all at a level children can understand. And then there is the opportunity to follow up with reading the books,” Katz said.
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