A Year with Frog and Toad. Photo by Nile Scott Studios.

Presented by Wheelock Family Theatre
Based on the books by Arnold Lobel
Music by Robert Reale
Book and lyrics by Willie Reale
Directed by Leigh Barrett
Music direction by David Freeman Coleman
Scenic design by Jenna McFarland Lord
Lighting design by Deb Sullivan
Costume design by Chelsea Kerl
Choreography by Brad Reinking
Featuring: Alan Cid, Kristian Espiritu, Will McGarrahan, Anthony Pires Jr., Tader Shipley

November 30 – December 15, 2024
200 The Riverway, Boston MA 02215
Tickets HERE

Run Time: Approximately 80 minutes without intermission

Review by Maegan Bergeron-Clearwood

BOSTON — The quiet seasonal joys depicted in A Year with Frog and Toad are a far cry from what many are experiencing this 2024 winter. Instead of end-of-year deadlines, unwelcome ads, and existential political dread, these beloved critters’ lives are occupied with kind favors and hot bowls of soup. It’s the kind of simple but evergreen message that’s best told through a children’s story: life’s richest moments are often the most mundane.

Robert Reale and Willie Reale’s adaptation of Arnold Lobel’s classic book series is, fittingly, simple. The plot follows Frog and Toad on various ordinary adventures throughout the year: watching a garden bloom, splashing around in the pond, and tobogganing down a snowy hill are all cause for vaudeville-style song and dance numbers. Like in the books, these episodes are short but sweet. Some feature a heartwarming message (Remember to check in on your friends; alone time is important), but usually, the takeaway is much sillier (Cookies are delicious! Toad looks funny in a bathing suit!).

In Wheelock Family Theatre’s production, these vignettes are charmingly woven together under the direction of Leigh Barrett. The stage is practically overflowing with lush, verdant flora (scenic design by Jenna McFarland Lord), and while the overall effect leans a bit more towards jungle than woodland forest, it looks like a colorful storybook come to life. Delicate shifts in color (lighting design by Deb Sullivan) transform the leaves from green to red to brown and back again, seamlessly transitioning the world from one season to the next. Clever little touches from costume designer Chelsea Kerl gesture toward the various woodland critter personas, while also contributing to the production’s overall warm and cozy vibe.

Of course, it’s the critters themselves who bring this little world to life. Anthony Pires Jr. and Will McGarrahan as Frog and Toad respectively portray their friendship with so much tenderness and care that one might easily believe they’ve been forest neighbors for years. Their performances balance each other beautifully: Pires’ Frog is reserved but infinitely kind, and his deep, honeylike vocals are a highlight of the production; McGarrahan’s performance relies more on physicality, and while his embodiment of Toad’s neuroticism elicits some of the biggest laughs from kids in the audience, it’s never the butt of the joke. Frog and Toad’s friendship is always framed as reciprocal, grounded in compassion and care.

Frog and Toad are accompanied by Birds, a Mouse, a Lizard, and many more neighbors, played by a nimble three-person ensemble: Alan Cid, Kirstian Espiritu, and Tader Shipley. Espiritu’s Snail, whose slow but spirited quest to deliver a letter intersperses many of the main vignettes, is a particular standout, thanks to Espiritu’s comedic chops and sweet but powerful vocals.

A chorus of Moles joins in on the festivities for the final few scenes, part of WFT’s decades-long tradition of featuring young performers alongside grown-up professionals. The Moles bring the story a greater sense of forest community while infusing the final few songs with even more vibrancy and joy.

A Year with Frog and Toad is perfect sweater weather theatre. The production is not advertised as a holiday show, but it features a Christmas scene, complete with tree and decorations, which is worth noting for anyone who doesn’t celebrate or finds the holidays emotionally taxing. If you’re in the holiday mood, however, this production may be just the warm and fuzzy 80-minute escapism you (and any kids in your life) are looking for.

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