A Year with Frog & Toad at The Coterie Summer 2015

Recently, my girls and I attended A Year with Frog and Toad at The Coterie. We're long-time fans of The Coterie, and their professional team of creative people who tell stories with whimsy, imagination, and surprise at every show. My oldest daughter was recently in CYT's production of A Year with Frog & Toad, so she was excited to see The Coterie's interpretation of the show.

As a mom, I have to admit that when I first heard about this show I was unsure what to expect. I'm a long-time fan of the Frog and Toad series by Arnold Lobel, but I found it hard to imagine the simple early reading books as a musical. Was I ever pleasantly surprised!

The music for the show is inspired by Vaudeville and the 40s (I'm a huge fan of the era with a large collection of old radio shows and music from the period, so this appealed to me right away). The story tells the tale of friendship as two BFFs, Frog and Toad respectively, experience all four seasons together embarking on mini-adventures as friends. Frog, ever the optimist, and Toad, the skeptic/pessimist, complement each other well and their friendship is one many of us can relate to.

The Coterie took this newer Broadway Musical and made it their own. With Seth Jones playing Frog, Steven Eubank as Toad, and a talented supporting cast of neighboring animals, the show takes children on an imaginative world of very small animals. With mushrooms for houses and leaves for beds, the sets are creative and vibrant. 

Many of the songs in the production are especially fun and memorable with Cookies as the crowd-pleasing favorite. For this song, the cast taught the children a simple Cookie Dance before the show and asked them to join them in dancing during that scene of the play. My girls especially enjoyed this interactive element in the production.

My girls enjoyed the upbeat music, the comedic antics of the characters like the Snail with the Mail who claims to be "faster than a cheetah" and the scene where we learn that "Toad looks funny in a bathing suit," all capped with a positive message: True friends are friends forever through thick and thin, and they are to be treasured. The show lasts approx. 1 hour and was a fun-filled, upbeat musical with a positive message of friendship. 

This show is at The Coterie through August 2, 2015. Tickets are $10 for ages 18 and under, and those 60 and over, and $15 for adults. There are group discounts as well. The show is recommended for ages 5 and older, however my 3 year old enjoyed the show. I think early elementary students and younger, the same audience that enjoys Lobel's books, will enjoy this production.

Quick FAQs parents ask:

• Is the show scary? There is one scene about the "Large and Terrible Frog" where Frog recounts a spooky story for Toad during a thunderstorm. The story is more funny than scary, but just a little bit spooky for younger ones. 
• What do I need to know? For those new to The Coterie, it's important to know that there are seats for adults and children are encouraged to sit on the floor criss-crossed legs near the stage. The small, intimate theater, is the perfect setting for this casual Children's theater experience. Also, no food or drink is allowed in the theater. I recommend scheduling your attendance carefully around meal and nap times.
• Will my child enjoy the show/ pay attention? My girls ages 9, 7, 5, and 3 all paid close attention through the show and enjoyed it. My younger girls enjoyed it most (keeping in mind my 9 year old was recently in the same production and had it well memorized).
• Parking - what about paying for parking? The Coterie validates Crown Center parking ALL DAY (instead of the 3 hours free you get at stores, it is FREE all day if you are attending a Coterie show). So, I recommend having it stamped at the theater vs. a shop. Don't forget to have your parking pass validated when you arrive.

Tip: While you're there, make time to visit Crown Center's FREE Storyland exhibit!