They're back, and offering their odd-couple delights to a new generation of theatergoers.
The bow-tied amphibian pals of "A Year With Frog and Toad" returned over the weekend to the Children's Theatre Company stage, where they first sprang to life in 2002 before going to Broadway and being nominated for three Tonys.
This is CTC's fourth staging of the bright musical by brothers Robert and Willie Reale, based on Arnold Lobel's children's books. Chock full of catchy tunes and clever characterizations — including a trio of natty robin-like birds that serve as the show's Greek chorus — "Frog and Toad" charmed wee ones and adults alike at Saturday evening's performance, provoking the audience to clap along on a couple of occasions.
The script hasn't changed much, nor has the design, which includes Adrianne Lobel's sets inspired by her father's drawings. Ditto the costumes, designed by Tony winner Martin Pakledinaz, who died in 2012.
The narrative orbits Frog, a cool, debonair fellow, and Toad, a shaky bag of insecurities. Toad has a broken clock, so he's never sure of the time or, for that matter, the season. Unlike his friend, Toad has never gotten a letter, which Frog tries to remedy with the help of a snail (snail mail, har-har).
The pair, who are so close that they show up in each other's dreams, go through four seasons in the production, growing flowers in the spring ("Seeds"), swimming ("Underwater Ballet") and flying kites in the summer, raking leaves in the fall and sledding in the winter ("Shivers").
Peter Rothstein, who helmed the show's most recent revival in 2007, directs with a steady hand, making sure the action flows efficiently while imbuing everything with a wondrous sense of play. Things never get out of hand, though. These amphibians don't say "ribbit" — they would rather take tea.
The seven-piece orchestra, led by keyboardist Victor Zupanc, is playful and lively, coloring the music with a woozy silliness for a show that's light on its feet.
And the acting company again nails it, led by Bradley Greenwald and Reed Sigmund, who starred in the 2007 production. A performer of surplus charisma, Greenwald is unflappable as the suave Frog while Sigmund's Toad is lovably insecure. The two also inject energy into smaller moments.
Not to be outdone, Autumn Ness, Traci Allen Shannon and Matt Rubbelke play all the remaining roles, including the snappy bird chorus, a mole, a turtle, a squirrel and that snail mailman (Rubbelke). They work well together, investing their characters with verve and light in a production that remains a winner.
