‘Frog and Toad’ is a ribbiting great time

Looking for something to do with the family next weekend? You can’t miss with Riverwalk Theatre’s production of “A Year with Frog and Toad.” 

The show is based on the beloved children’s book series “Frog and Toad.” The books, written by Arnold Lobel, are an exuberant, joyful celebration of friendship. In the play, Tom Ferris, longtime director and board member of Riverwalk, uses the stage and cast of 17 to draw the audience into the catchy, simple music and fun dances. And there’s some true theater magic on display, from the flight of a kite to a giant frog puppet (controlled by Charles Hoogstraten). 

Connor and Quinn Kelly play the lead characters of Frog and Toad, respectively. The brothers embody the beauty, simplicity and pure bliss of friendship. Connor’s Frog is exuberant, pushing Quinn’s fastidious and cautious Toad to experiment and try new things. His energy is exciting and inviting. The audience connects immediately when the two friends crawl out of hibernation at the beginning of the show, and it’s a joy to watch the brothers play on stage in their respective roles. You can’t help but become wrapped up in their story. 

Kat Koehn’s ironic portrayal of the mail-delivery snail creates an extraordinary character with hilarious moments throughout. Her songs are captivating, and whenever the music associated with her mission to deliver a letter comes on, the audience laughs and applauds. And her singing? Raise the roof and cheer her on. Her performance rocks!

It would be a disservice to fail to mention Hoogstraten’s Large and Terrible Frog puppetry or his performance as Yeti. His overbearing stature — towering as a human over the rest of the cast — combined with his giant frog puppet is the perfect addition of both tension and fun. 

The costumes, created by Kris Maier, are spot-on, capturing the muted colors of Lobel’s original design while splashing in moments of bright color. The wings she created for the birds are an outstanding repurposing of men’s neckties. Sewn together, these ties create a truly astonishing semblance of wings and feathers, adding just the right touch of realism to the chorus of birds. 

Music director Kait Wilson and choreographer Fran Ludington raise the show up with music and movement that are lively and fun to watch. 

This show is definitely a crowd-pleaser. I watched the audience Friday night, and everyone from youngsters to senior citizens was on the edge of their seats following the fantastic friendship between the two incredible amphibians. The show is a perfect celebration of Lobel’s beloved characters. As a childhood aficionado of the books, I can say that Ferris’ direction alongside the simple sets and fantastic costuming all combine to paint beautiful pictures harkening back to Lobel’s originals. During several moments, I felt like I was literally watching Lobel’s original art from his books come to life. 

Grab the kids, the family, your neighbors, strangers — anyone you can — and get down to Riverwalk to celebrate one of America’s beloved children’s authors. I know you won’t regret it, nor will anyone you bring along. It’s 90 minutes of honest-to-goodness, exuberant fun.