Nostalgia takes center stage with St. Ambrose’s (SAU) spring musical, “A Year With Frog & Toad.” Based on the children’s books by Arnold Lobel, the story follows the two friends through the seasons as they navigate friendship, small adventures, and meaningful life lessons. The Buzz sat down with SAU theatre’s technical director Aaron Hook to take a peek behind the curtain.
“‘A Year With Frog & Toad’ does just that… it takes you through a series of vignettes, but more than that it’s about friendship, empathy, and interpersonal communication. Whether we’re kids or adults, we’re just trying to figure out how to navigate that and make our way through this place with a bunch of other people who have different perspectives.”
The series was originally published in 1970, but Hook says these stories are for all ages. “I am very passionate about putting on theatre for young audiences, but not all “children’s theatre” is created equal… This is just genuinely a really great show that teaches a lot of really great lessons. It has funny moments, heartfelt moments, and good reminders that everyone needs.”
Creating the Forest
Hook, who has earned local recognition for his scenic design work, says he and his colleague, SAU theatre chair Dan Hale, describe themselves as “unapologetically theatrical,” an approach he says he plans to apply to his designs for the show.
When asked about his design process for the show, Hook opened his bag and pulled his personal copy of “Frog & Toad.” “I just want to give them a playground… I met with Dan early on in the process, and we sat down and before we got into anything too deep, we just said, ‘what are we trying to do here?’
“We decided early on that this is just a big vaudeville number. It’s a show that’s filled with a bunch of skits, dances, and songs that jump in and out. It really goes back to that golden age of live theatre where you get up there, tell stories, and make them laugh.”
Vaudeville, a popular style of live entertainment in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, was known for its playful, fast-paced energy. It includes a variety of short acts that feature comedy, dance, singing, and theatrical sketches.
“From there, I went back to the book. There’s a very distinct aesthetic to the illustrations, so we took that style of line art and combined it with the early 20th century Vaudeville style to play up the theatrical quality of this show… like the show doesn’t open in Toad’s house, the show opens with curtains being drawn to reveal things.”
Bringing the Characters to Life
While the design helps shape the whimsical world of “A Year With Frog & Toad,” it’s the actors who step into that world and bring the characters to life on stage. The Buzz also spoke with SAU cast members about stepping into these roles.
SAU freshman Claire Banks is involved in her second show at SAU after appearing in the university’s fall production of “Eurydice.” “I’m super excited to get to meet new people, since the cast of “Eurydice” was on the smaller side. Just from the first couple of rehearsals we’ve had so far, I believe this cast is going to be a ton of fun and a great chance to make new memories!”
Esther Windt, a seasoned SAU theatre member, says she is drawn to the commitment of the department. ”In terms of what keeps me coming back to shows at SAU is their dedication to the craft of acting. People like Daniel Hale, the director of the theatre department and even Aaron Hook both care deeply about making sure the students learn the different tools they can use in the craft (either performance or tech) and having fun while doing it.
”It means so much to me on a personal level, and for even more motivation it’s such a fun show to be a part of with amazing music and people performing alongside me!”
Zach Ulmer, SAU theatre minor who plays Snail, “the mailman with a 365 day delivery guarantee,” says he can’t wait for audiences to see this show.
“I’m super excited to piece together everyone’s unique parts to see how it all comes together and witness the incredible talent of the rest of our cast. This show is hilarious, heartwarming, nostalgic, and the jazzy music is insanely good. This is going to be a show for the history books for SAU!”
Aaron Hook says he urges people of all ages to see this show, “These are old stories that feel timeless. I dare anybody to see this show and not have a fantastic time.”
“A Year With Frog & Toad” runs April 24th-26th and May 1st-3rd. You can purchase your tickets here: https://cur8.com/schedule/item/19339/360893?event=133532&date=360893
