The production will open on Friday, with four performances that will run through Sunday, at The Performing Arts Academy in Middletown. Show times are 7 p.m. Friday, 4 and 7 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $12 for adults, and $8 for students, ages 12 and under, and seniors, ages 65 and over. To purchase tickets, go to theperformingartsacademy.com/ticket. Tickets will also be available at the door if the show doesn’t sell out in advance.
The show follows two friends – the cheerful, popular Frog, and the rather grumpy Toad through four seasons. Waking from hibernation, Frog and Toad plant gardens, swim, rake leaves, and go sledding as they learn a number of life lessons along the way.
“The show is based on the popular children’s book, ‘Frog and Toad All Year’ by Arnold Lobel. The story follows two best friends, who go on these little adventures over the course of a year,” Busick said.
Throughout the year, the two best friends celebrate and rejoice in the differences that make them unique. The show’s runtime is about 45 minutes, and it features 21 young actors in grades one through four. Children in the show are from Middletown, Trenton, Germantown, Monroe, Lebanon, and Morrow, among others.
“A Year with Frog and Toad, Kids” is a musical and it’s one of three shows in the 2023-2024 season that the theater group will put on with young actors. This is the second show of the season for this age group. This show follows “Snow Globe,” which was the opening show for the 2023-2024 season.
The season will close with “Yeehaw Stampede.” Both “Snow Globe” and “Yeehaw Stampede” were written by Busick, and Kandy Keller. Keller serves as the theatrical director at Performing Arts Academy, and Heather Lyons acts as the choreographer.
Busick said the music in the show is so much fun. Musical numbers in the show include the title song, “A Year with Frog and Toad,” and “He’ll Never Know,” to name a few.
“There are so many different genres of music represented in the show,” she said. “Every season, they change the genre, so it’s fun to hear all of the different things that are happening throughout the musical.”
She said when children sign up to participate in a show, they not only learn how to put on a production, but they learn different skills, such as how to sing, dance, and act.
“We use the show to give the kids lessons in voice, acting and choreography,” Busick said.
Busick said the children are enjoying putting the show together. Many of them are “theater kids,” so they are having a great time being able to do a complete show with singing, dancing, acting, and all the different costume changes.
“This experience gives them the ability to do complete theater at their level,” she said.
She said the cast has also been fun because there are several first-time performers in the show.
“Our alumni kids have really adopted the newcomers, and they have all become a team. They are helping each other as friends as well as fellow actors and cast members,” Busick said.
HOW TO GO:
What: “A Year with Frog and Toad, Kids” presented by Performing Arts Academy
When: Show times are 7 p.m. Friday; 4 and 7 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday
Where: The Performing Arts Academy Theatre, 4400 Lewis S., Middletown.
Cost: Tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for seniors ages 65 and older and students ages 12 and under. Tickets are available at www.theperformingartsacademy.com/ticket. Tickets will also be available at the door if the show doesn’t sell out.
More info.: theperformingartsacademy.com
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