Frog and Toad Leap from Page to Stage in Tony-Nominated Musical

Media Contact:

Kristen Gleason
Director of Marketing
The Paramount Theater
215 East Main Street
Charlottesville, VA 22902
434.979.1922 ext. 103
kristen@theparamount.net

For Immediate Release

April 10, 2008

Generations of families have enjoyed Arnold Lobel's beloved Frog and Toad -- characters that now hop from page to stage in a delightful musical nominated for three Tony Awards (including Best Musical).

A hit on Broadway, A Year With Frog and Toad is now touring North America for the first time, with an all-new production that leaps into Charlottesville’s Paramount Theater on Friday, April 25 at 7 pm. A special Youth/Child price is available for this performance.

Special Media Sponsor for the event is AlbemarleFamily.

While it can be no small feat to find high-quality family entertainment appealing to the younger set as well as their parents and grandparents, A Year With Frog and Toad is that rare type of show that does it all. Of the premiere performance, Variety wrote “when contrasted with the bright, clamorous and empty standards of children’s entertainment, this production’s endearing charm seems no small achievement.”

Filled with lessons for young viewers, the show follows the cheerful and popular Frog and the rather grumpy Toad through four fun-filled seasons. Waking from hibernation in the spring, these two great friends proceed to plant gardens, swim, rake leaves, and go sledding -- learning about friendship and rejoicing in the attributes that make each of us different and special.

The jazzy score has clever lyrics and a country-western thread and that keep fingers snapping and feet tapping. Frog and Toad soft-shoe their way across the stage with their friends Snail, Mouse, and Turtle. They share simple pleasures, like eating cookies galore in a show-stopping number that tweaks the sweet tooth of everyone in the theater. The lovable Snail, who spends the entire show trying to deliver a letter at his own very, very slow pace, brings the house down with his solo “I’m Coming Out of My Shell.”

A Year With Frog and Toad was developed by renowned scenic designer Adrianne Lobel (the author’s daughter), with music by Robert Reale and book/lyrics by Willie Reale. It originated in 2002 at the Children’s Theater Company of Minneapolis, where the Star Tribune called it “a spiffy, snazzy, clever little musical” and “a welcome success in the world of Musical Theater.”

A successful New York run at the New Victory Theater followed, where the New York Times urged “anyone who cherishes musical theater and can beg or borrow a child from 4 up might be well advised to make a beeline for Times Square in search of tickets for ‘A Year With Frog and Toad’.” The path continued to Broadway’s Cort Theater, where the show opened in April 2003 and earned 3 Tony Award nominations for Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, and Best Original Score.

During his distinguished career Arnold Lobel wrote and/or illustrated over 70 books for children. He illustrated the Caldecott Medal book Fables (1981) and two Caldecott Honor Books, his own Frog and Toad are Friends (1971) and Hildilid's Night by Cheli Duran Ryan (1972). His Frog and Toad Together (1973) is a Newbery Honor Book. Perhaps his greatest credit, however, is his following of literally millions of young children with whom he shared the warmth and humor of his unpretentious vision of life.

In advance of the April 25 performance, The Paramount is partnering with Barnes & Noble Booksellers in the Barracks Road Shopping Center (1035 Emmet Street, Charlottesville) for a Storytime featuring the book A Year With Frog and Toad on Saturday, April 19 at 1 pm. All those attending the Storytime will be eligible for an in-store raffle offering two tickets (one adult, one youth/child) to the live show at The Paramount. For more information, please contact Sandra Cararo, Barnes & Noble Community Relations, at 434.984.6598.

Seats are still available for the musical performance of A Year With Frog and Toad on Friday, April 25 at 7 pm. Tickets are $25.50 with a special $20.50 Youth/Child price offered to those aged twelve and under. Group discounts are also available.

Tickets are available online or through The Paramount’s Box Office at 434.979.1333.