Alex Hatcher (left) as Frog and Will Westray as Toad in "A Year With Frog and Toad". Provided Photo.

Some stories are timeless. Those of Frog and Toad most certainly are. Arnold Lobel’s children series, published from 1970-79, follows the adventures of best friends Frog and Toad and their cohort of fellow animals in tales that are simple, humorous and often heartfelt. Lobel’s stories were eventually turned into a Broadway musical, A Year with Frog and Toad, which is now in production at Asolo Repertory Theatre through August 3.

“The aesthetics of the show are reminiscent of vaudeville theater from the 1920s and ‘30s, in both song and acting style,” says Peter Rothstein, producing artistic director of Asolo Rep. “I think adults will find it as charming as kids—it’s an incredibly funny and charming show.”

A Year With Frog and Toad follows Frog, the more chipper of the two leads, and Toad, a perpetual worrywort, through the four seasons as the pair face different obstacles that test their friendship. While the show is simple, the story progression is effective: Toad, much through his own anxieties, is often concerned about the state of his relationship with Frog. While Frog is at times pulled away from Toad through a series of actual events, his relationship with his best friend remains steadfast. The story parallels the real-life fears and worries that come with childhood friendships and later on, romantic relationships, with a sincere message at the end: that real friends will always stick by your side.

For Asolo Rep, A Year With Frog and Toad is not only a chance to give emerging actors an opportunity—the cast features a mix of undergraduate students from Florida State University and students in the FSU/Asolo Conservatory—but also return to children’s programming, which the organization has not focused on since before the pandemic. “I'm thrilled that the Asolo is committed to creating work for all of Sarasota and that we're welcoming the younger folks to the theater,” says Rothstein. “We’ve set up the lobby with games and balloons and the program is a coloring book so it feels a bit like a carnival in here.”

A Year With Frog and Toad, July 16-August 3, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, 34234

Alex Hatcher (left) as Frog and Will Westray as Toad in "A Year With Frog and Toad". Provided Photo.

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