P R E S S R E L E A S E
Press Contact:
Jay Kelly, LC Williams & Associates
jkelly@lcwa.com or 312.565.4623
jkelly@lcwa.com or 312.565.4623
Click here to download images from
Chicago Children's Theatre's online press center
CHICAGO CHILDREN'S THEATRE TO TREAT A NEW GENERATION OF KIDS AND FAMILIES TO
A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD,
OCTOBER 9-NOVEMBER 24, 2013
CHICAGO, July 1, 2013 - After seven years and 20 productions, Chicago Children's Theatre (CCT) is kicking off its 8th
season with a new production of one of the shows it still gets the most
requests to bring back - the company's inaugural smash hit, A Year with Frog and Toad.
Lobel's
beloved characters hop from the page to the stage in this whimsical
musical that follows two best friends - the cheerful, popular Frog and
the rather grumpy Toad - through four, fun-filled seasons. Performances
start October 9, 2013 at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn St. in Chicago's Gold Coast neighborhood. Press opening is Friday, October 11 at 7 p.m. Performances run through November 24.
The most
affordable way to enjoy CCT's 2013-14 season is to purchase a Family
Membership Pass, on sale now and offering a 20 percent discount on all
three plays next season (A Year with Frog and Toad, the world premiere rhythm and blues musical Mr. Chickee's Funny Money
based on the book by Christopher Paul Curtis with original music by
Motown legend Lamont Dozier, and the return of Mermaid Theatre of Nova
Scotia's The Very Hungry Caterpillar.)
Family
Membership Passes also come with exclusive benefits like invitations to
members-only behind-the-scenes events and discounts at nearby
family-friendly restaurants. To purchase a Family Membership Pass or for
more information, visit chicagochildrenstheatre.org or call the Chicago Children's Theatre Box Office, (872) 222-9555.
Single tickets to A Year with Frog and Toad go on sale August 1, and start at $25. To purchase, visit chicagochildrenstheatre.org or call (872) 222-9555. For information on discounted group rates for schools, playgroups, birthday parties and scouting organizations, visit GroupTix.net or call (773) 327-3778.
A Year with Frog and Toad is recommended for ages 4 and up.
More about Chicago Children's Theatre's A Year with Frog and Toad
Ever-popular children's author and illustrator Arnold Lobel's well-loved characters hop from the page to the stage in A Year with Frog and Toad,
a whimsical musical that follows two best friends - the cheerful,
popular Frog and the rather grumpy Toad - through four, fun-filled
seasons. Waking from hibernation in the spring, Frog and Toad plant
gardens, swim, rake leaves, go sledding and learn life lessons,
celebrating and rejoicing in their differences that make them unique and
special along the way. Kid-captivating musical numbers include
"Cookies," "Getta Loada Toad," "I'm Coming Out of My Shell" and "Merry
Almost Christmas." Part vaudeville, part make believe, all charm, A Year With Frog and Toad tells the story of a friendship that endures, weathering all seasons.
Chicago Children's Theatre's design team for A Year with Frog and Toad reflects the very best of Chicago's top professional theater artists: Henry Godinez (director); Andra Velis Simon and Nicholas Davio (music directors); Geoffrey Curley (scenic design); William Kirkham (lighting design); Ray Nardelli (sound); Rachel Healy (costume design); Tommy Rapley (choreography); and Kimberly Morris (properties design). JoHannah Hall is production stage manager. The cast is TBA.
"I'm so excited to re-investigate another Year with Frog and Toad!
With several new creative collaborators, a new space and a whole new
generation of young audiences, we look forward to discovering a whole
new depth of humor and charm in this enchanting tale of lasting
friendship," said Godinez.
Godinez (director) staged both A Year with Frog and Toad (2006) and Esperanza Rising (2008)
for Chicago Children's Theatre, both at the Goodman Theatre. He is the
resident artistic associate at Goodman Theatre and the curator of the
Latino Theatre Festival. His Goodman directing credits include The Sins of Sor Juana and Mariela in the Desert by Karen Zacarías, José Rivera's Boleros for the Disenchanted (and world
Teatro Vista co-production of José Rivera's Cloud Tectonics, and the 1996 - 2001 productions of A Christmas Carol. Godinez's other Chicago credits include Two Sisters and a Piano (Apple Tree Theatre/Teatro Vista co-production) and Anna in the Tropics for Victory Gardens Theater. Godinez is the co-founder and former artistic director of Teatro Vista, where he directed Broken Eggs, El Paso Blue, Journey of the Sparrows, Santos & Santos and The Crossing.
His other directing credits include work at Portland Center Stage,
Signature Theatre Company in New York City, Kansas City Repertory
Theatre, Oak Park Festival Theatre, and the Colorado Shakespeare
Festival. As an actor, Godinez appeared most recently in the
Goodman/Teatro Vista world premiere of José Rivera's Massacre (Sing to Your Children) and on TV in The Beast, The Chicago Code, Boss and Chicago Fire.
Born in Havana, Cuba, Godinez is an associate professor at Northwestern
University and serves on the Board of Directors of the Illinois Arts
Council, Albany Park Theater Project and the editorial board of
Northwestern University Press. He is the recipient of the 1999 Theatre
Communications Group Alan Schneider Director Award, the Distinguished
Service Award from the Lawyers for the Creative Arts and was honored as
the 2008 Latino Professional of the Year by the Chicago Latino Network.
More about Frog and Toad, the book series and the musical
Frog and Toad are the main characters in a series of easy-reader books written and illustrated by Arnold Lobel in the 1970s. Each book contained five simple, often humorous, often poignant short stories about their adventures together. Frog and Toads are Friends
(1970) was the recipient of a Caldecott Honor award and was named one
of the Top 100 Picture Books of all time in a 2012 poll by School
Library Journal. Frog and Toad Together (1972) won a Newbery Honor award.
The musical A Year with Frog and Toad, adapted by brothers Robert (music) and Willie Reale (books and lyrics), was commissioned by Lobel's daughter, Adrianne Lobel.
It was first produced in 2002 by the Children's Theatre Company,
Minneapolis, and was remounted off-Broadway later that year at the New
Victory Theater. It ran briefly on Broadway at the Cort Theatre in 2003,
winning three Tony nominations (Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical,
Best Original Score) and breaking new ground by bringing professional
children's theatre for the 3-to-10-set to Broadway.
A Year with Frog and Toad performance schedule
Previews of A Year with Frog and Toad are Wednesday, October 9 at 10 a.m., Thursday, October 10 at 10 a.m. and 12 p.m., and Friday, October 11 at 10 a.m.
Press opening is Friday, October 11 at 7 p.m. Performances that weekend are Saturday, October 12 at 6 p.m., and Sunday October 13 at 11 a.m.
Performances continue through November 3: Tuesday at 10 a.m., Wednesday at 10 a.m. and 12 p.m., Thursday at 10 a.m., Friday at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., Saturday at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m., and Sunday at 11 a.m.
Starting the week of November 4, the addition of more weekend matinees change the performance schedule to: Wednesday and Thursday at 10 a.m., Friday at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., Saturday at 11 a.m., 2 p.m., and 6 p.m., and Sunday at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Running time is approximately 75 minutes with no intermission.
All Friday evening 6 p.m. shows include a post-show party to kick off your weekend with family-friendly activities for the kids.
Tickets are $25 for children and adults to Friday
night performances, with the post-show party. Single tickets to weekend
shows are $28 for children, $38 for adults. To purchase, visit chicagochildrenstheatre.org or call (872) 222-9555. For discounted school, scout, playgroup, extended family and other group rates, visit GroupTix.net or call (773) 327-3778.
More about Chicago Children's Theatre's 2013-2014 season
Following A Year with Frog and Toad, Chicago Children's Theatre will present:
The world premiere of Mr. Chickee's Funny Money, a new R&B musical based on the best-selling book by Christopher Paul Curtis, author of Bud, Not Buddy, featuring music and lyrics by Motown legend Lamont Dozier and his son Paris Dozier, directed by Derrick Sanders,presented in association with Funny Money Enterprises and Bisno Productions (January 21 - March 2).
The return of The Very Hungry Caterpillar and other Eric Carle Favorites performed by Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia (opening at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie April 25 - 26, moving to The Ruth Page April 29 - June 1.)
In response to having programming running for every aged child, CCT will also launch a new series next spring called Later Stage. The program will add four Friday night performances during the spring 2014 run of The Very Hungry Caterpillar featuring work for older children (8 and up) being created by smaller, cutting-edge companies like Theatre Unspeakable and Manual Cinema, as well as more established companies like Blair Thomas and Company.
In addition to expanded mainstage programming, Chicago Children's Theatre's Red Kite Project, the
company's ongoing series of theatrical experiences and summer theater
camps for children on the autism spectrum, will present the U.S.
premiere of Jacqueline Russell's new show Red Kite/Blue Sky next February at the Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park.
The most
affordable way to enjoy CCT's 2013-14 season is to buy a Family
Membership Pass, on sale now and offering a 20 percent discount on all
three plays next season. To purchase or for more information, visit chicagochildrenstheatre.org or call the Chicago Children's Theatre Box Office, (872) 222-9555.
Taking the family to live theatre is fun and easy at CCT's home,
The Ruth Page Center for the Arts
Chicago
Children's Theatre looks forward to presenting its second full season in
its first-ever permanent home, the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016
N. Dearborn Street, conveniently located in the heart of Chicago's Gold
Coast neighborhood, just steps from the Magnificent Mile.
Via public
transit, the Ruth Page is a short walk from the CTA Red Line
Clark/Division and Chicago stops, and the Clark, Broadway, Division and
Chicago Avenue bus lines. Neighborhood street parking is available, and
the Ruth Page offers discounted parking with ticket validation at the
self-parking deck two blocks north at 1250 N. Dearborn.
Nearby
family-friendly restaurants include Chicago Q (1160 N. Dearborn), Epic
Burger (40 E. Pearson), Lou Malnati's Pizzeria (1120 N. State),
Eduardo's Enoteca (1212 N. Dearborn), The 3rd Coast Café (1260 N.
Dearborn), and for the family looking for a full day of fun, Dave and
Busters (1030 N. Clark).
In addition to
presenting its entire mainstage season at one consistent, convenient
location, Chicago Children's Theatre's new home at the Ruth Page Center
is better equipped to host birthday parties and other special events.
On the
education front, CCT has introduced fall, winter and spring sessions of
children's theater classes at the Ruth Page, including Tiny Sparks, a story playtime for ages 3 to 5, and Glee Club for ages 9 to 13. Sign up for the fall session will be posted in August at chicagochildrenstheatre.org, or call
(773) 227-0180 x 15 for more information.
(773) 227-0180 x 15 for more information.
About Chicago Children's Theatre
Chicago
Children's Theatre focuses on the production of first-rate children's
theatre in Chicago, with top writing, performing and directorial talent
and high-quality design and production expertise. Chicago Children's
Theatre aspires to enrich our community through diverse and significant
theatrical and educational programming that engages and inspires the
child in all of us.
Launched in
2005, Chicago Children's Theatre strives to provide affordable and
accessible theatre for families and area school children. To enhance the
impact of any given production's themes, Chicago Children's Theatre
offers educational materials and programs for families and educators.
Led by Artistic Director Jacqueline Russell, and Board Chair Todd Leland,
the company is supported by a committed Artistic Council of
Chicago-based actors, directors, musicians and designers, and a dynamic
Board of Directors comprised of dedicated individuals from the fields of
entertainment, philanthropy and business. Officers include David Saltiel, President; Jacqueline Tilton, Vice Chair; Lynn Lockwood Murphy, Vice Chair and Secretary; and David Chung, Treasurer.
Chicago Children's Theatre is sponsored in part by ComEd, Goldman Sachs Gives, JPMorgan Chase and Target.
For more information about Chicago Children's Theatre visit chicagochildrenstheatre.org, call CCT's dedicated box office line, (872) 222-9555, or the administrative office, (773) 227-0180.
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