The Cardinal Stage Company's original production of A Year With Frog And Toad was such a success that they are bringing it back. There are some of the original cast and some new faces in the cast. Cardinal veteran Mike Price is reprising his role as the singing and dancing Frog.
Not Exactly, Same Old
"It's really a fun show. The story is interesting, the music is delightful and the characters are well worth revisiting." We asked if there were differences in his portrayal of the cast's central amphibian. "Well Yes, and No. It's the same character, but I'm a little different. So I bring that to the stage. And many of the actors that I'm playing with are different, so I react differently to them as well. By the way I am happy to say the Alex Shott , a real audience favorite, is returning to play the Snail with the Mail."
Not Just A New Bird
Hana Slevin is new to the show. She's a junior in IU's Musical Theatre Program. Her most recent role was as the forbidding mother in Angels in America. Variety is the watchword for Slevin's part in A Year With Frog And Toad. "I get to play a whole menagerie: a chatty bird, a squirrel, a mole and a couple of other critters. For each I have to come up with a physical and a vocal language. It a fun challenge and really and Alexandra Morphet's costumes help a lot."
Some Old And Some New
Both of our interviewees are happy that the original Cardinal production's choreographer Esther Widlandski is back although Price had some initial reservations. "At first, I was a little hesitant because she did want to keep the old steps, but she also wanted to add some new things. However, they're great and I'm actually quite happy." Slevin had actually danced to Widlanski's choreography in a high school production of Cabaret. "It's great to work with her again and to see how she's grown in her art over the years."