Story by Karen Parr-Moody

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Many a child of the Seventies grew up on the quaint tales of two amphibious friends in the children’s book “Frog and Toad are Friends.” Written and illustrated by Arnold Lobel, the book was published in 1970 and was followed by three more within the decade.

The charming story is currently being revisited onstage at The Roxy Regional Theatre with the Broadway musical “A Year with Frog and Toad.”

The cast is small and brings back veterans of the Roxy stage. Michael Spaziani is the dapper, thoughtful Frog while Josh Bernaski is the endearing Toad, who is given to bouts of fretfulness.

RJ Magee plays the mail-delivering Snail, as well as a bird. Jacque Clydesdale and Michelle Foletta also play birds, as well as other animals, including Clydesdale’s turn as a sassy turtle and Foletta’s turn as a naughty mouse with a high-pitched voice.

As the title suggests, this cast of lovable animals enact stories that whisk them through an entire year. I recently viewed the musical in a theatre filled with 7-year-olds, and I can say that a year’s worth of Frog and Toad antics kept them thoroughly entertained.

Spaziani brings to the role of Frog a natty elegance that he has brought to other roles on the Roxy stage. The actor, resplendent in a red suit, is easily believable as the kindhearted Frog who teaches childhood lessons. In fact, he comes across as a particularly philosophical amphibian as he illustrates such ideas as the importance of being alone.

Meanwhile, the musical’s comic center belongs to Toad. I have watched Bernaski enact a multitude of roles over the years and was surprised to find that, in taking on the role of a slightly bumbling amphibian, he truly steals an audience’s collective heart. Children laugh gleefully as he plays this character to the hilt, flopping onto the floor in frustration or grumpily hiding under the covers of his bed.

Equally impressive, Bernaski truly seems to relish playing the lovable Toad. Whether he’s planting a garden, raking Frog’s leaves or jumping aboard a runaway sled, Bernaski imbues the role with a childlike innocence and joy that is tailor-made for children.

This is a beautiful musical that is simply delightful for both children and parents. The life lessons and the bubbly songs? They are just icing on the cake – or, rather, they’re a sunset on a pond inhabited by Frog and Toad.

The shows are at 6:15 p.m. Dec. 18, 19, 20 and 21 with an additional 2 p.m. show on Dec. 21. Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for children 13 and younger. They may be purchased at the Roxy box office at 100 Franklin Street or ordered online at www.roxyregionaltheatre.org. For more information call (931) 645-7699.

Karen Parr-Moody began a career as a New York journalist, working as a fashion reporter for Women’s Wear Daily, a beauty editor for Young Miss and a beauty and fashion writer for both In Style and People magazines. Regionally, she has been a writer at The Leaf-Chronicle newspaper and currently writes about arts and culture for Nashville Arts magazine each month.