A Year With Frog and Toad
Mar. 24 – Apr. 16, 2006 |
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A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD
Music by Robert Reale. Book and Lyrics by Willie Reale.
Based on the books by Arnold Lobel.
Originally presented on Broadway by Bob Boyett, Adrianne Lobel, Michael Gardner, Lawrence Horowitz & Roy Furman.
World Premiere at The Children's Theatre Company, Minneapolis, MN.
Click on a name to read that person's bio.
Artistic Staff
Director/Choreographer: Toby Nicholson
Music Director:
Brenton Brown
Costume Designer:
Angela Lampe
Scenic Designer:
Kevin Shelby
Lighting Designer:
Virgil Kleinhesselink
Sound Designer:
Craig Kaufman
Stage Manager:
Rosanne Mead
Cast
Frog: Brandon John Lee
Toad: Jeremy S. Jorgenson
Father Bird: Brett Spahr
Mother Bird: Annette Duffy
Little Bird: Kyle Frank
Mouse: Lesa Dencklau
Snail: Brett Spahr
Turtle: Sarah A. Kouma
Lizard: Brett Spahr
Squirrel 1: Lesa Dencklau
Squirrel 2: Sarah A. Kouma
Young Frog: Kyle Frank
Father Frog: Brett Spahr
Mother Frog: Annette Duffy
Large & Terrible Frog: Lesa Dencklau
Mole 1: Lesa Dencklau
Mole 2: Sarah A. Kouma
Ensemble: James Gulbranson, Carissa DeVos Lee, Vicente Vasquez
Little Bird/Young Frog Understudy: James Gulbranson
Orchestra Personnel
Keyboard: Francine Griffith
Percussion: Eric Biase, Matthew Nelson
Reed: John Morgan, Ryan Leatherman
Guitar/Banjo: Rich Beachler
Trumpet: Audrey Husted
Trombone: Cecil Stanley
Tuba: Jayson Gerth
Production Crews
Dance Captain: Lesa Dencklau
Puppet Construction: Morgan Beary
Costume Crew: Jenifer Mercer-Klimowski
Props Crew Chair: Shelley Graber
Onstage Shift/Props Crew: James Gulbranson, Carissa DeVos Lee, Vicente Vasquez
Backstage Shift/Props Crew: Shelley Graber, Tiffany Haltom, Corrie Mitchell, Barbara Simpson
Light Board Operator: Tyler Lubinus
Sound Board Operator: Jeff Beourd, Alex Snodgrass
Set Crew: Toby Nicholson
Audition Crew: Cheryl Critelli-O’Donnell, Sue Dittmer, Bonnie Hodson
Playhouse Ambassadors: Judy Blessington, Mary Bricker, Vickie Costanzo, Sue Dittmer, Annette Duffy, Pam Falkstrom, Charlene Green, Bonnie Hodson, Jean Leibold, Ruth Miller, Becky Scholtec, Vickie Smith, Mary Whisenand
Subscriber Services: Gloria Filean
Daytime Office Volunteers: Gloria Filean, Cheryl Hamilton, Carol Larson
House Managers: Jim Benda, Theresa Bradfield, Jason Crowley, Charlene Green, Bonnie Hodson, Larry Lubinus, Ruth Miller, Marcella Phillips, Gail Stelmacher, Eva Williams
Front of House Crew: Pat Allison, Pam Anderson, Velma Anderson, Joel Baker, Shirley Benskin, Judy Blessington, Theresa Bradfield, Madison Brandenburg, Michelle Brandenburg, Mary Bricker, Don Broman, Lois Broman, Bev Burns, DeAnn Carlson, Kamerin Churchman, Kourtlin Churchman, Ruth Comer, Vickie Costanzo, Cheryl Critelli-O'Donnell, Jason Crowley, Jenna Darsee, Kent Darsee, Nancy Darsee, Lois Dennis, Sue Dittmer, Courtney Donahue, JoAnn Erpelding, Rose Ann Etzen, Jean Fargo, Anne Frett, Jeanne Funaro, Catherine Gates, Jannie Gee, Mark Thomas Gee Jr., Kelsey Godwin, Jan Goode, Frank Green, Susan Hansen, Rebecca Hilbrand, Jeanne Hosier, Rose Jors, Jack Kessling, June Kessling, Larry Lubinus, Doris Lutyens, Linda Malloy, Fawn McChesney, Sherrie McKinney, Mary Messersmith, Ruth Miller, Alex Moran, Miriam Murphy, Carol Palmer, Madeline Palmer-Chase, Rachel Park, Karen Pearson, Brendan Peterson, Bernie Pettinger, Connie Pettinger, Marge Pinegar, Jodi Pote, Mary Rice, Spencer Scavo, Nicolle Schippers, Jackie Sessions, Nikki Shoemaker, Carter Smith, Jeff Smith, Joe Smith, Lauren Skarin, Kathleen Stark, Phyllis Stevens, Sandy Thompson, Jadie VanPelt, Mary Walter, Eva Williams
Playhouse Historian: Lloyd Von Hagen
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Lesa Dencklau (Mouse/Squirrel 1/Mole 1), a recent Drake University, Des Moines, graduate, counts among her Drake Theatre credits Pippin (Fastrada) and Proof (Claire). Lesa teaches dance at Norwalk Superstars, is an actor at the Science Center of Iowa, and works in customer service/box office at the Civic Center.
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Annette Duffy (Mother Bird/Mother Frog) is a familiar face on Des Moines stages, having appeared in Cowgirls (Drama Workshop), Fiddler on the Roof (Urbandale Community Theatre), Ruthless (StageWest) and Seussical the Musical (Playhouse) among many other shows. Annette is a business consultant for CDS.
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Kyle Frank (Little Bird/Young Frog) is just a sixth grader at Norwalk Middle School/Shining Stars Home School, but has an extensive stage résumé that includes Pippi Longstocking at The Playhouse and Camp Broadway in New York City. In addition to theatre, dance and singing, Kyle likes climbing, reading and writing.
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James Gulbranson (Young Frog Understudy) was last seen at The Playhouse in Pippi Longstocking, where he got to play Schoolchild, Horse, Monkey and, his favorite, Pirate. A seventh grader at West Central Valley Middle School, Redfield, Jim is active in a wide range of sports, Boy Scouts, 4-H, choir and band (saxophone).
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Jeremy S. Jorgenson (Toad) is a favorite with Playhouse audiences, having played The Beast in Disney's Beauty and the Beast, Adam/Noah in Children of Eden, a Wickersham Brother in Seussical the Musical and many other roles. He says his favorite role, however, is uncle to nieces Caily and Mia and nephew Luke. Jeremy is an annuity service rep at MetLife.
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Sarah A. Kouma (Turtle/Squirrel 2/Mole 2) is a voice teacher at 42nd Street Studios. Her past credits include both musical theatre and operas, and she was a featured singer with the New York Sinfonia at Carnegie Hall and on Mannheim Steamroller's Christmas Extraordinaire. The lights of Sarah's life are nephews and niece Noah, Alyssah and Elijah.
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Brandon John Lee (Frog) has an extensive Playhouse résumé including leads in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Children of Eden and High School Reunion. Outside of work at Principal Financial Group, he competes in triathlons and Ironman competitions. Brandon says his wife, Carissa, is wondering why, after all her kisses, this Frog hasn't turned into a Prince!
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Carissa DeVos Lee (Ensemble), general merchandise manager for Hy-Vee, has been in several shows at Ankeny Community Theatre, including Death and Taxes, Rumors and A Murder is Announced. She made her Playhouse debut as the drama queen in High School Reunion.
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Brett Spahr (Father Bird/Snail/Lizard/ Father Frog) is a favorite with Des Moines audiences from Disney's Beauty and the Beast (Playhouse), Batboy (StageWest) and many others. A teacher in The Playhouse's education department, he is working on his elementary education teacher certification. Brett and wife Robin are new parents of five-month-old Lily.
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Vicente Vasquez (Ensemble) is a sophomore at Lincoln High School, Des Moines. Since his Playhouse debut in Hansel & Gretel in 2003, he has appeared in The Wizard of Oz; Hello, Dolly!; Seussical the Musical; and Pippi Longstocking. In his spare time, he enjoys drawing.
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Toby Nicholson (Director/Choreo-grapher) lives on the north shore of Chicago, IL. After receiving an undergraduate and masters de-gree in theatre and dance from Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, he settled there, danced and acted in professional musicals, and joined the Sybil Shearer Dance Company. Retirement from high school teaching in 1996 allowed Toby to pursue other aspects of the theatre. He began designing and building sets for the local children's theatre, most recently Beauty and the Beast and The Sound of Music; A Cricket in Times Square for Lifeline Theatre; and John Loves Mary for Attic Playhouse. Having moved into the "old duffer" category, he has played Glen in Wonder of the Word at Profiles, Drosselmeier in The Nutcracker with Ballet Legere, and Franz in The Sound of Music with Light Opera Works. Toby met his wife, Juanita, in the dance company. Their son, Christopher, is based in London, where his band, Semifinalists, signed a recording contract with V2 Records. Former New Trier colleague, Kathy Pingel, lured him to The Playhouse. "Thanks, Kathy, it's a great place!"
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Brenton Brown (Music Director) is a former Johnston High School vocal director who has served as music director for Phantom at Ingersoll Dinner Theatre; Hair and A New Brain at StageWest; and Disney's Beauty and the Beast and Chicago at The Playhouse. His onstage résumé includes the title role in Sweeney Todd and Max in Lend Me a Tenor, both at the Ingersoll Dinner Theatre. Brenton is a buyer for Wells Fargo Home Mortgage's procurement department.
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Angela Lampe (Costume Designer) is in her 13th season at The Playhouse, where her costuming credits include Ragtime, Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story, Honk!, Children of Eden, Chicago and Shear Madness. She has created costumes for Iowa Lottery commercials and Terrace Hill (period costumes for tour guides and Iowa First Lady Christie Vilsack).
Angie also serves as a docent at the Des Moines Art Center.
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Kevin Shelby (Scenic Designer) has designed countless sets for Des Moines area theatres over the years, and counts among his Playhouse favorites State Fair, Charlotte's Web and Sabrina Fair.
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Virgil Kleinhesselink (Lighting Designer) owns VTEC Productions sound company, and is technical director at Des Moines Hoover High School, where he designed lights for their production of Les Miserables Jr. Virgil began his Playhouse career in 1979, and since then has been involved with more than 200 shows as designer or actor.
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Craig Kaufman (Sound Designer) is technical director at the Temple Theatre in downtown Des Moines, where he designed lights and sound for the Temple/Playhouse productions of Forever Plaid and Shear Madness. Among his Playhouse credits are Chicago and Disney's Beauty and the Beast.
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Rosanne Mead (Stage Manager) has served on virtually every backstage crew, and has volunteered in the box office and as house manager. Her most recent Playhouse shows include The Wizard of Oz and Hello, Dolly! By day, Rosanne is the assistant insurance commissioner for consumer affairs for the State of Iowa.
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