Last weekend, we were thrilled to see the re-emergence of a live performance by the Children’s Theatre of Livingston (CTL). The group presented A Year with Frog and Toad Kids, a one-act musical about two friends, the cheerful Frog and grumpy Toad, through four seasons.We were, as always, impressed with the amount and spirit of teamwork CTL achieved throughout the show, both on stage and behind it. Three Frogs and three Toads seamlessly shared roles and interacted. The ensembles gracefully covered but never overwhelmed the stage; each individual helped move the story forward. We were particularly charmed by the “Snail with the Mail.”Like everything, CTL was interrupted by COVID. Its last big production had been Annie in November of 2019. In March of 2020, they were preparing to present Willy Wonka, but COVID hit two weeks before the premiere (CTL did present an outdoor production of Jungle Book Kids, with two small casts and an audience of family members, in June 2021).Planning for A Year with Frog and Toad began over the summer, and enrollment was done in early November. Most rehearsals were conducted virtually.CTL was founded 15 years ago to bring opportunities to the youth in town to experience all levels of theater in a workshop setting, and is supported by the Township Council, Board of Education, Arts Council of Livingston, and Healthy Community Healthy Youth (HCHY). It is a wonderful example of what makes this community so special and interconnected, and we are thrilled to see it return.
