A Year with Frog & Toad Celebrates Friendship on Stage

By Presley Harrison, Shield Editor-in-Chief 

A Year with Frog & Toad, performed by North Raleigh Christian Academy’s Squire Theatre, opened on Nov. 8, 2025.  

The show follows two amphibian friends, played by freshman Levi Richardson (Frog) and sophomore Graham Gutekunst (Toad), as they navigate a year in the forest, supporting each other through good and bad seasons. Featuring songs, dances, and comedy, the musical was a hit across the NRCA community.  

His role as Frog was Richardson’s first time playing a lead role in a Squire Theatre production. “I really wanted to get into theatre out of pure curiosity,” Richardson said. “It was very easy to get into character…[Frog’s] kind of like me. He’s super energetic and tries to be the life of the party and wants to constantly do fun stuff.”  

A Year with Frog & Toad was also Gutekunst’s first leading role at NRCA. “[Toad] is a very grumpy and down person who needs help from his friends to bring him up in life,” said Gutekunst. “Once you move along through the show, he becomes more open to things… and I think that’s part of why the show is so touching, because friendship really brings out the best in people.”  

The musical’s primary theme of friendship gives insights to audiences of all ages. “It does a really good job of showing how you have ups and downs in every relationship, and I think that’s something really beautiful and cool about this show,” Richardson said.  

One of the most important takeaways from the show was “to enjoy friendship because it brings out the best in people,” Gutekunst said. He added that friendship “helps you grow and guides you along the path if you’re going through something painful or you’re experiencing some sort of loss. [Friends are] there to help you and bring you peace and happiness.” 

In the end, A Year with Frog & Toad truly reminds viewers to seek out true friends as life gets hard, because they will always have your back.