Irving the Frog, New Musical by I Sing Composer, Debuts Off-Broadway

By Robert Simonson
21 Oct 2003

Original stories solicited from schoolteachers across the United States have led to a new Off-Broadway musical called The Ballad of Irving the Frog...and other stories.

The fancifully-named show is the work of an equally whimsically-titled new company called Striking Viking Story Pirates, a troupe dedicated to “creating theatre by children, for children.” Among the members are Eli Bolin, composer of the 2001 Off Broadway musical I Sing!.

Irving the Frog is composed of 10 stories, each one submitted by a teacher. Each tale takes place on the Story Pirates' “Storyboat,” and is enacted with the help of puppets, larger-than-life props and other theatrical devices. Among the yarns are “The Teacher Alien,” “The Leg Tower” and “The Day I Got My Head Stuck in the Barstool.” The title story is about a flower who teaches a shy frog to dance and the rhino the kidnaps them.

Bolin wrote the songs. Lyrics are by Bolin, Lee Overtree and Drew Callander. Overtree directs. The cast includes Liz Bangs, Drew Callander, Laura Hernandez, Dan Mahoney, Megan O’Meara, Sam Reiff-Pasarew, Dylan Ris, Jacob Rossmer, Peter Russo and Kristen Schaal.

The show, which began Oct. 11, runs through Nov. 23. All tickets are $14. The show takes place at Vital Children’s Theatre Company, located at 432 West 42nd St, between 9th and 10th Avenues. For reservations, call (212) 268-2040, or go online: www.vitaltheatre.org.