Full Synopsis

Act One

The Birds have come back at the end of winter and are anxiously ready for spring. They look in on Frog and Toad, still in hibernation in their respective beds in their cozy home. In sleep, Frog and Toad dream about their friendship and all that they will do in the brand new year ("A Year with Frog and Toad").

Frog finally wakes to realize that it is spring and, therefore, time to wake up his friend, Toad. Toad is hesitant and, after breaking his alarm clock in anger, tells Frog to wake him up in another month. Frog rips the month off of his calendar and tells Toad that the time has passed ("It's Spring"). Toad finally gets out of bed and decides that, this year, he wants to plant a garden; Frog gives him seeds and some advice to help them grow. Toad finishes his planting but quickly becomes impatient when they don't immediately grow. Toad tries yelling at the seeds, but Frog tells him that they will now be afraid to grow. Toad feels bad, so he stays up all night, trying other methods to convince the seeds to grow ("Seeds").

Toad falls asleep in front of the garden and, when Frog comes to wake him up in the morning, they see that the seeds have grown a little. Toad is happy for a moment, but instantly becomes sad when he realizes that it is ten o'clock. He explains to Frog that ten o'clock is when the mail comes but he never gets any mail! Hearing this, Frog excuses himself and goes to write a letter for Toad. He gives it to Snail to mail it for him, and Snail sets off on his mission ("The Letter #1").

Eventually, Frog and Toad go to the pond for a swim, but, when it comes time to swim, Toad asks Frog to turn away while he gets into the water. Frog inquires, and Toad explains that he looks funny in a bathing suit. Frog promises not to look until Toad is in the water. When it's time to get out, Turtle comes by and Toad tells Frog to ask her to go away. Frog asks her, but she finds this amusing instead and calls over Lizard and Mouse to see Toad in his bathing suit. After getting cold, Toad decides to get out of the water as the onlookers laugh about him and his suit ("Getta Loada Toad").

The next day, Toad goes to Frog's house to surprise him with lunch but finds that Frog isn't home. There is a note on the door that says he went to the island and wishes to be left alone. Toad worries and goes to the island in search of Frog. On the trek, Toad falls in the water and ruins lunch, but Frog doesn't mind. Frog explains that he isn't sad; he's happy. He just wanted alone time to reflect on how happy it makes him to be a frog on such a beautiful day ("Alone"). Meanwhile, Snail is still on his way to deliver Frog's letter to Toad and is very happy to be doing the job ("The Letter #2").

Frog and Toad are now at Toad's house, preparing dinner. They make cookies for dessert. When they go to try them, however, they can't stop eating them because they are so good! In hopes of stopping, the two tie up the cookies in a box... but to no avail. They end up giving the rest of the cookies to the birds so that they won't eat all of them by themselves ("Cookies").

Act Two

Frog and Toad are trying to fly a kite, but they can't get it to stay in the air. The birds watch from nearby and laugh at their attempts. Toad wants to give up, but Frog continues to encourage him, and they finally get the kite to fly ("The Kite").

It's now the end of the summer and, as autumn comes, leaves begin to cover the ground ("Leaves: A Year with Frog and Toad"). Frog and Toad decide secretly to rake each other's yard as a favor. They find that it's hard work ("He'll Never Know"). When they are going back home after finishing, squirrels come and mess up the piles of leaves, ruining all of the work that they've done. They both get home and decide to rake their own yard later, never knowing the good deed that each has done for the other ("He'll Never Know – Reprise").

Later, on a dark and stormy night, Toad heads over to Frog's house; Frog thinks that it's a good night to tell a scary story. Toad is already nervous from the weather, but Frog proceeds to tell him the story of a young frog who gets separated from his parents and then escapes the clutches of the Large Terrible Frog before it eats him ("Shivers"). Meanwhile, Snail is still making his way to Toad's to deliver Frog's letter ("The Letter #3").

It is now winter, and Frog and Toad are getting ready to sled down a hill, even though Toad is scared; Frog continues to assure him that it will be okay. Partway down the hill, Frog is thrown from the sled, leaving Toad all alone. Toad doesn't know what to do and accidentally takes the dangerous and bumpy path ("Down the Hill"). Toad eventually makes it to the bottom but is angry at Frog for making him go sledding. He swears that he will never talk to Frog again. Just as Toad is about to leave, Snail appears with his letter from Frog. Toad reads the letter, wherein Frog talks about their good friendship and that he cannot be happy unless Toad is happy. Toad decides to talk to Frog again and invites him home for soup.

Snail, having delivered his first letter, feels as though he has finally done something of which to be proud ("I'm Coming out of My Shell").

It's now Christmas Eve, and Toad is in his kitchen, waiting for Frog. He begins to get worried because Frog is late and starts to think that something terrible has happened to him. He goes out in search of Frog ("Toad to the Rescue"). Frog arrives just as Toad is leaving and apologizes for being late, explaining that he was wrapping Toad's present. Toad opens the gift, which seems to be a new clock. Toad tells Frog that Snail is delivering his present and that it should be there soon; the two reflect on what a lovely Christmas Eve it is and how glad they are to be together ("Merry Almost Christmas").

It is now almost spring again. Frog and Toad are in hibernation. The birds return and look in on Frog and Toad dreaming. In their dreams, the two talk about what lovely things they have been thinking about and how excited they are for another new year together ("Finale: A Year with Frog and Toad").