Many kids grow up with the children's stories, "Frog and Toad", and often times image what it would be like if those characters could come to life.

Now, dozens of Lincoln kids are getting that chance, and learning what it's like to take center stage at the same time.

Just like their characters, several Capital City kids are hopping from the page to the stage.

While many of their friends spend the summer sleeping in, these kids spent the past two weeks perfecting a musical, through the Lincoln Community Playhouse's Summer Theatre Arts Academy.

"We're putting on the play, "A Year With Frog and Toad," and it's about two friends, a frog and a toad, who go on an adventure," said 10-year-old Nash Jack.

The adventure starts with their wake from hibernation in the spring.

"They go swimming and sledding and they eat cookies," said Jack.

"It's just parts that are really hilarious and then it gets really serious," said 8-year-old Aisha Monismith.

Some of those funny parts are seeing toad in a bathing suit.

Serious parts come into play with the hard work and dedication the kids put into the program.

"It's really to get the kids more involved in the arts. To have the whole theatre experience," said Brent Welch, Lincoln Community Playhouse Education Director. "For a lot of them, this is kind of their own version of Broadway."

"We do warm-ups and clean-up choreography, like what they're doing," said Monismith.

"We usually get all the choreography done in the first week, and then the second week, we clean it up. In that week, we do music and blocking, which is telling us where to go on stage, and practicing transitions in and out of the musical numbers," said 11-year-old Sadie Fisher.

Practice, that has these kids pushing themselves to focus on the end result.

"We all look over our scripts a couple times each night, and run through the musical numbers and choreography," said Fisher.

"It's a lot of work. Sometimes, I actually get up in the morning and say, 'I don't want to go,' because it takes a lot of work, but, I have to, because it pays off in the end, because you get to be on stage, and say, 'Hey, I'm here,'" said 11-year-old Josh Hakenkamp.

"It's really fun for me to see the kids come in every morning. They're so bubbly and excited, and it's really cool to see the kids that way," said Welch. "They're all really focused."

According to the kids, that focus is going to pay off, as they head into their final performances, perfecting, "A Year With Frog and Toad."

"I think it's going to be a good show," said Jack.

"It's pretty funny, and there's a lot of humor in it," said Hakenkamp.

"To see the end product is amazing," said Fisher.

"I hope you enjoy it!" said Monismith.

The Lincoln Community Playhouse offers two Summer Theatre Arts Academy classes. This group was ages 7 to 11.

In July, 12 to 17-year-olds will get their chance to take the stage.

If you're interested in seeing the final product, "A Year With Frog and Toad" will be performed at 1:00 and 3:00 Saturday afternoon.

For more information about the musical, or the Community Playhouse, click the link below.