By: Jody Tuso-Key: Managing Editor

December is the season for holiday shows, and I have quite a few on my calendar this year. Synchronicity Theatre is stepping away from the usual holiday fare to bring audiences a children’s story about five field mice who live and work together as they prepare for a long, cold winter. Based on Leo Lionni’s beloved book Frederick, this stage adaptation transforms the tale into a musical that adds warmth, humor, and depth to the original source material. 

In the OG story, four unnamed mice gather food while Frederick appears to be daydreaming. He insists he’s collecting important “supplies” of sunlight, colors, and words. When winter sets in and the food runs out, the other mice discover that Frederick’s intangible treasures are what sustain them through the darkest days.

Frederick the Musical, adapted by Suzanne Maynard Miller with music by Sarah Durkee and Paul Jacobs, expands Lionni’s simple tale into a study of personality types reminiscent of Winnie the Pooh. The audience meets five distinct mice:
• Nellie (Rika Ling), a classic “Nervous Nellie” who worries about everything.
• Baby (Morgan Crumbly), the youngest, always hungry and utterly adorable.
• Sunny (Anna Snider), whose bright personality and optimism are infectious.
• Ernest (Bryan Montemayor), sincere and determined, the elder inventor of the group and a grandfather figure to the “mischief” (yes, that’s the proper name for a group of mice!).
• And finally Frederick (Zion Glenn), the creative dreamer who gathers beauty and inspiration instead of nuts and seeds.

The show’s music has a delightful bluegrass flavor, and each performer brings their own nuance to the score. But Zion Glenn, as Frederick, puts the blues in bluegrass. After the performance, he shared with me that director Julie Skrzypek encouraged the cast to make personal choices in how they interpreted the music. Zion’s voice—an effortless blend of Motown, blues, and jazz—deepens Frederick’s emotional arc. The audience adored him, especially in the scenes where he shuffles sadly to Vince Guaraldi’s iconic Christmas tunes, a subtle nod to the season.

In her director’s notes, Skrzypek reflects on finding the different parts of each character within ourselves. Initially, I identified most with Frederick—I often prefer observing and appreciating life’s beauty over worrying or working tirelessly. Yet, like Nellie, I worry plenty. My natural disposition is sunny, I’m also the baby of my family who loves to eat, and like Ernest, I’m a problem solver who enjoys inventing new approaches.

As the musical unfolds, Nellie accuses Frederick of being selfish for not doing his share. This reminded me of a Native American story in which a grandfather, who is teaching his intolerant grandson uses lima beans to represent tribe members—each with a role, even the maiden who “only” sits looking beautiful and sings songs at night. When the boy suggests she contributes nothing, the grandfather gently explains that beauty, music, and joy are vital to the tribe’s spirit. Frederick is that lima bean in this story—an essential reminder that daydreamers, artists, and visionaries sustain us in ways that are just as important as food or shelter. They help us understand life, lift us up when the world grows cold, and inspire us to keep going.

In the darkest moments of history—including the recent COVID pandemic—people turned to art and entertainment for comfort. I would argue that life without them would be unbearably bleak. We all need warmth, creativity, and connection. I hope everyone has a Frederick in their life. More importantly, I hope everyone nurtures the Frederick within themselves. May we each be a friend who is as beautiful, vulnerable, and soulful as Frederick—and may we also find the inner strength that carries us, and those we love, through long winters.

Frederick will inspire audiences through December 28th and includes special community events. For details and tickets, visit Synchronicity Theatre’s website.

This show is Speakeysie Highly Recommended, so get your tickets today!