The Frogs at Orlando Fringe Credit: Courtesy Photo

Adapted and directed by Stephen Cauley, Cornerstone Charter Academy’s new interpretation of Aristophanes’ The Frogs sets out to explore why humanity can’t just get along. And who better to figure that out than the demigod of theater and wine himself, Dionysus? He sets off to the Underworld to find his favorite philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche, and see what wisdom the übermensch advocate can impart to restore mankind.

The show is performed by high-school students, and while there are some clunky bits here and there, the energy these performers bring is astounding. Standout performances include Xander Marinaccio as Dionysus and Landon Downey as Nietzsche. The writing is also pretty solid, with jokes combining modern slang and ancient Greek lingo. 

Although I did find it confusing where exactly the frogs fit into the story, I could still follow the overall plot. The show wraps up with a discussion between two great thinkers with quite differing philosophies, and I actually found their dialogue about love and hope to be genuinely moving. I left The Frogs impressed by how insightfully this 2,400-year-old play speaks about our current world, while feeling proud and hopeful for today’s youth. 

Cornerstone Charter Academy Troupe 8121 (Orlando, FL)
Yellow Venue, Lowndes Shakespeare Center
55 minutes; ages 7 and up
Tickets: $8

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This article appears in Orlando Fringe 2026.