Nickelodeon's hit original animated series (Nicktoon) "SpongeBob SquarePants" is being adapted into a stage musical that will make its world premiere stage debut in 2016 at Broadway in Chicago's Oriental Theatre! The production will run performances as a limited engagement from Tuesday 7th June to Sunday 3rd July 2016, with a planned Broadway opening in the 2016-2017 season!
Directed and co-conceived by Steppenwolf veteran Tina Landau ("Bells Are Ringing", "Superior Donuts") with a book by Kyle Jarrow and music supervision by Tony-winning composer Tom Kitt ("Next to Normal", "If/Then"), the "one of a kind musical event" will feature original songs by prominent musicians, including Aerosmith's Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, Jonathon Coulton, Dirty Projectors, The Flaming Lips, John Legend, Lady Antebellum, Cyndi Lauper, Panic! At the Disco, Plain White T's, They Might Be Giants and T.I, with a additional song contributed by David Bowie and additional lyrics by Coulton.
The design team includes scenic and costume design by David Zinn ("Fun Home", "The Flick"), lighting design by Kevin Adams ("Hedwig and the Angry Inch"), projection design by Peter Nigrini ("The Heidi Chronicles") and sound design by Walter Trarbach ("Doctor Zhivago"). It is produced by Nickelodeon.
Nickelodeon describes "The SpongeBob Musical" as: "The end is near. Only one sponge can save the day. But he's going to need help from some of the greatest songwriters in rock and pop music history. The SpongeBob Musical unleashes anarchic absurdity under the sea... and on Broadway. A rousing tale of a simple sea sponge who faces the unfathomable. It's a celebration of unbridled hope, unexpected heroes, and pure theatrical invention."
"I was drawn to this project not only for its wild theatrical possibility, but also because I felt SpongeBob, at its core, is a layered and hilarious ensemble comedy," Landau said in a press statement.
"SpongeBob himself is of course its center and beating heart - the eternal innocent in a sea of cynics. He's also the classic underdog hero, and so our production sets him on a hero's journey with real stakes, all the while retaining the show's trippy humor and irreverence. We're taking our leads from the TV show but this is an original story, with an original design approach, and original songs written just for the occasion by an amazing array of songwriters. We will present the world of Bikini Bottom and its characters in a whole new way that can only be achieved in the live medium of the theatre. We're bringing the show's fabled characters to life through actors — not prosthetics or costumes that hide them — and we're deploying some unconventional stage craft that will prove that anything can happen in Bikini Bottom."
"SpongeBob long ago transcended the TV screen to become a pop culture icon inspiring everyone from kids and families to artists and musicians, pro athletes, movie stars, fashion designers, social media mavens and even the President," added Cyma Zarghami, President of Viacom Kids and Family Group. "This character has achieved a level of global popularity that we could never have imagined, and bringing him to Broadway is a way to give him a new platform, literally, to reach audiences of all ages who are looking for an engaging, funny and innovative musical theatre experience."
News of a SpongeBob musical first broke at Nickelodeon's Upfront presentation in February. According to the press release, the show is "a rousing tale of a simple sea sponge who faces the unfathomable" and "a celebration of unbridled hope, unexpected heroes, and pure theatrical invention."
"We decided early on that we would only bring SpongeBob to Broadway if we could find someone with a wholly unique take on these beloved characters. When we met Tina, we immediately understood that her vision would not only live up to the expectations of both fans and new audiences, but also to the high-level of artistry and professionalism that are the hallmarks of Broadway. The innovation she is bringing to the staging is matched with an equally fun and surprising set of original songs we've culled from a dream team of SpongeBob fans who happen to be top-flight musical artists, like David Bowie, John Legend, Cyndi Lauper Lady Antebellum and T.I.," stated Russell Hicks, Nickelodeon's President of Content Development and Production.
Tickets for "The Spongebob Musical"'s Chicago run at the Oriental Theatre will go on sale in October 2015.
Casting for The SpongeBob Musical will be announced at a later date.
Original Nickelodeon USA Press Release via Broadway in Chicago:
World Premiere of Broadway Bound
The SpongeBob Musical
in Chicago
Co-Conceived and Directed by Tina Landau
Book by Kyle Jarrow
Music Supervision by Tom Kitt
Performances Begin on Tuesday, June 7, 2016
Limited Engagement through Sunday, July 3, 2016
at Broadway In Chicago’s Oriental Theatre
CHICAGO (August 31, 2015) – Broadway In Chicago is thrilled to announce the Pre-Broadway World Premiere of The SpongeBob Musical will begin performances on Tuesday, June 7 at the Oriental Theatre (24 W. Randolph St., Chicago, IL) in a limited engagement through Sunday, July 3, 2016.
The SpongeBob Musical is co-conceived and directed by Tina Landau with a book by Kyle Jarrow, music supervision by Tom Kitt.
The SpongeBob Musical will be a one-of-a-kind musical event with original songs by Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of AEROSMITH, Jonathan Coulton, Dirty Projectors, The Flaming Lips, John Legend, Lady Antebellum, Cyndi Lauper, Panic! At the Disco, Plain White T’s, They Might Be Giants and T.I., with an additional song by David Bowie and additional lyrics by Jonathan Coulton.
The design team includes scenic and costume design by David Zinn, lighting design by Kevin Adams, projection design by Peter Nigrini and sound design by Walter Trarbach.
Following its engagement in Chicago, the musical will open on Broadway in the 2016-2017 season.
Casting will be announced shortly.
The end is near. Only one sponge can save the day. But he’s going to need help from some of the greatest songwriters in rock and pop music history.
The SpongeBob Musical unleashes anarchic absurdity under the sea… and on Broadway. Conceived and directed by Tina Landau (Steppenwolf Theatre Company), it delivers a tidal wave of original music by songwriting royalty like John Legend, Cyndi Lauper, The Flaming Lips, T.I., Lady Antebellum, and Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith.
The SpongeBob Musical is a rousing tale of a simple sea sponge who faces the unfathomable. It’s a celebration of unbridled hope, unexpected heroes, and pure theatrical invention.
The SpongeBob Musical will be produced by Nickelodeon.
“I was drawn to this project not only for its wild theatrical possibility, but also because I felt SpongeBob, at its core, is a layered and hilarious ensemble comedy,” said Landau. “SpongeBob himself is of course its center and beating heart–the eternal innocent in a sea of cynics. He’s also the classic underdog hero, and so our production sets him on a hero’s journey with real stakes, all the while retaining the show’s trippy humor and irreverence. We’re taking our leads from the TV show but this is an original story, with an original design approach, and original songs written just for the occasion by an amazing array of songwriters. We will present the world of Bikini Bottom and its characters in a whole new way that can only be achieved in the live medium of the theatre. We’re bringing the show’s fabled characters to life through actors—not prosthetics or costumes that hide them—and we’re deploying some unconventional stage craft that will prove that anything can happen in Bikini Bottom.”
“SpongeBob long ago transcended the TV screen to become a pop culture icon inspiring everyone from kids and families to artists and musicians, pro athletes, movie stars, fashion designers, social media mavens and even the President,” said Cyma Zarghami, President, Viacom Kids and Family Group. “This character has achieved a level of global popularity that we could never have imagined, and bringing him to Broadway is a way to give him a new platform, literally, to reach audiences of all ages who are looking for an engaging, funny and innovative musical theatre experience.”
Added Russell Hicks, Nickelodeon’s President of Content Development and Production, “We decided early on that we would only bring SpongeBob to Broadway if we could find someone with a wholly unique take on these beloved characters. When we met Tina, we immediately understood that her vision would not only live up to the expectations of both fans and new audiences, but also to the high-level of artistry and professionalism that are the hallmarks of Broadway. The innovation she is bringing to the staging is matched with an equally fun and surprising set of original songs we’ve culled from a dream team of SpongeBob fans who happen to be top-flight musical artists, like David Bowie, John Legend, Cyndi Lauper Lady Antebellum and T.I.”
Since premiering on Nickelodeon in July 1999, SpongeBob SquarePants has emerged as a pop culture phenomenon. The series has been the most-watched animated program with kids for more than 13 consecutive years, and over the past several years, it has averaged more than 1 million total viewers every quarter across all Nickelodeon networks. As the most widely distributed property in Viacom history, SpongeBob is seen in over 185 countries and translated in more than 50 languages. The Paramount Pictures feature film The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water premiered Feb. 6, 2015, landing at #1 opening weekend and going on to be a major hit globally. The character-driven cartoon chronicles the nautical and sometimes nonsensical adventures of SpongeBob, an incurably optimist and earnest sea sponge, and his undersea friends.
TICKET INFORMATION
The SpongeBob Musical will be part of the Broadway In Chicago series on sale in October 2015. Group tickets for 10 or more are now on sale by calling Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at (312) 977-1710. Individual tickets for The SpongeBob Musical will go on sale at a later date.
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Sources: Entertainment Weekly, The Wrap, Deadline Hollywood, Hypable, Playbill.com.
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