Photo by Joan Marcus
“It’s called The Untitled Tina Landau Project,” Slater recalls being told in the latest episode of Stagecraft, Variety’s theater podcast. That’s a reference to the director of the project, Tina Landau, with no mention of the Nickelodeon animated hit that inspired the musical that’s now playing on Broadway at the Palace Theater. “The role was Bubble Bert.”
On Stagecraft, Slater and his co-star Lilli Cooper, who plays the squirrel scientist Sandy Cheeks, talk about bringing the optimistic invertebrate to life onstage. In a separate conversation, director Landau and writer Kyle Jarrow explain how they came up with the show’s original storyline.
“I like to describe it as ‘Armageddon’ meets ‘Our Town’ meets SpongeBob,” Jarrow jokes.
Although the production is a big-budget musical, it has a homemade, found-object feel to it. That was part of Landau’s concept from the beginning, who embraced SpongeBob creator Stephen Hillenburg’s indie aesthetic as she tried to figure out how to put a two-dimensional sponge onstage.
The team opted for a look and a plot that are true to the spirit of the show, but entirely new. As Landau says: “If we’re just going to repeat something that we’ve seen on TV or film, why do theater?”
Listen to Variety’s latest Stagecraft episode below, and download and subscribe to Stagecraft on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and Soundcloud!
Bikini Bottom has come to Broadway in Nickelodeon's brand-new SpongeBob SquarePants musical!
SpongeBob SquarePants places the characters of the hit Nickelodeon cartoon series in an original story set in Bikini Bottom, where the stakes are higher than ever before, as SpongeBob and all of Bikini Bottom face the total annihilation of their undersea world! Chaos erupts. Lives hang in the balance. And just when all hope seems lost, a most unexpected hero rises up and takes center stage!
The show features a book by Kyle Jarrow and a score arranged by Tom Kitt, featuring original songs from a plethora of recording artists, including Cyndi Lauper, John Legend, Sara Bareilles, Panic! At the Disco, and the late David Bowie.
Reprising their roles from the musical’s 2016 world premiere in Chicago are Ethan Slater as SpongeBob, Gavin Lee as Squidward Q. Tentacles, Lilli Cooper as Sandy Cheeks, and Danny Skinner as Patrick Star. They will be joined by stage and TV favorite Wesley Taylor as the maniacal-yet-microscopic Sheldon Plankton and Brian Ray Norris in his Broadway debut as Krusty Krab owner Eugene Krabs.
Rounding out the cast are ensemble members Gaelen Gilliland, Juliane Godfrey, Kyle Matthew Hamilton, Curtis Holbrook, Stephanie Hsu, Jesse JP Johnson, L’ogan J’ones, Jai’len Josey, Kelvin Moon Loh, Lauralyn McClelland, Vasthy Mompoint, Oneika Phillips, Jon Rua, JC Schuster, Abby C. Smith, Robert Taylor Jr., Allan Washington, Brynn Williams, and Matt Wood.
Acclaimed Steppenwolf director Tina Landau and the groundbreaking designers behind Fun Home, Hedwig, and Spring Awakening have brilliantly reimagined Bikini Bottom for the Broadway stage, bringing the spirit of SpongeBob to life with humanity, heart, and pure theatricality. With an original score from some of the biggest names in pop and rock, SpongeBob SquarePants explodes with energy.
SpongeBob SquarePants begun Broadway previews Monday, November 6th at the Palace Theatre on New York City's prestigious Broadway, before officially opening on Monday, December 4th.
To purchase tickets the SpongeBob SquarePants Broadway musical, visit SpongeBobBroadway.com, Ticketmaster.com or call 877-250-2929.
Full information about the The SpongeBob Musical can be found on the productions official website, thespongebobmusical.com! #SpongeBobBway.
SpongeBob SquarePants - The New Musical Original Cast Recording is available to listen to and purchase today at https://spongebobmusical.lnk.to/SpongebobMusicalRecording.
Online / Social Media
Website: SpongeBobBroadway.com
Facebook: facebook.com/SpongeBobBway
Twitter: @SpongeBobBway
Instagram: #spongebobbway
YouTube: youtube.com/spongebobbroadway
More Nick: Are You Ready Kids? SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS Musical Begins Broadway Previews Monday; New Block Of Tickets Available!
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