The Imagen Foundation has announced the exciting news that Nickelodeon has received two nominations in the 33rd Annual Imagen Awards, which celebrate positive portrayal and creative excellence of Latinos and Latino cultures in TV and film!
Nickelodeon's hit animated series The Loud House, which features a large Latino family who are friends with the main characters of the show, has been nominated for the "Best Children’s Programming" award in the 2018 Imagen Awards. Nickelodeon recently announced a animated Loud House spin-off called Los Casagrandes, which will follow Ronnie Anne and her brother Bobby Santiago as they adjust to their new life in Great Lakes City, where they now live with their big, loving and chaotic multi-generational family, the Casagrandes. In the series, Ronnie Anne makes new friends, build stronger bonds with her relatives and explores the endless possibilities of city life. Bobby helps Grandpa Hector run the family's corner store, and becomes familiar with the neighborhood's quirky characters.
Additionally, Nickelodeon star Cree Cicchino has been nominated in the "Best Young Actor – Television" category for her portrayal of 'Babe Carano' in Nick's popular sitcom Game Shakers!
The Imagen Awards is the only premier Latino entertainment awards program dedicated to honoring the positive portrayal and creative excellence of Latinos and Latino cultures in television and film. For over 30 years The Imagen Foundation has honored and celebrated inclusion and diversity in the entertainment industry. Recognizing actors/actresses, studios, executives, etc. with their forefront performances and contributions to diversity in Hollywood. The Imagen Awards nominees are determined by an independent panel of entertainment industry executives and Latino community leaders.
Winners of the 2018 Imagen Awards will be announced on Saturday evening, August 25, at the JW Marriott Los Angeles at LA Live.
A full list of Imagen Awards 2018 nominations can be found here on imagen.org.
Congratulations and good luck to the production teams and stars of The Loud House and Los Casagrandes, Cree Cicchino and Nickelodeon!
About The Imagen Awards
The Imagen (pronounced ee-mah-hen) Awards program was established in 1985 from a suggestion by veteran television producer Norman Lear to encourage and recognize the positive portrayals of Latinos in the media. Later, as The Imagen Foundation, it expanded its programs and initiatives to further its mission to serve as a bridge between the Latino community and the entertainment industry in providing access, education, and resources for Latinos in the industry, as well as those seeking careers in entertainment. More information on the organization as well as details of the event can be found online at www.imagen.org and its social media channels: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
H/T: Deadline.Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Google+, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Nickelodeon Preschool, Nick Jr. and Nella the Princess Knight News and Highlights!
Sissy Sheridan of Reston, Virginia, just wrapped up the first season of the DIY With Me Web series for Nickelodeon.
Sissy Sheridan is on set at a Nickelodeon studio in New York for the filming of her Web series, “DIY With Me.” In this episode, the Reston, Virginia, 14-year-old teaches viewers how to make a phone-charging wall bed. (Photo from Sissy Sheridan)
Sissy Sheridan is doing it all. She is acting in commercials, plays, television shows and musicals — and keeping up with homework. She just finished wrapping up the first season of DIY With Me web series for Nickelodeon. The 14-year-old has been traveling between her home in Reston, Virginia, and New York, where she hosts the weekly craft show for Nick’s YouTube channel.
She has taught viewers how to make all kinds of crafts, including Henry Danger-inspired fluffy slime and a bubble-gum rug made of yarn and paper towel tubes. There is also an episode on how to make a JoJo Siwa mug with rose gold glitter.
When her manager told her Nickelodeon was holding auditions for an online craft show, she went for it. Her audition required her to make a craft with a water bottle, tape and scissors.
“I made a bangle bracelet and a monogrammed hair-tie holder with the water bottle. It was an improvised audition, and I only had 10 minutes. My manager called me the next couple days and said, ‘Hello, Sissy! How would you like to have your own Nickelodeon Web series?’ And I was just freaking out!” Sissy told The Washington Post's KidsPost.
Sissy has been featured on an episode of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and an upcoming Netflix show with Jonah Hill and Emma Stone. You might also see her in a commercial for the Washington Nationals baseball team. Next year, she will be attending a performing arts school in Virginia and continuing to work on her acting career. KidsPost spoke with her about how she does it all. (Her answers are edited for length and clarity.)
Q: What do you enjoy most about acting?
A: When you are acting, everything is just so free, if that makes sense. There is no judgment or care in the world, because you are doing what you love. My favorite part about it is doing meet-and-greets with fans after shows, because you get to meet people and see how the show touched them.
In her audition for the series, Sissy had 10 minutes to make a craft out of a water bottle, tape and scissors. She made a bangle bracelet and a monogrammed hair-tie holder. And she got the part. (Photo from Sissy Sheridan)
Q: How do you balance school with travel, auditions and rehearsals?
A: It’s definitely not easy. It’s a lot of work because this year I have been blessed with a lot of opportunities. When I am in school, I have to make the most of my time there. I stay after school some days to make sure I am caught up and to make up tests or homework. I do homework or tests on the train or plane or during downtime on set. School is always number one, and I need to have really good grades if I want to keep doing this.
Q: What is your favorite thing to do when you come back to Virginia?
A: I love the Tysons Corner mall. It is my go-to. Reston Town Center is cool, too. I also love making slime with my friends. I love making YouTube videos, and I am working with my friends on that, too.
Q: What advice do you give kids who want to act?
A: Keep doing what you are doing. I didn’t start professionally until the seventh grade. Whatever level you are at, just keep working your hardest. And when you aren’t getting jobs or aren’t in the place you want to be, just keep training. You always want to be at the top of your game. And anything is possible if you believe and have a great work ethic. Great things are bound to happen!
Nickelodeon's Double Dare revival attracted an average of 1.4 million viewers during its premiere week—making it the most-viewed series on kids’ TV this year!
In an indication of the reboot’s multi-generational appeal, Double Dare ranked number one in its timeslot among kids and teens between ages 2 and 14 on both impressions and share, and the Monday, June 25th premiere was Nick’s best series launch among adults 18-49 in more than five years, according to Nielsen*.
The iconic game show, which airs weekdays at 8pm ET/PT on Nick USA, is hosted by digital creator and actress Liza Koshy. Each episode features two teams as they battle for prizes through mind-bending trivia questions and physically demanding stunts, including the legendary obstacle course (replete with the human hamster wheel, the wringer, and the Double Dare nose). Original host Mark Summers is back, this time providing color commentary.
“Ratings for the first full week indicate that kids, new viewers and adults alike are showing up for Double Dare and loving it,” said Sarah Levy, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Viacom Media Networks and interim head of Nickelodeon. “Liza Koshy and Marc Summers have great chemistry. The kid contestants are totally relatable to our audience. And The Loud House lead-in is a winner, ranking at number one with kids on all TV for the week.”
The show’s ratings represent double and triple increase across all key demos compared to prior four-week levels. With the inclusion of L+3, the premiere week audience delivered 1.6 million viewers.
On-the-ground activations at Slimefest, Clusterfest and VidCon 2018—as well as one that will continue throughout the summer at Nickelodeon Universe at Mall of America in Minneapolis—turned the game into a location-based, live experience for fans.
The original Double Dare was Nickelodeon’s longest running game show, airing on the network from 1986 to 1993. Shortly after its debut on Oct. 6, 1986, it became one of the most popular original daily programs on cable television.
*Source: NMR, Live+Sameday, 6/25/18-6/29/18, M-F 8pm. Ranks based on total program average with at least 5 telecasts – 1/1/18-7/2/18.
JoJo Siwa is known for her big personality and even bigger hair bows.
JoJo Siwa is a teen pop star and social media sensation and she's got some strong advice for bullying. Source: Instagram
The 15-year-old Nickelodeon star is a singer, dancer and social media sensation and behind all the glitter and rainbows, she’s a wonderful role model for young girls.
She recently sat down with eight-year-old Harper and Charlie, six, who interviewed her for Kidspot and she gave them some pretty good advice about bullying.
"It's something everyone goes through"
“I personally know what it’s like to get bullied too because it’s something that everyone goes through,” explained the teen star.
“But here’s the thing - if you have one person who says something mean to you, you can’t listen to them because there are 10 people who are saying something nice to you,” she explained.
JoJo’s outlook on bullying is you can’t let one person being negative to you get you down, because there are always so many people in your life who are there to be nice and support you.
“So say you’re having a bad day, but your friend says something nice to you, focus on what your friend said that was nice, not about what this one mean person said,” said JoJo.
The 15-year-old believes you should listen to the people telling you good things, not the negatives. Source: Instagram
"Be yourself ... everyone else is taken"
The former Dance Moms star has grown up in the spotlight and her advice that she wants young girls everywhere to know is to just ‘be yourself.’
“Be yourself, because that’s like one of the most important things ever, because everyone else is taken,” said JoJo.
It’s clear the teen star has a strong sense of self-confidence and a lot of that is thanks to best friend, her mum Jessalynn.
Fans of JoJo’s YouTube account know that Jessalynn is a really strict parent, but it doesn’t mean that her daughter doesn’t look up to her.
“My superstar, I’d probably go with my mum,” she said, “My mum's my superstar.”
JoJo has just completed her tour of East Australia for her first ever shows Down Under, visiting Sea World on the Gold Coast, Westfield Parramatta in New South Wales, the Eastland Shopping Centre in Victoria, drawing huge crowds wherever she went.
Rockville, MD - Former Rockville High School student Amina Alzouma was recently cast in the second season of Nickelodeon's hit comedy drama series I Am Frankie! To be on I Am Frankie, Amina had to move to Miami, Florida, where the show is filmed.
Alzouma and her cast mate celebrate being on the Nickelodeon show, “I am Frankie” with a picture. Alzouma moved to Miami, Fla. in March with her mother to film the second season. Photo courtesy of Amina Alzouma.
To get the role, Alzouma’s agent Ani Antonian sent a tape audition to the casting directors of I Am Frankie in February this year. She was then flown out to L.A. for a live audition in front of the show’s producers and directors later in the month. Following her casting, Alzouma moved to Miami Fla. in March, 2018 for the duration of filming, which wrapped in June 2018.
She goes to school near the studio where she studies during the day before filming.
With Alzouma now in Florida, her family of four in Rockville is now split. Currently, Amina is living with her mother in Florida in a condo paid for by Nickelodeon. Alzouma lives alongside her fellow castmates, who she says she spends a lot of time with.
Back in Rockville, her father is at home with her brother Khalid, a sophomore at RHS.
“My house is a lot quieter. It’s been an interesting transition,” Khalid Alzouma said.
Both the Alzouma children started their careers when they were aged eight at The Finest!, a performance center in Rockville. The siblings also shared a stage in A Change Gon’ Come for several years starting at the DC Black Theater Festival beginning when Amina was seven years old. Prior to I Am Frankie, Alzouma’s biggest role was in the short film Brute (2013) where she played the leading role of an abused young girl.
“I’m happy for her, it’s exciting. It’s Nickelodeon, it’s a big company,” Khalid Alzouma said. “I’m excited for her but it also may mean I have more connections. I think with my sister being on a Nickelodeon show could also help me out.”
Alzouma has also lent her hand in productions at RHS. She played the role of Tiffany in the 2016 spring musical Back to the Totally Awesome 80’s and Veruca Salt in the 2017 spring musical Willy Wonka.
Alzouma hopes to attend California State University, in Los Angeles next year.
I Am Frankie follows Frankie Gaines (Alex Hook), who looks like a typical teenager, but has a very big secret - she's actually a cutting edge, experimental android! The show premiered on Nickelodeon USA in September 2017 and is seen on Nick channels around the world. Season two is slated to premiere on Nick USA in September 2018, followed by a global roll out.
The Thundermans may have recently concluded with a epic finale, however, Kira Kosarin is still hoping for an extra episode for the series – a blooper filled one!
During a recent Instagram Live with fans in honor of the finale, the 20-year-old actress, who plays Phoebe on the show, revealed that’s the one episode that the entire cast wanted to have.
“We have so many and all we really got was a clip one,” Kira said.
Kira also revealed that the blooper episodes of iCarly, Victorious and True Jackson, VP were the episodes that made her want to become an actress.
“I would get up early every morning and watch those on YouTube,” she shared.
Awww! Here’s crossing fingers we’ll get it someday! In the meantime, did you catch Kira on Double Dare?
Although it's not a full episode, enjoy some hilarious bloopers and fails from our favorite superfam in the videos below!
Fans can watch The Thundermans on Nickelodeon, nick.com and the Nick App!
In case you were wondering what the Thunderfam looked like in the very beginning... pic.twitter.com/6Nf4yfHkE8
More than 400 fans packed out Leicester Square to watch the celebrity turnout at Vue cinema where the 80–minute CG animated special made its world debut, before rolling out to 400 cinemas throughout the UK from July 20 this year.
Peter Andre joined Thomas the Tank Engine and a host of celebrity guests to walk the blue carpet at the global premiere of Thomas & Friends: Big World! Big Adventures! The Movie on Saturday 7th July!
More than 400 fans packed out Leicester Square to watch the celebrity-packed premiere screening at Vue cinema where the 80–minute CG animated special made its world debut. The movie will roll out at 400 cinemas throughout the UK from Friday 20th July then hit screens around the world soon after, including on Nickelodeon in the USA later this year.
The new movie features Peter Andre, the latest celebrity to voice a character in Thomas & Friends: Big World! Big Adventures!. Peter brings to life the character of Ace, a yellow Australian rally car who inspires Thomas to leave his home of Sodor and travel around the world with him.
Andre has also recorded a new song for the movie called "Free and Easy" which will be available on Spotify from July 20.
Joining the cast is multi-talented Kenyan actress and voice-over artist, Yvonne Grundy, who voices the protagonist Nia, the first African tank engine to join Thomas & Friends. Nia has been specially developed with the help of the UN and experts from the Royal African Society, and is a tank engine just like Thomas, who will now go on to join the TV show as part of the Steam Team.
The new movie is the thirteenth feature-length film to be produced by the world-famous franchise and the first to hit screens following a major refresh to its content, which will see a new series of the same name, Thomas and Friends: Big World! Big Adventures! (26 x 11’ episodes) launch in September. This makes the movie the most ambitious and anticipated Thomas & Friends release to date.
To better portray diversity, the series got an update for its 26 x 11-minute 22nd season, entitled Thomas & Friends: Big World! Big Adventures! that will take Thomas beyond the fictional Island of Sodor for the first time. The major refresh will see the iconic blue engine Thomas traveling farther than ever before, taking kids on a journey of wonder and curiosity as he adventures around the world to discover and learn about new countries and cultures. The show has a more contemporary feel, a brand-new theme tune and a refreshed Steam Team to include three girls and three boy engines, and Thomas, ensuring gender equality across the show, increasing global appeal for preschool viewers. This all-new format series will feature faster-paced action, increased humor, new music, new international friends, animals and exciting fantasy elements. Series 22 has been signed up by broadcaster's Nick Jr. (USA), Channel 5's Milkshake (U.K.), ABC TV (Australia), Televisa (Mexico), TV Cultura (Brazil), and Super RTL (Germany).
Kate Schlomann, VP and general manager, Thomas & Friends, said: “The brand is undergoing a huge evolution to ensure it remains competitive for today’s audiences and this movie exemplifies this in a wonderful way with entertaining content that will help children discover and learn about the bigger world with a trusted friend.
“The new movie also offers the brand several new opportunities across the franchise from theatrical events to consumer products as well as a range of new exciting toys. This is a huge year for Thomas & Friends.”
Products supporting the movie include the Thomas & Friends Turbo Jungle Set and Nia engines in the TrackMaster and Adventures segments. The Turbo Jungle Set features a motorised Thomas train that can travel up to 2.5 times faster than normal TrackMaster engines so kids can recreate scenes from the movie. Andre’s character, Ace will be available as a toy in both the Adventures and TrackMaster ranges this summer.
Thomas the Tank Engine™ was created over 70 years ago and that story quickly grew through content to become the award-winning global brand franchise it is today, with multiple touch-points and formats, including apps; toy consumer products; publishing; live attractions and much more with over 1 engine sold per second. Watched in over 160 territories, in over 50 languages with over 1.16 billion lifetime views on YouTube, Thomas & Friends offers more than 80 hours of original content produced from 500 episodes and 12 specials. A 23rd season of the beloved children's series was recently greenlit.
Get ready for a game of super summery hide n’ seek 🔍with Nick Jr. friends from PAW Patrol, Bubble Guppies, and Rusty Rivets! There are three summer ☀️scenes and a Nick Jr. character is hidden in each one. Try to find friends like Gil, Ruby, and Rocky! Parents, invite your kids to shout each character’s name as they find them! Then, for s’more summer fun, visit the FREE Nick Jr. App. You’ll find more fun videos, full episodes, games, and a collection of kids’ songs! 🏖️
Kids can watch their favorite Nick Jr. shows weekdays on Nickelodeon and all week long on the Nick Jr. channel: http://nickjr.com/tvschedule/
Preschoolers can watch full episodes online, play games, and discover silly surprises in the free Nick Jr. App and at NickJr.com: iTunes | Google Play | Amazon.
Sing along with JoJo Siwa and your favorite female characters in “Every Girl’s a Super Girl.” And catch more of your favorite shows only on Nickelodeon!
Chuckie swallows a watermelon seed... find out what he thinks is going to happen in this scene from Rugrats episode "The Inside Story"!
Who else is terrified to this day of swallowing watermelon seeds?! 🍉
Watch all your '90s Nickelodeon favorites on NickSplat, your late-night destination for your favorite childhood Nickelodeon cartoons and live-action shows! NickSplat doesn't question football-shaped heads, but embrace them - along with Reptar bars, a Big Ear of Corn, orange soda, and even slime for Pete (and Pete's) sake. Make your slime-covered Nickelodeon childhood dreams come true every night at 11 PM ET/PT, only on TeenNick USA! #NickSplat!
SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical will conclude its Broadway engagement at the Palace Theatre (1564 Broadway at West 47th Street) on Sunday, September 16, 2018, due to previously planned theatre renovations beginning mid-September. Early in 2019, school and youth group licensing rights will be available, with professional licensing to follow. Additionally, a North American tour will begin fall 2019 (cities, venue engagements and casting to be announced at a later date). The production, which began previews on November 6, 2017, and opened on December 4, 2017, will have played 327 regular performances and 29 previews.
"Our bold reimagining of SpongeBob SquarePants as a musical has been embraced by SpongeBob fans and theatre-goers alike, who experienced the wonderous life in Bikini Bottom first-hand during the Broadway engagement in New York City" said Executive Producer Susan Vargo. "It will continue absorbing audiences across the country and around the world."
The critically acclaimed SpongeBob SquarePants musical was named Best Musical by the Drama Desk Awards and Outer Critics Circle and earned 12 Tony Award nominations - the most nominated musical of the 2017-2018 theatre season - winning for Best Scenic Design of a Musical (David Zinn).
Following a Chicago tryout, it began previews at the Palace Nov. 6 and officially opened Dec. 4, defying critical expectations by earning some of the warmest reviews of the season. While many expected a theme park-style brand extension, the show surprised theatergoers with its wild Dadaist comic sensibility, ingenious design and winning performances, notably from gifted 26-year-old newcomer Ethan Slater, making a terrific Broadway debut in the title role.
While the official reason for the closing notice is the previously announced renovation of the Palace Theatre, scheduled to begin mid-September, Broadway pundits have been speculating for months about the future of such a costly show (reportedly capitalized at up to $18.35 million) consistently playing to less than 70 percent of its gross potential.
The musical's presence in the Tonys race, and a spot on the CBS telecast for the tap extravaganza "I'm Not a Loser," performed by nominee Gavin Lee as Squidward Q. Tentacles, pumped some fresh momentum into the box office. But the show still had not exceeded 75 percent of its gross potential since the lucrative week between Christmas and New Year's. Cumulative box office currently stands at $26.8 million.
SpongeBob SquarePants explodes with energy and features an original pop and rock-infused score by a legendary roster of Grammy® Award-winning songwriters. Led and conceived by visionary director Tina Landau (2018 Tony Award nominee) and a Tony Award®-winning design team, the production brings the spirit of SpongeBob to life with humanity, heart, and pure theatricality. SpongeBob SquarePants features a book by Kyle Jarrow, music supervision, orchestrations and arrangements by Tom Kitt and choreography by Christopher Gattelli.
The stakes are higher than ever 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 SpongeBob SquarePants cast includes Tony Award Nominee Ethan Slater as SpongeBob SquarePants, Tony Award Nominee Gavin Lee as Squidward Q. Tentacles, Lilli Cooper as Sandy Cheeks, Brian Ray Norris as Eugene Krabs, Danny Skinner as Patrick Star and Wesley Taylor as Sheldon Plankton.
The ensemble includes Brandon Espinoza, Alex Gibson, Gaelen Gilliland, Juliane Godfrey, Jordan Grubb, Kyle Matthew Hamilton, Curtis Holbrook, Jesse JP Johnson, L'ogan J'ones, Jai'len Christine Li Josey, Kelvin Moon Loh, Lauralyn Mcclelland, Vasthy Mompoint, Oneika Phillips, Catherine Ricafort, JC Schuster, Allysa Shorte, Abby C. Smith, Robert Taylor Jr., Allan K. Washington, Brynn Williams, Matt Wood and Tom Kenny as the French Narrator.
SpongeBob SquarePants is a one-of-a-kind musical event with original songs by Yolanda Adams, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Sara Bareilles, Jonathan Coulton, Alexander Ebert of Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, The Flaming Lips, Lady Antebellum, Cyndi Lauper, John Legend, Panic! At the Disco, Plain White T's, They Might Be Giants and T.I., and a song by David Bowie and by Tom Kenny and Andy Paley. Additional lyrics by Jonathan Coulton. Additional music by Tom Kitt.
The design team includes scenic and costume design by David Zinn, lighting design by Kevin Adams, projection design by Peter Nigrini, sound design by Walter Trarbach, hair and wig design by Charles G. LaPointe and casting by Telsey + Company/Patrick Goodwin, CSA.
The production earned 12 Tony Award nominations including best musical, equaling Mean Girls for the most of any show this season, and while The Band's Visit swept the honors, SpongeBob did score a deserved win for David Zinn's scenic design. The show’s director, Tina Landau, earned a Tony Award nomination for her inventive and unconventional approach to the material that humanized the characters than creating literal representations of the familiar Nickelodeon cartoon.
The production was capitalized for up to $18.35 million, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The SpongeBob SquarePants Original Cast Recording is available now from Masterworks Broadway wherever music is sold and streamed.
SpongeBob SquarePants is produced by Nickelodeon with The Araca Group, Sony Music Masterworks and Kelp on the Road.
Since its launch in July 1999, SpongeBob SquarePants has reigned as a pop culture phenomenon. The series has been the most-watched animated program with kids 2-11 for more than 15 consecutive years, and over the past several years, it has averaged more than 100,000,000 total viewers every quarter across all Nickelodeon networks. SpongeBob SquarePants is the most widely distributed property in Viacom history, seen in more than 208 countries and territories and translated in 55+ languages. Paramount Pictures' second feature film based on the property, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, in 2015 at #1 opening weekend. A third feature, “It’s a Wonderful Sponge,” has been announced for summer 2020. The character-driven cartoon chronicles the nautical and sometimes nonsensical adventures of SpongeBob, an incurably optimist and earnest sea sponge, and his undersea friends, and will be celebrating its landmark 20th anniversary in 2019.
The official reason given for the show’s close is because of previously-planned renovations to the Palace Theatre, the musical’s home, which will be elevated 29 feet above street level to create space for retail stores underneath it.
However, if the musical had been even a moderate success, it certainly would have moved to another Broadway theater. But the show, which was capitalized at as much as $18.35 million, according to the New York Times, was playing to less than 70 percent of its gross potential each week, and will close without recouping its capitalization.
The show’s closure represents a stumble for Nickelodeon, as the network had made the musical the centerpiece of its March upfront event, which was held at the Palace Theatre. Cyma Zarghami, who was still president of Nickelodeon Group at the time, told Adweek that the musical tied into Nickelodeon and Viacom’s reinvention theme for this year’s upfront.
“That’s one of the themes for our upfront this year, is reinvention on behalf of the audience, reinvention because of what’s happening in the industry and reinvention at the heard of the creative community,” she said. “The SpongeBob musical is an incredible example of how great IP at the center can serve the audience on every platform, and by the way, expand the footprint of that audience into families and adults.”
But Zarghami exited the company in June, after three decades at the network, and now SpongeBob is leaving Broadway.
SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical had been a big hit among Viacom’s advertisers, Viacom ad sales chief Sean Moran told Adweek in March. “We brought about 300 people to go see the show back in December, and we keep fielding requests from clients, agency folks, and even some of our competitors, who all want to bring their families there. So it’s been fantastic on so many levels,” he said.
Nickelodeon had produced its first Broadway musical as part of Viacom’s push into more live events under Viacom CEO Bob Bakish. Last month, the Nickelodeon SlimeFest festival made its U.S. debut in Chicago.
--Ends--
The Tony-award winning SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical is now playing at the Palace Theatre (1564 Broadway at West 47th Street). For full information, reviews and tickets, visit http://spongebobbroadway.com.
