Yes folks, it’s true: the Spongebob Squarepants empire is expanding. The musical, set to debut in December of 2017, has been years in the making. “What?” You may ask, “Did we ask for this? Do we need this?” The answer is “who cares?!” because the musical features songs written by Grammy-award winning artists such as Cindi Lauper, John Legend, Steven Tyler, Panic! At the Disco, The Flaming Lips, and, wait for it… David Bowie.
Photo Source: Chicago-Theater.com
The plot of the musical follows the threat of an underwater volcano that is about to explode, and possibly destroy Bikini Bottom and everyone in it. Rather than mascots or puppets, all of the characters will be played by real people, which may be initially difficult for audiences to wrap their heads around. The cast includes Ethan Slater as Spongebob, Danny Skinner as Patrick, Lilli Cooper and Sandy, and Gavin Lee as Squidward. For die-hard Spongebob fans, it’ll be nice to see Squidward finally become the musical star that he’s always dreamed of being.
Photo Source: Playbill
The show, directed by legendary playwright Tina Landau, originally premiered at the Oriental Theater in Chicago back in June 2016. The musical has received generally positive reviews from audiences. Not only does it have the advantage of having such a diverse audience (Spongebob has been airing since 1999 and been shown in over 200 countries), but it also will be a great tool to generate excitement for the third Spongebob movie, expected in 2019.
Photo Source: The Hollywood Reporter
