Top 5 Need to Know Facts About the SpongeBob SquarePants Musical
Our favorite characters from Bikini Bottom are heading to broadway! In this countdown we're taking a look at the Top 5 Facts About the SpongeBob SquarePants Musical! Nikelodeon is on board. Believe it or not Cyma Zarghami, the head of Nickelodeon, has always been interested in turning this beloved show about a sea sponge into a Broadway musical. The cast Is loaded with talent! From newcomer Ethan Slater in the titular role of SpongeBob to seasoned stage vet Gavin Lee playing Squidward, the cast of this musical is overflowing with talent. Similarly, designer David Zinn did a fantastic job coming up with a set of unique costumes that pays homage to the show while still managing to feel like a unique Broadway show. The costumes and sets are awesome! The musical version of SpongeBob is a widely creative production with some seriously cool sets, brilliantly choreographed musical numbers and costumes that scream “this show has roughly a 20$ million dollar budget”, and not, “this show feels like it belongs at a theme park.”
#5: Nickelodeon Is on Board
Believe it or not Cyma Zarghami, the head of Nickelodeon, has always been interested in turning this beloved show about a sea sponge into a Broadway musical. And when Tina Landau approached the studio to convince them she was thewoman to make that happen, it’s understandable she was a little nervous. Her vision for how the character should look and feel on stage differed greatly from how he had appeared on screen. Landau wanted to create a Bikini Bottom that felt less like a children’s show and more like a surreal rock concert combined with a circus. Thankfully, everyone was thrilled with Landau’s fresh, innovative take on their brainchild.
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#4: The Cast Is Loaded with Talent
One of the hallmarks of the “SpongeBob SquarePants” TV show, and its feature length films, is the plethora of brilliant voice actors and animators working tirelessly to bring the world of Bikini Bottom to life. The musical took a similar approach when picking its actors and designers. From newcomer Ethan Slater in the titular role of SpongeBob to seasoned stage vet Gavin Lee playing Squidward, the cast of this musical is overflowing with talent. Similarly, designer David Zinn did a fantastic job coming up with a set of unique costumes that pays homage to the show while still managing to feel like a unique Broadway show.
#3: This SpongeBob Isn’t Just for Kids
When Tina Landau decided she wanted to direct a “SpongeBob SquarePants” musical she brought with her two decades worth of theatre experience and her history of directing hard hitting dramas and light hearted musicals. As such, this stage adaptation is unlike anything viewers of the beloved children’s show have seen before. The production is a mixture of exciting musical numbers and cutting edge stage design that wraps itself around a sophisticated story that isn’t pigeonholed bythe need to cater exclusively to children. But don’t let that discourage you from bringing the kids; the “SpongeBob SquarePants” musical has something for everyone.
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#2: The Costumes and Sets Are Awesome
When the “SpongeBob SquarePants” musical was first announced many assumed it would have the same look and feel as the hit TV show it’s based on. But they’re wrong… very wrong. The musical version of SpongeBob is a widely creative production with some seriously cool sets, brilliantly choreographed musical numbers and costumes that scream “this show has roughly a 20$ million dollar budget”, and not, “this show feels like it belongs at a theme park.” Oversized costumes and massive sea animals have been omitted and what’s left is a distinctly human version of SpongeBob unlike any seen before.
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#1: The Score Is Full of Big Names
It can be easy to forget that the “SpongeBob SquarePants” musical is exactly that, a musical. So you shouldn’t be surprised to learn that some of music’s biggest names collaborated on the score. The stage productions illustrious list of contributors includes, but is not limited to: David Bowie, John Legend and Steven Tyler, as well as bands such as The Flaming Lips, Lady Antebellum, and Panic! At the Disco. Now that’s an all-star lineup! With names like those helping out withthe show’s score it looks like this is one musical destined for success!
