Bluefield Youth Theatre will present the award-winning show The SpongeBob Musical on April 25-27 at 7:30 pm, with two matinee performances on April 27 and 28 at 3:00 pm in Harman Auditorium on the Bluefield University campus. Admission for performances is $10 for adults and $5 for students and senior adults in advance; and $15 and $10 at the door at the time of performance. To make reservations go to https://our.show/sbspmusical.
The SpongeBob Musical was co-conceived and directed by Tina Landau with songs by various artists and a book by Kyle Jarrow. It is based on Nickelodeon’s animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants and made its Broadway premiere in December 2017. The show opened to critical acclaim, garnering 12 nominations for the 2018 Tony Awards (including a nomination for best musical). Songs for The SpongeBob Musical were written by a number of great rock and pop artists including Cyndi Lauper, Sara Bareilles, John Legend, Steve Tyler, and many, many more.
This zany, fast-paced musical opens with a rousing salute from SpongeBob SquarePants and his aquatic friends to the best hometown in the whole wide world, “Bikini Bottom Day.” After this energetic opening, Bikini Bottom is literally shaken to its roots when the citizens discover that killer volcano Mount Humongous is on the verge of an earth-shattering eruption. SpongeBob and his friends Patrick Starfish and Sandy Cheeks the squirrel set out to save their home from this apocalyptic disaster. Their mission is further complicated when Sheldon J. Plankton, devious owner of The Chum Bucket, Bikini Bottom’s least popular restaurant, seeks to use this imminent disaster in his ongoing culinary war with Eugene Krabbs, owner and operator of the world’s most loved eating establishment, The Krusty Krab. It’s touch and go but in the end, the eruption is averted, and the good guys win as SpongeBob, Patrick, Sandy, and the other denizens of Bikini Bottom sing “It’s the Best Day Ever.”
The Bluefield Youth Theatre production of The SpongeBob Musical features a cast of over 50 children, youth, and adults. SpongeBob, Patrick, and Sandy are played by BYT regulars Miles Munique, Bear Woodard, and Blaire Anderson. Other cast members include Aaron Sudderth as the money-grubbing Mr. Krabs, Levi Mullins as his diabolical nemesis Sheldon J. Plankton, and Cannon Smith as Squidward, a clarinet-playing cephalopod. Mr. Krabs daughter Pearl is played by Ariel Haynes; Plankton’s computer-wife Karen is played by Tegin Merritt; newscaster Perch Perkins is played by Eshaal Khan; the mayor of Bikini Bottom is played by Elise Jacobs, and the narrators of the play are Cadence Lane, Joana Schaetzle, and Callie Wilkinson.
The show’s large ensemble includes Eden Bane, Aurora Billings, Gavin Bolton, Jason Branham, Elsie Buckland, Ashley Rose Burton-Pruitt, Ava Cox, Leslie Cox, Luke Cox, Kayleigh Clemins, Caleb Cumbow, Isabella Deel, Micah Deel, Olivia Deel, Catherine Dixon, Brian Fisher, Nate Gooden, Skylar Harold, Elei Haynes, Bentley Lambert, Jameson Lane, Ryleigh Lingenfelter, Teddy Lingenfelter, Ian Matullo, Lilliana Roberts, Riley Rose, Faith Shrader, Luke Shrader, General Smith, Jordan Stafford, Cate Thornton, Jillian West, Rachel White, Ellie Whittaker, Caroline Willis, and Koa Woodard.
The SpongeBob Musical is directed by Bluefield University faculty members Charles M. Reese and Rebecca McCoy-Reese with Claire Fisher as stage manager. Bluefield University theatre alumna Ashley Rose Burton-Pruitt is responsible for choreographing the many dance numbers in the production. Musical direction is by Laura Horton and Elei Haynes.
“This is one of the most fun, colorful, frenetic shows we’ve ever done,” said director Charles Reese. “The music is high energy, the dance numbers are exciting, and the sets and costumes are just out of this world. And we have lots of surprises in store for our audiences (which might include a rollicking band of pirates and a giant beach ball). You don’t want to miss this show!”
The SpongeBob Musical runs April 25-28 with shows at 7:30 pm on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and two matinee performances at 3:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for students and senior adults in advance; and $15 and $10 at the door at the time of performance. To make reservations go to https://our.show/sbspmusical.
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