First Stage presents: THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES

Gavin Miller, Gracie Halverson, and Natalie Ortega in THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES. First Stage, 2023. Photo by Paul Ruffolo.

By Mary Boyle

I have a secret to admit: I have never seen an entire episode of Nickelodeon’s long-running and popular animated series SpongeBob SquarePants by Stephen Hillenberg, which first aired in 1999.  Nonetheless, I was well aware, thanks to the catchy theme song, that the character lives in a pineapple under the sea, works as a fry cook at the Krusty Krab restaurant, and has a pet snail named Gary and a best friend who is a starfish named Patrick.  The truth is, you really don’t even need to know that much to enjoy seeing this cartoon brought to life on the stage, which First Stage has done brilliantly with THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES.

SpongeBob (Gracie Halverson/Thatcher Jacobs) is an incurably optimistic resident of Bikini Bottom who thinks every day is “the best day ever.”  When his town is suddenly threatened by the eruption of an underwater volcano called Mount Humongous, the residents look to the Mayor of Bikini Bottom (Lachrisa Grandberry) to solve their problems, but Plankton (Jesse Bhamrah) and Karen the Computer (Bree Beelow) have a plan to use the chaos to get people to their restaurant, The Chum Bucket, in their never-ending feud with their competitor, Mr. Krabs (Zach Thomas Woods), owner of the Krusty Krab. While SpongeBob’s coworker, Squidward (Doug Clemons), plans a fundraising show to help get the community out of Bikini Bottom, SpongeBob and his best friend, Patrick (Gavin Miller/Zach Church), along with their friend Sandy the Squirrel (Natalie Ortega/Naima Gaines), work on another plan to save Bikini Bottom before it’s too late.

Directed by Tommy Novak, who was recently seen as Sam the Snowman in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer The Musical, SpongeBob The Musical features original songs written by well-known artists such as Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Sara Bareilles, The Flaming Lips, Cydi Lauper, John Legend, Panic! At The Disco, They Might Be Giants, David Bowie, and more, all directed by Paul Helm.  The costumes by Theresa Ham to the scenic design by Kristin Ellert help to make the world of SpongeBob come to life, but it’s the actors who make it so real.  Doug Clemons really steals the show as Squidward and Zach Thomas Woods is spot on as Mr. Krabs, but the young performers (who are double cast) are also strong.  I saw Gracie Halverson as SpongeBob and Zach Church as Patrick and they were both impressive.  I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Lainey Techtmann as Perch Perkins, the news anchor, who was absolutely a delight.

While “young audiences” even makes its way into the title of the show, this musical will appeal to all ages, whether you are a rabid fan of SpongeBob or not.  Witty, yet heartfelt, with surprising relevance to current events, this production offers a plentiful amount of feel-good-fun for the whole family – don’t miss it!

THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES runs through April 2, 2023, at the Marcus Center’s Todd Wehr Theater, located at 929 N. Water Street in downtown Milwaukee. Tickets start at $32 and can be purchased in person at the Marcus Center Box Office at 929 N. Water Street, by phone at (414) 273-7206, or online at firststage.org. Performance runtime is approximately 75 minutes plus intermission. Suggested for families with young people ages 6+.

Special events for THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES
Pay What You Choose Performance: Friday, March 10, 2023 at 7:00 p.m.
Pay What You Choose tickets are available on a first come, first served basis with a minimum suggested donation of $5 per person. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. on the day of the performance. Patrons are encouraged to arrive early. Tickets may also be reserved in advance by phone at (414) 267-2961, weekdays 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. For more information, please visit: firststage.org/events-tickets/tickets-offers/pay-what-you-choose/
 
Sensory Friendly Performance: Saturday, March 18, 2023 at 3:30 p.m.
A Sensory Friendly Performance with accommodations for families with children on the autism spectrum will take place on Saturday, March 18, 2023 at 3:30 p.m. Sensory accommodations include a quiet area staffed by an experienced educator, lower sound, house lights up and more. Tickets for Sensory Friendly Performances are $10. Order online or by phone at (414) 267-2961, weekdays 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. to reserve tickets. To learn more visit: firststage.org/plan-your-visit/sensory-friendly-performances/.
 
ASL Interpreted Performance: Sunday, April 2, 2023 at 3:30 p.m.
This performance will be sign language interpreted for patrons who are deaf or hard of hearing.  Assistive listening devices are also available at the Todd Wehr Theater. To learn more, please visit: firststage.org/plan-your-visit/accessibility/sign-language-interpreted-performances/
 
About First Stage
Founded in 1987, First Stage is one of the nation’s leading theaters for young people and
families, and a driving force behind the creation of the best and most innovative plays for family audiences, theater training programs for young people and education initiatives for its schools and community. First Stage ensures that all programming is not only accessible to its community but that it is reflective of the community it serves.  First Stage produces plays that honor the young person’s point of view, include diverse and traditionally underrepresented voices and inspire meaningful conversations. First Stage has presented more than 70 world premiere productions that address important subject matters relevant to today’s youth. The Theater Academy is one of the nation’s largest high-impact theater training programs for young people (3-18 years old). Through a challenging curriculum taught by professional teaching artists, the Academy nurtures life skills through stage skills and includes the Next Steps Program that tailors Theater Academy classes to the needs of young people on the autism spectrum and with other developmental disabilities. As Wisconsin’s leader in arts-integrated education in schools, First Stage’s dynamic Theater in Education Programs cleverly blend theater activities with standard curriculum – allowing more than 10,000 students annually to learn traditional academic subjects through creativity and self-expression.
 
First Stage is a member of TYA/USA, the American Alliance for Theatre and Education, the
Wisconsin Alliance for Arts Education, Milwaukee Arts Partners and is a cornerstone member of the United Performing Arts Fund (UPAF). firststage.org