Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? I remember the first episode which aired in 1999. Initially it was hard to believe this simplistic and bizarre tomfoolery was going to become an enormous hit. (The episode I remember most fondly was “ripped pants.”) It is even harder to imagine SpongeBob SquarePants as a Broadway musical. Put down your flying carpet Aladdin with your in-your-face entertainment, there’s a new watery wonderland in town. If you have ever desired to see a cartoon completely transformed into a spectacular visual treat, then this show is for you.
Since SpongeBob has been assembled by earnestly embracing its tone and thematic sensibility, there could be difficulty for some people who don’t know the source material. Unfamiliarity with the TV show probably hurts one’s ability to see how phenomenally these characters have been rendered on stage. Ethan Slater has the title role. He is an eternally optimistic, quite bendable sponge. A powerhouse who holds the whole show together, he is superb. No bulky sponge costume needed, just this actor with plaid paints, a shirt and a tie. I repeat, he is superb, nailing every moment (or is that better described as fully absorbed?) Danny Skinner plays his BFF Patrick, the starfish with intellectual shortcomings yet a heart of gold. His casting is also ideal. (The males are stronger presences and performers in this show overall, as in the series.)
The show is not without a few shortcomings. The music is sort of a jukebox collection by artists as diverse as Cyndi Lauper, Aerosmith, John Legend, Lady Antebellum and They Might Be Giants. The staging and choreography, however, are so fantastic, so inventive, so smile-inducing, it doesn’t really matter which songs are the better ones. Tina Landau directed this psychedelic masterpiece which is amazingly one hundred percent faithful to the spirit and tone of the series. Christopher Gatelli brilliantly turned the whiny Squidward (Gavin Lee, awesome) into a tap dancing, show stopping octopus. The costumes and set design by David Zinn are creative, colorful and effortlessly cheeky. Pool noodles as undersea fauna!
What’s the best part of this aquatic dreamscape? I’d have to see it again to figure that out, there are so many choices to consider. As said before, and worth repeating, the visuals are stunning. Adding to the fun is a noise supplying sound board as part of the orchestra. SpongeBob SquarePants is a fully realized cartoon brought magnificently to three dimensional life. If cartoons and fun are not your cup of tea, too bad for you. For the rest of us, it is time for “Bikini Bottom Day.” A truly unforgettable spectacle.