The SpongeBob Musical

Let's not be snobs- great fun can come from humble sources.

Too late! www.nycastings.com/Public_s/mobile_ViewNoticeDetail.asp?Qc=Theatre&QPn=1&Qn=67470

First preview is tonight!

Sounds quite interesting, actors playing the characters in human form, rather than in big theme park costumes, and some very interesting collaborators writing the music.
And I hear Squidward has a tap number...

You can and it does!

(Just a) Simple Sponge has been released ahead of the cast recording. I wonder if they will do a second recording once it opens on Broadway. Guess it depends on how many changes are made

I'm really dumbfounded as to why there are so few posts about this production. I'm wondering if people are dismissing it as a kid's show or some sort of cynical money making exercise by Nickleodeon or just for fans of the cartoon?

It's SO not any of these things - it's an absolute GEMr (I should point out that although my user name is 'Squidward', I'm just a fan of the cartoon and not involved in the production in any way...I wish I was, but I'm not!)

I'm British, but was in NYC last week and have been curious about this show ever since I learned that several of my favourite musical artistes wrote numbers for the show (Cyndi Lauper, John Legend, They Might be Giants, even Bowie gifted them a number). I'd seen a couple of interviews with the co-creator/director Tina Landau which allayed my fears that it would be any kind of theme park type show and so booked to see it.

My husband, daughter (14) and I were absolutely blown away by the production. It's simply the most joyous show I've seen in the theatre since BOM (bit obviously this one is much cleaner). Everything from the ingenious set/costumes, to the wonderful songs (not one duff number), to the stand-out performances from every single lead and the hardest working ensemble I've ever witnessed.
It's a intelligent book which is laced with important messages (particularly about racial tolerance and making the world a better place without relying on the government alone to do it for you) but it's never didactic or schmaltzy. You also don't need to know anything about the cartoon to enjoy or understand the show, though if you do happen to be a fan there are a few little nods for you to enjoy.

The energy and pace of the production is astounding. It all flies by so quickly and we just found ourselves smiling from start to finish (with the exception of a couple of moments where we got a bit choked up).
It was packed out when we saw it and I really hope it continues to do good business, because as I heard the director Tina Landau say, 'The world needs a Sponge Bob Musical' and in these dark times that we're currently living in, a little joyous escapism is a real tonic and leaves you absolutely buzzing. Highly,highly recommended ( and I'm notoriously difficult to please).

To answer squidward above it could be because we're a mainly British board and I don't think Spongebob was that big for the general age demographic here? I was having this conversation with an American theatre friend who like @baemax has been won over and really wants to see it. But she knows the cartoon really well having although not watched it as a kid but watched it during those college years when you watch random stuff on TV.

For me and I'm guess a lot of others we were too old to see Spongebob as kids and haven't had kids the right age either. And it has never been as big in the UK so it's not like dunno Shrek that has more 'global' appeal.

Dunno though maybe I'm just a loser who miss out on the Yellow dude or something.

Yup exactly- to me from the outside in my Sponge-bob-less life it just looks like a garish awful cash-cow. If I knew anything of Spongebob maybe I'd be thinking 'oh that's a super-fun-musical'

As it happens, knowing the creative team made me say 'oh that should be well-written musically' but again having no knowledge of the cartoon I'm not likely to spend $100s of dollars on it.

It's so weird that no matter how many good things I hear about it I just can't seem to want to hear/see it...? Maybe it's because I'm not a 'cartoon person' or a 'kids show' person. But you know when a show just doesn't appeal no matter what? (and it's not a snobbery thing, because man do I love me some trash in all walks of life haha).