by Maddy Mason
I mean this statement with all sincerity: Spongebob Squarepants the Musical might be one of the best modern musicals written.
Bold statement, considering all the shows written within the past twenty years. But, after seeing this show when it was in Chicago, I felt like I was witnessing a blockbuster in the making. It was smart, funny, silly, and everyone in the theatre was enjoying themselves. Seeing Spongebob reminded me how joyous musical theatre can be. And even though this show may be silly, I believe that it is on par with musicals like Spring Awakening, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Dear Evan Hansen, Light in the Piazza, and Bright Star.
The show has a crackpot creative team consisting of director Tina Landau (Bells Are Ringing, Superior Donuts), book writer Kyle Jarrow (A Very Merry Unauthorized Children’s Scientology Pageant), music supervisor Tom Kitt (Next to Normal, American Idiot), and choreographer Christopher Gattelli (Newsies, The King and I).They have created something that people of all ages can enjoy. No longer do families need to be dragged to Cats or The Lion King, there’s a new show they can all enjoy together. There are three things that make it a solid show: its extremely innovative and smart ensemble, soundtrack, and design.
The ensemble of Spongebob makes it different than a traditional musical. Every character is recognizable onstage, they don’t become a homogenous clump. Some ensemble members even lead the showstopping numbers. For example, Perch Perkins, the weatherman, played by Kelvin Moon Loh, leads the cast in the song “No Control.” Here, he explains the main conflict of the show: a volcano is about to erupt and destroy Bikini Bottom.This is a great moment for a member of the ensemble to step out and show their singing chops. It’s very rare to see a member of the ensemble have a moment like this, and Spongebob is full of limelight moments for all of its ensemble members.
Which leads me to another strong point about the musical: the album is a compilation of songs from different artists, ranging from David Bowie to Sara Bareilles. The artist’s individual sound can be heard in each song, but it doesn’t distract from the story. A great song that stands out within the show is “When the Going Gets Tough,” sung by Plankton and Karen the Computer, currently played by Wesley Taylor and Stephanie Hsu. Written by, T.I., this song starts with Karen beatboxing and Plankton rapping over her. It’s reminiscent of “You’ve Got Trouble” from The Music Man, with a slick con speaking a million words a minute to the public.
The design of the show is just as clever as its cast and soundtrack. Set designer, David Zinn, made the set out of “found pieces,” things that would float to the bottom of the ocean. He took pool noodles and made seaweed, made a bunch of old radios look like rocks, and hung tires to look like bubbles. Zinn also designed the costumes for the show. Being both the scenic designer and costume designer, he really helps immerse us into this new world we don’t know a lot about. The design allows them to become individuals and contribute to the story as much as our titular hero does. It’s colorful and exciting to look at but also helps us know who these many characters are without each of them introducing themselves.
I am not saying the show is perfect, no show truly is. There are some unnecessary side plots in the show and sometimes the humor falls flat. But I love Spongebob so much because it is full of love for its source material and its audience. Theatre is for everyone, and we need more theatre that is truly family-friendly. When a show comes along that is as clever, funny, and charming as Spongebob Squarepants: The Musical, we must celebrate it.
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