This past Tuesday, it was announced that Nickelodeon was in the works on a SpongeBob Squarepants spin-off for its beloved starfish character Patrick Star. As one can guess, this sent the internet into a frenzy, especially since one has to wonder just what can a dimwitted character has to offer for a full-length series. He is by no means eccentric or interesting enough to be the lead, and he’s enjoyed now over TWO DECADES as SpongeBob’s sidekick, going on wacky adventures and even popping up on the big screen once a decade with varying degrees of success.
Like most people, I know WHO SpongeBob is. I’ve seen enough of the series created by Stephen Hillenburg to understand its flavor. I was 10 when the short first premiered in May 1999, serving as one of the last major 90s thingamajigs to continue having a lasting impact on pop culture. I’m very sure that most people from my generation know him well and can find fondness in his laughter. He’s a cultural landmark like no other, and… somehow his appeal escapes me.
This may be a result of circumstances. I didn’t grow up in a house with cable. If I wanted to watch Nickelodeon, I would have to go over to my grandma’s. While I knew the show well enough to sing along when my friends referenced it, I remained perplexed by its continuing existence. It’s in the eccentricity and brutal surrealism that creates images. Almost every segment I’ve seen as been hyperbolic in an upsetting way, and I don’t get it. If it’s not from an overwhelming blast of manic yelling, it’s from macabre animation that, on the one hand, makes the show stand out, but also just looks gross. SpongeBob Squarepants is a series that I’ve appreciated more than liked, and as I round 31 I realize that it’s becoming more difficult to fall for its charm.
So why bring this up? In all honesty, I was wanting to wait for Sponge On the Run (2020) to get into my indifference for the franchise (the movies, while fun, also fall in the “too much for me” camp). But given that COVID-19 has taken everything and thrown it out of order, I figured now is as good of a time as any to admit one thing. While I find everything that I’ve mentioned to be hit and miss, there is one thing that I genuinely like a whole lot. If you ever threw me a pair of tickets for this, I probably would get those stars in my eyes and sing “I’m Ready!”
I’m talking about the SpongeBob Squarepants musical.
I know, I know. There’s plenty of reason to have skepticism that finds the cornerstone of “throw everything at the wall” entertainment doing well in an even more confined setting. With the TV series, you had minutes. With the movies, you had the comfort of pausing and walking away. With theater, you often paid top dollar for it and would feel personal guilt if you walked out at intermission. But what I think works onstage is the same thing that made South Park’s foray into movie musicals such a wonderful experience: discipline.
The thing is that this should be a cynical project geared directly at fans. That is how pop culture works, right? Who would want to see a Nickelodeon musical on Broadway? It seems ridiculous to its core, but is it worth it?
I honestly didn’t know until The Tony Awards nominated it for Best Musical and listened to the soundtrack for myself. Much like the series, I was worried by the “see what sticks” approach to the songwriting, which featured a bunch of artists donating songs. Among the names were John Legend, Aerosmith, David Bowie, Waitress’ Sara Bareilles, T.I., The Plain White T’s, and Brendan Urie of Panic! at the Disco. There’s more, but that is shaping up to be one of the greatest soundtracks ever or the worst, most disjoined to ever exist.
Thankfully, it’s more towards the former. What I found exceptional about the soundtrack is that it all exists within something reminiscent of the tone of the show. It’s upbeat and positive, but also has a delirious streak that isn’t so much reliant on dated references, but these great sight gags done with practical effects. It’s probably the best musical geared towards families since Matilda, and what’s amazing is how easily the songs get stuck in your head. It’s not just tunes set to a nose flute. These are genuine hits that are packed with humor and heart. It’s Broadway on SpongeBob’s terms, and what’s amazing is that watching the eventual recording of the show confirm something: this show is very special.
It may at times play like a variety show, jumping from musical numbers to people on roller skates playing guitars. However, it’s all meticulously designed like the series, finding the enthusiasm always being pitched high and the stage being creatively designed. The set designer claimed that he wanted to make the audience feel like they were in Bikini Bottom, and you’ll feel that way immediately. They aren’t just visual copies of what we know. SpongeBob doesn’t have jaundice. Plankton isn’t the size of a walnut. They look like real people given colorful and abstract interpretations of these characters.
It helps that Ethan Slater does an amazing job as SpongeBob. For those wondering if he’s as elastic as his cartoon counterpart, he definitely is. The show is very demanding and the only thing more elastic than his body is his face, full of this rich enthusiasm that feels organic and makes you empathize with him as a character. Alongside Danny Skinner’s Patrick, the duo has this adorable chemistry that fans will be familiar with.
In the song “BFF,” there is a whole extendable couch gag. As a song symbolizing the various ways that SpongeBob and Patrick like each other, it’s fun to watch the couch slink to and fro as they sing this jaunty number. In another time, it wouldn’t be out of place in an Irving Berlin musical, reflecting a more romantic pairing. Instead, it’s just a charming number with manic asides and funny pauses that play to the best of theater. This isn’t just a great show for kids. It’s a genuine accomplishment of theatrical endearment.
By the next song, Plankton (Wesley Taylor) is doing an elaborate rap song (“When the Going Gets Tough”) that sets up the conflict of the show. They’re on the verge of destruction and only SpongeBob (with the help of his friends, of course) can save the day! It’s a show that’s all over the place in terms of pacing, and yet it all works. Even the band is incorporated into the show, such as when SpongeBob talks to musicians on the side of the stage, welcoming them to this wonderful "Bikini Bottom Day.”
Nothing is overkill. It may be a bit too silly for adults who turn to the theater for realism, but it’s a refreshing alternative to the Disney canon. Whereas shows like Mary Poppins and Frozen feel too regimented to what we know, SpongeBob Squarepants exists in its own unique story, taking risks on every level of design. As I can attest, this is a show that can be appreciated by people just wanting a wacky, full-fledged musical that swings for the fences. You will be amazed at how Slater can swing between a nonsensical comment to deeper angst.
For me personally, no other version of this character feels as rich. This is especially true in “(Just a) Simple Sponge.” In the world of writing, it’s a call to action song. The choreography is clever, managing to incorporate visual gags that play behind SpongeBob while he contemplates his worth. Then, as central characters sing back-up vocals, they appear in faded shadows in corners of the stage, making it feel like there’s no gravity in this world. It may all be practical effects, but it’s done with such ingenuity that you’re never taken out of the moment.
To be fair, the second act is crazier and takes more bold risks that align it more with the show’s eccentricity. As mentioned, there’s roller skates and punk guitar players. Patrick is the leader of a cult, and the world is at stake. Everything is bigger and ridiculous, and it’s impressive to me how they pulled everything off. The show is closer to an art project, using D.I.Y. set designs at key moments to convey this universe as being greater than it is. It’s the type of visuals that force you to use your imagination and will probably make you smile.
Even if the show itself may be a smorgasbord of pleasure overload, I will always stand up for the soundtrack, which is guaranteed to give your theater friends a few more earworms. It works much better than it should. To put it simply, “Bikini Bottom Day” is a delightful opening song on par with Beauty and the Beast’s (1991) “Belle.” It’s where Slater begins to wander the stage as the supporting cast joins in, filling the world with literal color and forming a rich personality. I promise you that if this song doesn’t do it for you, then you may have trouble with this show. It’s a catchy number that conveys so much in its jaunty, bouncy melodies that introduce this world in such a way that you feel at home before the story gets too far along.
One of this musical’s greatest accomplishments was choosing to preserve a recording of the show, airing on Nickelodeon in 2019. As someone who supports this in practice, I am glad to see what this show is all about, finding every colorful detail at play while reverently playing with theater. It’s able to play with the idea of the show while creating something new, challenging form and even making a Cabaret reference (“Daddy Knows Best”) into a song about a father-daughter disagreement.
This show has so much going on that makes up for how little I care about the TV series as a franchise. I already feel strange that very little of it appeals to me when so much of my generation has a nostalgic love for it. Then again, I do love that it took random humor to new heights, leading to Sponge Out of Water (2015), which featured both Antonio Banderas as a pirate and a rapping dolphin from outer space. Yes, it’s that kind of story. Even if I don’t get it, I can never call it a dull experience.
That is why I’m thankful that this musical exists. It may not be my favorite, but over the years I’ve only come to love its soundtrack more. Even if you don’t like the show, I hope that the music will bring some happiness into your life. Unlike other wacky musicals like Beetlejuice, there is a focus and heart that goes into them that isn’t restricted by its premise. Everyone watching the show will feel like SpongeBob at some point: an underdog needing to save the day.
That is what’s wonderful about what they came up with. It may be tonally just as random, but its heart shines brighter, proving that this franchise has room to grow and experiment in new ways. I don’t honestly know where else it will go that makes me love it this much, but I look forward to finding out. Even if that’s not the case, we’ll always have this oddity and I wish the cast (notably Slater) luck in their careers. This is a musical like no other, and thankfully it’s made by people who clearly care about form and know how to collaborate. It’s the work of the masses, but it creates one satisfying, unified vision.
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