SpongeBob Musical to begin next week at Permian Playhouse

Jul. 22—The town of Bikini Bottom is in danger. And it's up to a certain yellow sponge who lives in a pineapple under the sea to save the day, with some help from his friends.

Starting next week, Permian Playhouse will take its audience to the deep blue sea for its summer production of "The SpongeBob SquarePants Musical."

The musical, which is based on the beloved children's TV show that has aired on Nickelodeon since 1999, will take place from July 29-Aug. 7.

There will be six total shows with the first one at 7:30 p.m. July 29, followed by 7:30 p.m. July 30, 2:30 p.m. July 31, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 5, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 6 and 2:30 p.m. Aug. 7.

The story of the musical surrounds the lovable, goofy goober SpongeBob SquarePants who dreams about being more than a "simple sponge."

Suddenly, all is not well as the citizens of the Bikini Bottom learn that a natural disaster will soon wipe the town from the ocean floor.

SpongeBob, with the help of his best friend Patrick Star and science-loving squirrel Sandy Cheeks, soon embark on a journey to try and save the town from its impending doom.

The musical consists of 45 people, all ranging from kids to adults.

Directing the show is Micaela Grenier. This will be her second show that she's directed at Permian Playhouse.

"I've grown up here and have directed a lot of plays but we've just gotten started back up again since COVID hit so this is play number two for me," Grenier said.

The SpongeBob SquarePants Musical originally made its world premiere in June 2016 and soon opened up on Broadway in December 2017 and has since received critical acclaim.

The musical received 12 Tony Award nominations in 2018.

Grenier said she's wanted to direct the SpongeBob SquarePants Musical at Permian Playhouse ever since she first saw production of the musical on tour at Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center a couple of years ago.

Going in with no expectations, she said she was surprised by how good it was.

"We thought it was just going to be a silly, little show but we were blown away by how amazing the music was, how much fun the show was and the message of it and how much we can relate to it in the moment," Grenier said. "It's been on my mind ever since then to do this show because I think it's an incredible show and it kind of lined up perfectly. It was the summer time and I knew people would be interested in it. So I took a chance and approached the board and asked if we could do this and they said yes."

Auditions for the musical were held back in May and rehearsals began right after Memorial Day.

Cast members and stage crews have been busy transforming the playhouse into an aquatic ambience.

"Some of the challenges are that it's such a huge show," Grenier said. "There are hundreds of costume pieces. There are tons of different locations. There are a million different set pieces and props. Just the size of the show itself and how complicated some of the needs are and the magnitude of what's needed to make it all work is the biggest challenge."

The work load may be big but Grenier has been pleased with the way things have gone in rehearsals.

"It's been going really well," Grenier said. "I have an amazing team that I'm working with that I couldn't do things without. I have an incredible cast of 45 people, ages seven-however old. But it's been a lot of fun. The choreography has been so much. The set is really coming together. It's an amazing process."

Wilson has been working alongside with musical director Rob Rodgers and choreographer Courtney Branscum.

Playing the role of SpongeBob SquarePants is Tobin Brannan.

"You know, it's kind of funny because when I got cast, everybody was like 'you are SpongeBob' and I was thinking they were crazy," Brannan said. "But then when I got up on stage and started doing stuff, I understood what they were saying because SpongeBob is a very goofy character and I tend to be very goofy. I'm the last one who has to be serious. I'm here for fun and entertainment. It goes well with my personality."

Trying to maintain the voice for the entire show has been one of the challenges for Brannan.

"It's been a little stressful. I've never had to sustain a character voice for almost two hours and it is proving to be quite challenging doing that and on top of that doing all the singing. It's a challenge but it's a fun challenge."

This will be the fifth show that Brannan has done and the third musical he's been a part of.

SpongeBob's best friend Patrick Star, who is a genial and slow-witted pink starfish, is played by Grenier's husband Caleb Williams.

"It's super cool," Williams said. "I've always loved the show growing up. I grew up doing theater and so it's fun to be able to portray a character that so many people have come to love, especially his goofiness. He just gets to be his own special guy."

Both Williams and Grenier have been in theater together. However, this show is the first one that Williams performed in while his wife directs.

"That's been interesting," Williams said. "We've done shows together. That's how we met. But I've never been in this position before where I'm the actor and she's the director. It's been good to see her direction and take what she's saying and apply it. It makes it difficult at home because we go home and want to talk about how things went at rehearsal, good or bad. We're just trying to find that balance but it's been fun to work with her and see how she's been working with this huge cast."

For Williams, he's done about 20-25 different productions, coming through the Permian Playhouse's Kaleidoscope Company.

"Since then, I've taken some time off," Williams said. "I usually play in the orchestra pit. But my wife is the director and I've been looking for a chance to get back on the stage and go through this process again. It was super fun to go through the audition process."

Playing the role of Sandy Cheeks is another Permian Playhouse regular Blake Rogers, who like many others, grew up watching the show and has loved playing the role.

"This show has been so much fun," Rogers said. "I've grown up with this show so it's fun to bring this character on stage because she's so quirky and fun and different. She's kind of the odd one out of everyone which I enjoy playing. The odd characters have more fun than everyone else."

Rogers' character may be the "odd one" of the bunch but she's arguably the smartest character on stage. When Sandy suggests that science can help them solve the problem, the townspeople ignore her for being a land mammal.

Playing the role of Sandy has gone hand-in-hand for Rogers who also works in the field of science, working as a Family Medicine Purchasing Coordinator at Texas Tech Health Sciences Center.

"I think it's funny because Sandy is the one that's pushing for science and science is really the importance of it all and my job has to do with science and the importance of health and the importance of taking care of yourself and the community," Rogers said.

For her, the plot of the SpongeBob SquarePants Musical feels prevalent.

"While some people may think 'oh, it's just SpongeBob,' the story line is very moving and very telling," Rogers said. "I feel like with the current climate of society, it's super important and valid and everyone needs to see it."

Micaela says she's excited to share this show with the community.

"We're trying to come back in a big way with community theater and reach as many people as we can," Grenier said. "We have members from all over the surrounding communities. We have cast members from Andrews, from Midland and Odessa, obviously. It's just a really big cast with lots of different people working together to make it all happen and that's what the show is about and what community theater is all about."

For more information about the show, go to tinyurl.com/4zc64c44.

SpongeBob SquarePants cast

SpongeBob SquarePants — Tobin Brannan

Patrick Star — Caleb Williams

Sandy Cheeks — Blake Rogers

Squidward Tentacles — Emily Hatch

Eugene Krabs — Kristi Phillips

Pearl Krabs — Bethany Woemmel

Sheldon Plankton — Oscar LaVista

French Narrator — Cristi Stevenson

Patchy the Pirate — Luke Russell

Karen, a computer — Alyssa Guerra

Perch Perkins — Sam Weaks

Mayor of Bikini Bottom — Alex Calentine

Mrs. Puff — Katelan Crowder

Larry the Lobster — Brandon Martinez

Old Man Jenkins — Trey Rolston

Buster Bluetang — Kadin Rodriguez

The Electric Skates — Long Lawhom, Rory Adams, Matthew Aceves, Devin Castillo, Ashton Ontiveros

Johnny the Bartender — Isaac Torres

Security Guards — Tate Butler, Hazel Shorter

Gary the Snail — Dillon Richard

ENSEMBLE

(Bikini Bottom Citizens, Sea Star Devotes, Sea Anemone Tappers, etc)

Serenity Galindo, Annie Willis, Madelyn Linville, Francesca Florance, Alyssa Brindley, Isabella Carrasco, Tristan Rivera, Brooke Phillips, Hope Joyce, Brooklynn Carruth, Timmy Bryan, Avery Fedele, Thamus Stevenson, Tylee Stevenson, Zoe Woemmel, Piper Stephenson, Finley Stephenson, Ethan Carter, Kaylee Tucker, Aria Gutierrez

If you go

— What: The SpongeBob SquarePants Musical.

— When: 7:30 p.m. July 29, 7:30 p.m. July 30, 2:30 p.m. July 31, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 5, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 6, 2:30 p.m. Aug. 7.

— Where: Permian Playhouse.

— Where to purchase tickets: tinyurl.com/3wjsfz8h

PHOTO GALLERY: SpongeBob SquarePants Musical