They Live In A Pineapple Under The Sea. Meet Them At WIS March 22

BRANFORD, CT — Based on the hit Nickelodeon animated series, and which features all the beloved characters of Bikini Bottom, Walsh Intermediate School Performing Arts presents The SpongeBob Musical.

When the citizens of Bikini Bottom discover that a volcano is about to explode, the entire community is thrust into chaos. SpongeBob SquarePants believes that with the right team, he can save his underwater community from destruction and prove beyond all doubt that he's "not a simple sponge."

The SpongeBob Musical features a unique score filled with original songs by artists including Steven Tyler, Cyndi Lauper, John Legend, Panic! At the Disco, Plain White T's, David Bowie, and more.

Directed by Chris Lemieux, with Gavin Hartney as musical director and Sophia Coppola as choreographer, the musical is produced by Alex Hernandez, stage-managed by Rob Luce with musical accompanist Lisa Zima. The production is Lemieux's second as Walsh Intermediate School spring musical director. Last year's 'Guys & Dolls,' was a hit. Read that story here.

With a little help, it's the 50 kids that bring the show to life

It's the creative and hard-working cast and crew, some 50 kids from grades five to eight, who raise Bikini Bottom from the depths.

As Lemieux noted, "many of the students are younger or new to the program, but that does not make them any less mighty."

"The SpongeBob Musical is filled with wacky and zany characters that are very specific and well-known. This can present a challenge to any performer regardless of their age, but our students have risen to the occasion," Lemieux said.

"Diving into the SpongeBob legacy, the ensemble cast includes Mermaid Man, Barnacle Boy, and Kevin C. Cucumber," Lemieux said. "The students are really channeling their comedic sides. Many of the leads playing well-known characters such as SpongeBob, Sandy, Mr. Krabs, and Squidward have been watching the cartoon and taking inspiration from the source material. They are embodying the characters in such a fun and engaging way, adopting their voices and really becoming their characters. At the same time, we are not trying to hide the fact that these actors are people, not sea creatures. So it has been quite a fun task for the cast to embody these characters with a more human essence. I could not be more proud of them."

And, while the cast is who theater-goers watch on stage, it's the student crew that's "a force to be reckoned with."

"There are a great deal of set pieces and technical aspects to this particular show. The crew has been working with the cast to seamlessly integrate into this show. The scenes are fast and quick and we change locations in this production often and frequently, sometimes in the middle of a scene or song," the director explained. "Stage crew is always a very vital and valuable part in every production, but in this particular show the crew is working side by side with the cast members in a way that has never been done on the WIS stage. They are being led by an 8th grader, stage manager, Helen Abbott. A new member to the creative team, our Production Stage Manager, Rob Luce, is also guiding them in this endeavor."

It may be under the sea, but Bikini Bottom is a very much a community

As Lemieux explained, the "show is a chameleon of sorts."

"While it has the same care-free feel of the animated series, it is far more layered in that it deals with impending doom; a natural disaster is sure to wipe out all of Bikini Bottom unless somebody puts a stop to it," he said.

Hi jinks ensue. But in the end, the undersea community "realizes that in the face of such darkness, it may be as simple as relying on and being with each other in the end to find contentment."

Lemieux noted that the musical "also deals with individual identity."

"These characters are well-known by not just audiences, but themselves," he said. "SpongeBob and Patrick are seen as 'simple,' good enough people, but not someone to rely on in a time of great stress. Sandy is seen as an outsider, a mammal from the surface world whose faith in science is seen with an ulterior motive. These three deal with a lot of doubt and adversity. Nonetheless, they push this aside to do what is the best for their community."

But don't take it all too seriously. It's a comedy chock-a-block with great music, dancing and acting by middle-school-age kids, and if last year's production of 'Guys & Dolls' is any indication, their talent and stunning theatrical execution will have audiences cheering.

"A show like this does not come together overnight."

From Lemieux: "There are countless volunteers made up of family and friends of the cast, crew, and creative team. All the aspects of the show, costumes, set pieces, and technical design, are created 100 percent by Branford community members, which is especially fitting for this production. Our volunteers are always hard-working and looking to create the best show for the students at WIS, and we are eternally grateful. It is through their work that Bikini Bottom has truly come alive during this process and audiences are going to see their hard work showcased first hand immediately when the curtain opens."

What you need to know when you go

The curtain rises on The SpongeBob Musical in the WIS Auditorium, 185 Damascus Road, Branford, Friday, March 22 at 7 p.m. A 2 p.m. matinée for Saturday, March 23 is set, and the closing performance is that night, Saturday at 7 p.m.

Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for children and seniors. Purchase them now before they sell out via the WIS Performing Arts website here.