Gareth Gates and Divina de Campo lead the troupe in the stage adaptation of one of the most memorable animated shows in television history. Featuring original songs by some of the most renowned pop and rock artists in the world, performances will beging in April in Southampton, the show will tour extensively around the country.
If nautical nonsense is something you wish, then jump on the stage deck and dance like a fish! Fans of the most vivid of mooches can start packing their bags to Bikini Bottom, because the whole troupe from under sea is swimming their way into the British shores. In just a couple of months, the hit musical adaptation of one of the most successful animated cartoon series of all time will begin its national tour, for which its main cast has been finally made official today.
Gareth Gates stars in this hilarious sung-through show in the role of the lovely and friendly Squidward, while Divina de Campo will terrify us as the fearful and extremely capable supervillain Sheldon J. Plankton. On the other hand, Lewis Cornay will step into the fluffy shoes of SpongeBob, while the rest of the team includes Irfan Damani as Patrick, Chrissie Bhima as Sandy, Richard J Hunt as Mr Krabs, Sarah Freer as Pearl, Eloise Davies as Mrs Puff, Hannah Lowther as Karen and Rebecca Lisewski as Mayor. They will be joined by Sam Beveridge, Jeremiah Olaleye, Eleanor Turiansky, Rhys Batten and Reece Kerridge.
With a book by Kyle Jarrow and based on the characters created by Stephen Hillenburg, the play deals with the unfortunate discovery of a volcano that’s about to erupt, which will cause everybody in Bikini Bottom to lose their homes. Amidst the fear and the despair, a new superhero is bound to arise – as the power of optimism will actually be the key to save the world! Directed by Tara Overfield Wilkinson (she/her), with choreographies Fabian Aloise (he / him) and designs by Steve Howell, the show features original songs by Yolanda Adams, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Sara Bareilles, Jonathan Coulton, Alex Ebert of Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, The Flaming Lips, Lady A, Cyndi Lauper, John Legend, Panic! At the Disco, Plain White T’s, They Might Be Giants and T.I. and songs by David Bowie, Tom Kenny and Andy Paley, apart from additional lyrics by Jonathan Coulton and additional music by Tom Kitt.
The Spongebob Musical will open at the Mayflower Theatre, Southampton* on Wednesday 5 April 2023. The production then visits Birmingham*, Bradford, Oxford*, Dublin*, Manchester, Belfast*, Cardiff*, Blackpool*, Peterborough, Wolverhampton, Norwich*, Leicester, Aberdeen ahead of spending five weeks over the summer at the Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall prior to visiting Plymouth. Tickets are available on the following link.
*Venues where Gareth Gates will be performing as Squidward. Further casting, including for the role of Squidward at other venues, to be announced.