The SpongeBob Musical
Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School Repertory Theatre is proud to present the New Jersey high school premiere of the Broadway hit The SpongeBob Musical.
Performances will be held on Friday, June 4 at 5:30 p.m., Saturday, June 5 at 2:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., and Sunday, June 6 at 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. All performances will take place outdoors at the Perry Tyson Football Stadium at Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School, located at 667 Westfield Road, in Scotch Plains. A livestream option will be available for the performance on Friday, June 4th. Please visit www.spfrep.com for more information.
The SpongeBob Musical follows our favorite eponymous yellow sponge and his undersea friends — like Patrick, Squidward, Sandy, and Mr. Krabs — in the ocean floor town of Bikini Bottom. When their community suddenly faces an existential threat, they soon learn the value of working together during the most uncertain of times. When speaking to Director Morgan Knight, he shared “The SpongeBob Musical actually touches on many themes which audiences will find surprisingly relevant: a community’s response to a disaster, and the everyday acts of heroism that get us through troubled times. This is a musical for right now.”
The entire community is invited to share in this comical and heartwarming production. The SpongeBob Musical will be performed outdoors on a concert stage designed for this production. When asked about this unique performance setting, Assistant Director Courtney Nemec replied, “We’re so excited to put on a live performance! It’s been so much fun to rehearse outside in this beautiful spring weather. We can’t wait for the community to join us.”
The score of The SpongeBob Musical is unique for a modern musical. Trey Shore, the Pit Orchestra Director remarked, “SpongeBob is particularly interesting because it employed songwriters ranging the gamut from John Legend to Aerosmith, yet despite that it still manages to feel like one cohesive musical whole.” Choreographer, Kara Drake, is excited for the eclectic dance styles in SpongeBob. “The choreography of this show is fun and colorful, just like the characters. It has a little mix of every style — hip hop, jazz, musical theatre, and even tap…that’s what makes it so exciting!”
The SpongeBob Musical involves over 75 student actors, instrumentalists, stylists, and production crew from the Scotch Plains-Fanwood community. The cast and crew are under the artful direction of Mr. Morgan Knight (Director), Mrs. Jan Allen (Musical Director, Producer), Ms. Courtney Nemec (Assistant Director), Ms. Kara Drake (Choreographer), Mr. Trey Shore (Pit Orchestra Director), Mr. Jeffrey Allen (Set Designer), and Ms. Joanne Sprague (Costume Designer). One of the biggest challenges for this year’s outdoor performance has been the social distancing protocols in place due to COVID-19. “Everything is different this year,” says Jan Allen, the Musical Director and Producer. “It definitely requires some adjustments for the students vocally, but we are very excited for the presentation.” Safety for students, staff and patrons is a top priority this year. Audience seating will be arranged to allow for social distancing between parties and all patrons will be required to wear a mask.
The ticket cost for The SpongeBob Musical performances is $18 for students and senior citizens, $20 for adults. The live streaming option is $20 and will only be available for the performance on Friday, June 4 at 5:30 p.m. Please visit spfrep.com for livestream and ticketing information. The Perry Tyson Field stadium is wheelchair accessible. Audience members in need of wheelchair accessible seating, along with any senior citizens who would like to use their “Gold Card,” may contact Victoria Fortna at vfortna@gmail.com or call 908-787-7492 to make arrangements. The SpongeBob Musical is a rain or shine event. In the event of heavy rain or thunderstorms, a performance may be paused, delayed, or cancelled. All tickets are non-refundable and non-exchangeable, except in the event of a show cancellation.
