SpongeBob and friends are coming to Waynesboro in a new Wayne Theatre musical

Patrick Hite, Staunton News Leader

WAYNESBORO — Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? If you've watched Nickelodeon anytime in the last 20 years, you know the answer is SpongeBob Squarepants.

Now the optimistic yellow sea sponge and all of his cartoon buddies are coming to Waynesboro starting Aug. 9. The Wayne Theatre is presenting a live performance of "SpongeBob the Musical," Aug. 9-11 and 16-18. Tickets are on sale now.

"One of my favorite parts of this has not only been the community of people involved, which makes it erupt with energy, but also having these cool costumes and quick prop movements," said Claire Sauls, who plays Patrick Star. "That helps the show feel super big and alive."

Speaking of erupting, the show starts out with the citizens of Bikini Bottom discovering that a volcano will soon erupt and destroy their undersea home. SpongeBob and his friends must find a way to save their home.

This vibrant and energetic musical brings the beloved characters of SpongeBob SquarePants to life with a cast of local and regional talent, featuring performers ranging from children to adults.

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Collin Wheeler plays SpongeBob. He said he grew up watching the cartoon on Nickelodeon, saying he watched every episode of every season. Now, he must play the iconic SpongeBob, which isn't always easy.

"It's a big undertaking," Wheeler said. "I know everybody in their mind has an idea of what SpongeBob is to them. I just hope that I can embody a little of that and bring joy, but also be SpongeBob to new people who don't know what SpongeBob is."

Even though he had already watched the show numerous times, when he was cast in the production Wheeler revisited the show to pick up on SpongeBob's mannerisms and voice. He wasn't the only one.

Kelsey Harrison plays Plankton, a planktonic copepod who runs the Chum Bucket.

"Whenever there's been nothing on TV and SpongeBob has been on, I'll turn that on and call it research," Harrison said. "They also have the recorded version of the Broadway musical. That's on Paramount+. I've watched that a little bit to try to get ideas from some of the actors."

Sauls does a nearly spot on voice of Patrick Star, SpongeBob's best friend.

"Something cool about playing Patrick for me, as a girl, is being able to bring my own spin on it," Sauls said. "Patrick can be a girl and still have the same intentions and intensity, which I think is really cool to play with. I'm bringing elements of the same Patrick that we all grew up with and it doesn't change who he is just because I'm a girl."

"SpongeBob the Musical" boasts a dynamic score with original songs by legendary artists such as John Legend, David Bowie, Cyndi Lauper, They Might Be Giants, The Flaming Lips, Steven Tyler, and many others.

Harrison, as Plankton, performs "When the Going Gets Tough," written by Domani Harris, Lil' C and T.I. There is one spot in the hip hop song where the lyrics come fast and furious. In rehearsal they were able to take the speed of the backing music down to 50% to practice at a slower pace. Then they'd gradually bump the speed up as Harrison became more comfortable.

"I couldn't quite get it at 100% and I was like, 'No, no, I want to get it to 100%,'" Harrison said. "So I just drilled the heck out of it and practiced all the time."

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There will be eight performances of Nickelodeon's "SpongeBob the Musical" starting Aug. 9.

  • Friday, Aug. 9: 7 p.m.

  • Saturday, Aug. 10: 2 p.m.

  • Saturday, Aug. 10: 7 p.m.

  • Sunday, Aug. 11: 2 p.m.

  • Friday, Aug. 16: 7 p.m.

  • Saturday, Aug. 17: 2 p.m.

  • Saturday, Aug. 17: 7 p.m.

  • Sunday, Aug. 18: 2 p.m.

Tickets are available at the Wayne Theatre's website or by phone at 540-943-9999.

"We are excited to bring this family-friendly and visually stunning production to the Wayne Theatre stage," said Tracy Straight, executive director of the Wayne Theatre. "Our talented cast and crew have been working tirelessly to create a show that captures the essence of SpongeBob while showcasing the incredible talent from our community."

— Patrick Hite is a reporter at The News Leader. Story ideas and tips always welcome. Connect with Patrick (he/him/his) at phite@newsleader.com and on Instagram @hitepatrick. Subscribe to us at newsleader.com

This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: "SpongeBob the Musical" is coming to Waynesboro for two weekends

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